If you’re anything like us, you need multiple bikes in your lineup. One for the road, one for the trails, and maybe one for everything in between. This is a pretty common theme (problem) for cyclicsts and bike lovers, and an unfortunately-eternal one for those of us on a budget. And when we actually have the money to invest in separate bikes, a brand new problem arises: where do we keep them all? Convert seeks to solve that problem with the new Convert FF1.
The Convert FF1 packages a single lightweight frame with cranks and derailleurs to create a versatile, customizable bike that can be converted from road bike to mountain bike to commuter hybrid with the addition of specific kits, sold separately. That frame is a 7005-aluminum alloy, the groupset is a Shimano XT 8000, and the crankset is a Hallowtech II. All for $1400.
The real magic, however, occurs when you purchase one of Convert’s kits, which turn this overpriced setup into an array of fully-fledged, ride-ready machines. The Road kit comes with a 3T Luteus II carbon fork, front hydraulic brake, 3T drop handlebars, and Micro bar-end shifters. The wheels are 3T with Kenda Kriterium Endurance 700 x 28c tires, with disc brake rotors attached. An 11-speed SunRace (11-32) cassette rounds out the ensemble. When fully assembled, the Road-ready Convert FF1 weighs 23 pounds. It also costs $1700 in addition to the $1400 you’ve already dropped.
Next up is the Trekking kit, which costs $1000 and features an aluminum fork with flat handlebars, Exal DC19 wheels, with discs attached, and Kenda 35c hybrid tires. It’s finished 11-speed SunRace 11-36 cassette and weighs in at 25 pounds total. Not a bad start for an easy commuter or gravel bike – minus the inflated costs.
Next up is perhaps the most-exciting of the bunch: the Mountain. Designed for those of us with offroad excursions in mind and dreams of sweet singletrack, the Mountain kit rocks a 100-mm RockShox Recon RL aluminum fork, aluminum flat bars with Deore shifters, Exal BE21 aluminum rims with 27.5” Kenda Small Bloc Eight tires, and a Sunrace 11-36 cassette. Coming in at hefty 28 pounds, the Mountain kit will cost run you $1100.
But wait – there’s more. There’s also the $1700 Mountain Pro kit, which has Formula Thirty Three suspension fork, with 100mm of travel, Shimano XT shifters, and DT Swiss X 1900 wheels with Kenda Honey Badger 27.5’s. Sounds like a fun kit to us.
You’re supposed to be able to setup and swap out each of the kits in 5 minutes, and with just one included tool. We’re not really sure the premium is worth it, when you just could buy a few different bikes each ready for precisely the job it’s designed for. But if you’re really looking to cut down on garage and storage space, and value the quick-changing ability, then the Convert FF1 might be worth the price. The German company will roll the first FF1’s out for deliver in March of 2019, and you can grab your own right now.
