DIY Gravel Bike: how to turn a mountain bike into a gravel bike 

Is that a star nut on a CF fork? 👀

Nice build. Looks like a modern, more expensive gravel bike. Gives me inspiration to look for a cheap disc brake frame that’s in need of a new life.

Dear Julian, my 34 yo nephew has the same name, you made a great job and I love watching the build of old bikes to a new shime. I am from Germany and my husband and me had the pleasure to travel to NZ in 2017. Hopefully we can visit this wonderful country again in the near future. Keep on going and stay healthy 🖖👍🌞🍀🇩🇪🚲

One of the greatest feelings in the world is taking an old bike and repurposing it. I did this to an old late 90’s Cannondale MTB, turned it into a beefy gravler, and rode it for a few years before donating it on. Great experience, and I learned a lot!

Man I didn't realise just how well the GT's look with that style of rigid fork! Now I have to try and scoop up a local one to do the same haha

You should use ang expander nut for carbon steerer tube

Singlespeed with a tiny front chainring probably had you spinning even on flat land. Could go 44t or larger.

The finish is speechless. Congrats on knocking it out the park on this build.

It looks awesome. But I would argue that drop bars don't make a lot of sense combined with such a short gear ratio, you won't be able to go fast enough to have any aerodynamic advantage. So you just end up with a narrow, hard to manuver handlebar setup

As a bike store owner and framebuilder for over 20 yrs, I can tell you that you put the lower head set bearing in upside down.

I also built my not so old 26er bike. then changed my wheels into 700c x 38c tires. suspension fork to rigid fork, corner bar with bar end brake lever and from hydraulic to dual piston mechanical brakes. the reason why i used bar end brake levers coz I'm not a fan of exposed cables. And ditched the shifters coz I like single speed bikes.

Over the past few months I’ve been heading down the gravel bike route. My ‘93 diamond back Sorrento is slowly undergoing the process of becoming my “gravel bike” but recently I was gifted two GT Avalanche ( a 1.0 & 3.0) both in fairly sorry states. I think the 1.0 is crying out for resurrection and to become my gravel bike. Seeing this video certainly helps inspire the route to take. Gold and black an absolute killer combo BTW!

Oh no... Star nut in a carbon steer tube is a really bad thing to do lol, otherwise really nice job!

Cut a steerer tube with a plumbing pipe cutting wheel. It's much easier and guarantees a straight cut. Sweet video! Thanks.

Nice ride! I did the same thing with my 2010 Scott Scale 29er hardtail. -Stand Crest ZTR wheels with Vitorria Mezcal tires with Stans sealant. -Salsa cow chipper drop bars -Shimano 105 shifter coupled to a Tan Pan to keep shift ratios to an XT derailleur coupled to an 11x52 cluster and a single Wolf tooth 32 upfront. -The front brake is a hydraulic TRP brake to compliment the hydraulic 105 shifter/brake. -I replaced the Reba fork with a Surley Krampus. I ride this more than my road bike and mountain bike combined as it is so versatile. Keep riding

Man that GT triple triangle MTB frame makes a damn good looking gravel bike!! And that paint job came out sexy!

Таких рукастых слесарей, нейросеть никогда не заменит! Уважение Мужик!!!

I was 12 years old with no drill, nothing but hand sanding. It took me like 3 weeks. Pure elbow grease. On a steel frame, 17 years ago, so I had to repaint it without the advantages of advanced coatings. I don't think I'll ever paint a frame again. 😊

If you want a cheep tool to cut any pipe straight just use two hose clips one on either side of the hacksaw blade. Also an old piece of hardwood with the right size hole saw hole in it makes a good headset lower race settings tool.

Had a similar experience with the fork on a gravel build last year. Alex TD 20 wheels and disk didn’t align with brakemech. Simply added a washer for spacing between the outside of the wheel and inside of the fork. Quick release holds all nicely in place.

1. Take your MTB out of the garage. 2. Go ride it on gravel trails. Worked very well for me.

I found when stripping paint if you marinade the frame in a like an airtight plastic bag of paint stripper save a lot of labour.

you know the funny thing is? i have the said frame GT Pantera same color way i have it as an MTB, then i have a TREK DOMACE AL4 road bike color way is beige and gold its like both of my bike squeezed into one. lovely build.

as someone who just had their frame sandblasted, man that paint stripping wheel looks way better 😅 The sandblasting left a bunch of pitting (and super dull finish) which took forever to sand to acceptable levels! Great build!

