How to Make Your Own Touring Bike from an Old MTB!

I will show you how I upgraded a retro MTB to a very capable Touring Bike using second hand parts!

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[joeymacme]

Nice touring bike build. It's always good to get tips from such experienced people, and that you also do not push for the latest & "greatest" components. These older 26" MTB's with Shimano's 2/3x drivetrains are found the world over, and as such, replacement parts should be easier to find outside of the US & EU compared to 27.5" or 29" parts.

[leomaduro]

In 2001 I took my daughter's Giant MTB on a trip with a friend of mine to Spain. It was the logical and cheapest solution, instead of a road bike. The 22 smallest chainring is exactly what I needed on the steep climbs with 25 kg of luggage. I changed to almost slick 37 mm Schwalbe tires as we were riding mostly on tarmac. I left the original handlebars on, as the bar ends come in very handy when you are standing on the pedals. We still have the MTB and use it once in a while for short trips. It will never go out of fashion.

[twhis]

1990s MTBs are the best touring bikes going. Easy to field repair and the 26” wheel has no toe overlap, even with fenders on a small frame. That is important when you are weaving up a 30% fire road with 25kilos of gear and water. They are cheap, rugged (as in overbuilt) have eyelets and will serve you well. It is a shame the bike industry is trying to phase out the 559 wheel size. It is a wonderfully versatile standard.

[mattyfrommacc]

I have a couple of retro MTBs, I do love how I can do all my own work on these 20- 30 year old bikes now, which work great if kept well tuned & mantained Ive collected all the tools I will ever need, and can take a good tool kit with me wherever I go, 26 " wheels are so common the world over as are all these parts and cables

[bertb]

love the refreshing of this old bike - plus it's so much cooler looking!

[colinwellman]

Earlier this year I bought a Giant Boulder Alu. I saw it on the market place for 15€ and it looks identical to yours.
After many years I'd collected a lot of parts so I swapped the handlebars, the shifters for trigger type, wheels for ones with QR axles and the saddle. The derailleurs are original but I've changed the V brakes. The original ones (just like yours) didn't have a screw to centre the pads. On mine they kept moving and touching the rim.
It has turned out to be my favourite bike and I've done 2000 Km on it this year.
Adding mudguards and a rack make it handy and usable all year, even if you don't go touring
Your journey has proven you don't need to spend a fortune on a fancy purpose built touring bike.
Good luck and smooth roads for your future travels.

[ericohara]

That was a great and helpful video, and very refreshing to see practical use of second hand items and not follow trend and fashion. We need more of this sort of thing for ordinary you tube viewers. Thank you...

[prakash.vishwakarma]

This channel is pure gold, each and every video is filled with great life experiences, lot of learnings for the viewers. There's not a single video that i haven't watched.
E&M, you guys are my favorites ❤

[luismelendez]

I have an old 26" MTB, and it is the bicycle that I use every day from home to work, apart from that I use it to make trips to other nearby towns and for some time now I have wanted to take my first long trip with this bicycle, without a doubt it will be 26" is the easiest and most economical bicycle regarding its maintenance and another point in favor is how durable they are, they can rarely fail you on the road.

[alexdegroot]

In my experience, it can turn out a lot more expensive than expected. It might be cheap to do when you have parts lying around, but if you don't have any parts available, it can turn out to be pretty expensive. I bought a 90's MTB a couple of years ago, inspired by videos like this. It seemed okay at first, but the tires were old and had a lot of cracks, so I had to replace the front and back tires. I replaced the chain, but then the chain skipped. I needed new front chainrings and a new cassette; they were worn out along with the old chain. I also put on a new stem to have a more relaxed position. Then, I really needed fenders to stay clean when riding in the rain (or on wet roads). All in all, I spent €100 on the bike and have put around €400 into it in the end. Not only on components but also needed to buy various special tools as well. I learned a lot by fixing it myself, though

[reeceholmes]

I'm all about budget bikes, if you maintain them properly they will take you far and parts are cheap generally, thanks E&M, great stuff

[subjugatedsisyphus]

Great video .. I use a old specialized rock hopper to bicycle tour and pack with .. I'm telling you this bicycle won't break down and the weight I'm carrying with a trailer is phenomenal, haven't had to change the crank yet but everthing else has been changed.

[gufolo-fi]

That's was I was looking for... I am totally new and just needed someone thst suggested me some "gears I can trust" thst may be worth the buy (like the wp bags and the racks).
Love it, gained a sub

[roberthunter]

Great little video Eric. I hope I has the desired effect and encouragement for cycle touring curios people and shows them how easy it can be.😊

[siccooortwijn]

Inspiring Video, went out and got my own second-hand Giant MTB from '98 to turn into a touring bike

[MAURITS_METERSMAKER]

This video might help some people on a tight budget. For the latest cycling adventure I did a similar thing, but then with a brand new Giant Talon and made it more comfortable for touring/bike-packing. You get the sporty position and the wider tyres, And you get sufficient gears to tackle almost any climb. The remote lock out for the suspension fork is also great: Suspension only when it is necessary. Well recommended instead of getting an actual expensive touring bike.

[StanEby]

Very helpful and constructive. With your vast experience, when you say it, I believe it. I love my 1999 Giant Sedona with aluminum frame and 3x7 drivetrain. All the best.

[heinihefti]

👍When you're cycling through a beautiful landscape, it doesn't matter whether you have a titanium frame with a Pinion gear or Rohloff, or whether you're riding an old but durable bike. After a long trip in difficult terrain like you two are doing, even six-thousand-euro bike won't look as nice as it did out from the bike shop.

[davidrobinson]

Synchronicity !
Your video exactly matches my aesthetic of recent years. i.e. I think that bikes were perfected by 1989. I met a guy from the US on a long wooden bridge near Peterborough Ontario. He had such a set-up, and I made a mental note because his touring bike was perfect on a 26" mountain bike, taller frame, tall stem and drop bars, great Michelin tires with big volume and fairly high pressure.
So I was gifted with a mountain bike from the late eighties, with an awesome U- brake, big cannister friction shift units in the bars, even with bio- pace chainrings which I've found to be a good feature to have. It's got a Wald basket on front, which I think I'll leave on.
Leather saddles : my sister offered me this old, made in India 'Hojabr' saddle, heavy and with springs front and rear.
I used it on a gamble for my recent big bike trip of 1800 km, and it was the best saddle I've ever toured on. Also the first leather saddle I've ever tried for touring.
Happy trails mate !

[Jeemus.]

Almost exact model i got for my touring bike! Nice stiff ally frame, steel forks with eyelets 🤘 love it now!