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1) 130 mm rear spacing means you can chuck basically every road/trekking/gravel/whatevs wheel there, as 8 speed and above 700C wheels are usually 130 mm. Most MTBs of the era had 135, so Muddy Fox was a bit behind the curve. But yeah, going with Alban's question here, why 700C?
2) I personally use 36T/11-34T on my hybrid, and I find it almost enough for flats. But this is entirely up to your personal preferences - I am not a fast rider. I'd say 40/11-40 is a sensible choice, a 1:1 ratio for not-very-steep climbs is adequate, albeit if you plan on having a lot of luggage, you should just opt in for a compact double.
3) That's a good question. I'd say avoid integrated cranksets as they tend to push the chainline far out with these old, 68 mm BB sheels. And if you're planning to get an approximately 40T chainring, make sure it doesn't rub the chainstays, because in the standard triple crankset middle position that can be an issue. I'm building up an old MTB right now, I put a 42T to the middle - with the factory stock BB it's almost touching the stays. Just something to consider.
vpCogworks-
Ye I think as Alban mentioned I'll probably go with either a 42/11-42 or you're suggestion of 40/11-40. Seems like that may be a nice middle ground for what I'm intending it for.
Ye I've also had similar issue's with stock bb's and upgraded cranksets. I just ordered a Shimano Deore XT BB yesterday so I'll run that with a 2 piece crankset. Also first time using this style crank, only ever previously had 3 piece square tapered. Fancied an upgrade this time. What I'm not sure about is how my chain line will be with a crank like this. Square tapered spindles have are easily measurable but what should I be looking out for measurement wise with a 2 piece set so as to not f up chain stays?
L_Lokii
Day 1 of my first geared bike build. I picked up this 89 Muddy Fox Courier Comp for £40. She's seen better days but the frame has a certain charm about it I couldn't say no.
My previous builds have all been vintage road frames and fixed gear so this time I wanted something suitable for long distance/touring. The frame is the only thing I'll be using so replacing parts with new/ whatever I can get my hands on for cheap. I know mountain bike frames have different sizings to road bikes/single speeds and considering my lack of knowledge with geared bikes in general, I was hoping for some advice.
I'd like to replace the 26" wheels with 700c. Tyre clearance, brakes and wheel axle/rear drop outs width are the potential issues. Rear drop outs measure up to 130mm so 1) is it possible to find a wheel like this pre-built maybe off a hybrid bike or something? Or would I need to use a mtb free hub and lace it to a 700 rim? I tried out a 700 wheel I had lying around on the front and plenty of tyre space. Frame + fork also have the drillings for caliper brakes, if I decide to go that route.
The plan for gearing is to have a 1x drive train with a 9/10/11 speed cassette. In terms of ratios, I have a few numbers, which mean little to me but some of you will know. 2) If I were to ride something between a 40 - 46T up front and 10/42 or 11/40, does this sound viable for mostly road use? I guess something generally suitable for climbs with a decent top end on flat is what I'm after.
Next problem is bb spindle length. This one here is about 122mm, which is no use with a single chain ring, so 3) do I buy a bottom bracket and 1 ring crank set first, then decide on cassette size at the back? What are the possible issues with chain alignment (if any) in this situation?
Cheers in advance and I'll keep you posted as and when things progress