I got those Toseek Carbon forks on a oldschool Cannondale f1000 MTB frame.. they're fookin brilliant for the price..

Kia ora. A year on, RU-vid recommends me this video. A shame it wasn't sooner but better late than never. 1.Great vid production and background music 2. Sick build, about to go on a binge 3. You're very down to earth ( and the epitome of giving things ago and you may surprise yourself.) Well done

Awesome conversion of old model GT Mountain Bike into like a Brand new GT Gravel Bike! GT is a bike of all times!

this is sooooooooooo similar to my current gravel bike build! I used GT Avalanche frame, changed from a VERY similar fork with the same problem to a chromoly steel fork that was perfect, used Gevenalle Shifters so I can have a 1x10 mountain bike components work with road/gravel bar shifters. I was thinking of doing a paint job but in the end I loved the colour I had so I kept it as is. nice video and if you get a chance to see my setup you'll see some similarities, cheers mate!

1 of the best gravel conversion ive ever seen

a star nut is not compatible with carbon fork

Nice build , I have a 1994 Trek I’m rebuilding.I’ve used those forks before , they have a crazy clearance they didn’t look right at all on the bike I used them on

Very nice finish I must say. Black and gold give a classy look to the bike. I have a black color specialized rockhopper looks very classy when polished

just did the same thing with my Gary Fisher Marlin Genesis. Painted it from the original blue/silver to a bright honda-green/yellow

My heart sank when you hammer that star nut into that carbon steerer tube.

@11:15 You're not supposed to use a star nut inside of a carbon steerer tube. You're supposed to use what's called an "Expansion plug".

I was looking to buy a new road bike frame, but this idea relly fits more in what Im looking for and for what the roads around here are...

Beats my frankenbuilds ...my bikes look like the zombie apocalypse but for some reason I get compliments on parts bin builds that I do in a room without a work stand ...crazy stuff

with regards with the fork, Try looking for a Sagmit K4 rigid fork its an alloy and will fit your wheels bettter.

Crazy build, actually blow my mind, I have an avalanche sport 2018 and never think that's an awesome frame for gravel... For me this one with big tires and 10 or 11 speed will be on fire Cheers from Argentina (sorry for my bad English) new sub 🔥

I like this bike build but I would have left it as a multi speed bike and added a mid drive electric motor ( 750 w or more ) and besides the gear set up that comes with the motor add a thumb or finger shifter for the bike gears that are set up with the cassets of the bike that would normally be there without the motor. It would add speed and better hill climbing abilities. Let me know what you think.

I’m literally looking at my 2019 GT Avalanche hardtail now… I could use an upgrade on the hardtail… 😆 This build gives the Chamois Hagar a run for its money! Wow!

my question too, why do you use a star nut, you need a expander for the fork carbon steering tube

If Black Panther had a bike ...

I bought a Rohloff tensioner so I could use 2 chainrings. Had an eBay sourced Surly clone that wobbled. Bought an Origin8 tensioner. It wobbled. The Rohloff had a bit of wobble but a pedal washer fixed that. Your bike is GD awesome.

That looks far better than gravel bikes in the shops

Looks beautiful. Though, It seems like the long top tube combined with drop bars would be pretty uncomfortable, though.

I don't approve so much of the single-speed choice but the bike is amazing. I think that I'll copy your project for the mine one.

Great build. For single speed brake levers I'd say try either the Cane Creeks that resemble older Campagnolo shifters, or the SRAM ones. How did the fork perform after the dropout/brake posts sanding? It would make me a bit nervous...

That thing is screaming for some tan walls! 😍

great video, a word of advice though, make sure to wear a mask when creating CF dust. that stuff is reeeeeally nasty if you breath it in.

Painting the little silver bits on the shifters gold was a nice touch

get the grip on top in the other direction wraped so it won´t go of when you garb , god job fr nice bike :)

Beauty! Not sure what I like doing more, repainting the the bike OR the build OR redesigning the logos along with figuring out the color scheme. Been doing this stuff since my BMX days with Quad Angles, PK Rippers, and building my own Torker from scratch which I still have. I've done this this to older 26" MTB and plan on taking a gamble on a 29" Chinese carbon HT frame and coming up with the Company name, frame name/model, graphics and make a 2x11 CX Rig. Beauty build Mr Goulding! I am sure she rides like a snappy little dream.Cheers mate...

Hi julian! i really love you video, I have a suggestion so that the shifters won't go to waste You can instead use Road Leavers (those one without the shifting mechanism, Just the brake mechanism)

pretty sure that bottom headset bearing was upside down. Probably figured it out by now. Hella nice conversion though. Love GT bikes!

