I own a Trek 4900 2006 model with disc brakes. Although the current wheels are ideal for mountain biking, I'm starting to enjoy cross country biking a bit more and was wondering if I could buy an extra set of road wheels on ebay or something to swap out when I'm not off roading. Heres a few questions seeking professional advice.
1. How much would it reasonably cost me?
2. Is it difficult to swap tires with disc brakes?
3. Could I do it by myself with the basic tools quickly?
4. Would the heavier MB frame cause the tires to deflate quicker?
5. Would I have to adjust the brakes and gears when I change tires or can I just swap out the wheels and be good to go?
6. Is there really a big difference?
Thanks for any response.Road Wheel on Hardtail MB (Trek 4900)?
I'm not a professional but I maintained my own bikes for the last 15 years so I'll take a shot at it.
1. To get a set of reasonable quality wheels that are setup to accept disc brakes will cost at least $100 for the rims, $25-$50 for each of the discs, and however much you're willing to spend for the sprocket assembly.
2. No. In fact I have found that it is much easier to change wheels with disc brakes than with traditional brakes.
3. You can do it with no tools if the rims have a quick-release nut, otherwise it would only take a couple of adjustable wrenches. Another option is to take rims that don't have the quick-release into a bike shop and they can install it on them for a reasonable cost.
4. The weight of the frame might affect how fast the tires deflate, but the bigger issue would be how much you weigh.
5. No, as long as you have the same size discs and the same number of gears in the back, you can just change wheels and be on your way.
6. There is a HUGE difference between riding on a road with dirt tires and riding on the same road with road tires. It will be significantly easier to use road tires on a road than try to use dirt tires on a road. The question (to me anyways) is whether or not the benefit is worth the price.Road Wheel on Hardtail MB (Trek 4900)?
Road wheels are bigger than MTB wheels-- Typical MTB wheels are 26%26quot; while road wheels are 700mm (more than 1.5 inches bigger in diameter).
I doubt your Trek 4900 MTB frame will have the necessary clearance to fit the bigger road wheels.
What you can do is buy another set of MTB wheels with the brake discs and a cassette compatible with the rear derailleurs, and put the skinniest slick MTB tires you can find on it (they have those down to 1 inch in width).
However, this will not be cheap and it will not give you much improvement in speed on pavement (about 2-3 mph tops) because of the bike's gear ratios and weight.
Buying a road bike would be the simplest solution. That's what I did (I own both an MTB and a road bike).Road Wheel on Hardtail MB (Trek 4900)?
1st you can't put 700c road wheels on your bike. You need to buy wheels similar to what you have now and run road tires on them. There are many road type tires made for 26%26quot; wheels. You can do this yourself with minimal tools. While I don't know what a reasonable cost to you is, it will be in the $300 - $400 range a least. You will need:
-disc compatible wheels
-a cassette
-tubes and tires
-rim strips
-disc rotors
-quick release skewers (not absolutely needed)
While you will be able to change wheels back and forth easily, sometimes the brakes may not quite line up perfectly - on discs that could be a headache.Road Wheel on Hardtail MB (Trek 4900)?
I don't think that's possible. Wheels diameters are different, and that will spoil your set up.
What you can do is buy some slicks and replace your nobbies tires with them to make it simpler.