I just got a bunch of old Cannondale bikes from MGM Las Vegas properties. The parts are shit but the frames are in excellent condition. I may have to convert these.

Such a nice bike and project. Inspiring. Just bought a used MTB 29" and will turn it into a gravel - now I consider to do a complete paint job :D

DUDE! Use an expander plug for the fork. The starnut will damage the integrity of that steerer tube.

Nice build! One thing though... isn't that ball bearing cage upside down at 11:47?

Dude, you are killing me with the lower headset bearing being upside down😳😳😳

I hit the like button by the time you peeled the stickers off the frame

Sweet build! I love old triple triangle GT's and used to have one. I would like to do a similar build if I can source a frame.

Excellent video. Thanks. Also nice to hear a fellow South African’s voice.

what a sweet build!! it looks like a black widow

That bike is magnificent bro, if I would have own it, would slam. A pair of tan tyres and a group set. Cheers to the built 💪

That's filthy..congrats!. Next up some 2-piece gold-center brake rotors.

I usually never comment on a YT video and I usually do not subscribe any channels. But this clip is really cool. You are an artist and the bike is magnificent.

Great build, looks great, but never use a star nut in carbon steerer.

This bike is so sick can’t wait to see the builds you gonna be doing in the future

Крутая работа! Один вопрос.Достаточно ли будет довольно таки маленькой передней звезды?

Respectfully admiring your craftsmanship and eye for detail 🤜🏻🤛🏻

attention to detail always makes it that little bit more than other builds, nice m8, still needs a cassette though rather than single,

Sick build bud. It’s that a small saffa accent underneath the kiwi one 😂. Great video man. She’s a beaut

Man, have not heard anyone use ‘all that jazz’ in a long time!

16:48 wrapping the bars should be done vice versa, from the outside the inside, so that when riding the bar tape would rather tighten than open up. Get what i mean? Sorry, my English isn’t the best... 🙏 Great build!

Excellent job. I have a 30 year old Kona. This has inspired me.

Amazing work! And thanks a lot for detailed process for all of us DIYers here.

Excellent build! Thank you so much for this. This is actually the build I have my mind set into. Glad I will have this as a reference.

Great job, incredible build. A great example of repurposing a well used frame!

I wanna hear about how it rides, how the modern mountain bike geometry feels with a rigid fork and drops

Very Nice! - and a unique final look. I've completed a few builds now but not been brave enough to delve into paint. Your video may well change that from your relaxed approach - Great, and Thanks for documenting.

Congratulations dude, there is so satisfying to do something like that by yourself. I will making something similar soon.

That is properly sick.

Great build, but a heads up, use a compression plug for carbon steerer tubes next time, those star nuts are for steel and aluminum only, I’m surprised you got it to work, super not good for carbon steerer tubes.

I think that buying new bike would be cheaper, since converting the shifters, brakes to rod handlebars etc is really expensive.

I would go crazy only having a 32 x 11 as a high gear on a bike. (not high enough) I was a bike store owner for over 12 yrs/ frame builder for over 20 and I can tell you that you put that bottom bearing in upside down.

Love custom bits, I always wonder why people don't do more, ive painted bolts screw etc before,(just the heads, I tape the threads off)

That build though 😍 Silimar with my momster gravel project bike! Both were gravel bikes 🤣🚲💯🦋

I love this bike so much that I've watched the video 5x! You might have single handedly made it almost impossible to find a used GT Avalanche:). I can't wait to try a build like this

32x12 single speed. Going a whoping 14mph / 22kmp at 90rpm. Why even have brakes? Beautiful paint job and work.

Really cool build, I'm trying to find a 24 inh mtb to turn into a gravel bike for my 11 yr old, found some really nice cannondales for cheap

4 years ago I renounced to buy phones from big companies that have there own android and you have to make an account for there brand software and went to no name rugged phones that are cheep durable and reparable

good build but I would do a 1x10 or something since I hate single speed with a passion

9:50 that's a a4988/DRV8825 stepper motor driver if I've ever heard one

I now want a gravel bike. Love it!

GEAUX SAINTS! I like the colors.

Sweet AF! I wish I had my 90's Zaskar still around. Great build, thanks for posting Julian..

hopefully the compression plug arrived and you fixed that star nut!

Really really awesome 😎 That black color is just so cool looking! And that GT frame looks stiff and agile, I really like how the bike turn out!😊 Greetings from Croatia from Kris 😎

An old stem makes a great steerer tube cutting guide.