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CarryON Conversion

Hand-built cargo bike conversion kit for 90s steel 26″ MTB frames. Inspired by the geometry that shaped bikes like the Omnium, the Stayer CarryON offers a modern, workshop-built cargo front end with worldwide shipping and optional fitting.

Price range: £1,100.00 through £1,495.00 inc. VAT

Converted green Muddy Fox 26″ steel MTB with unpainted raw CarryON cargo front end, full cargo bike drive-side view outside a modern building, featuring a Stayer Banana Banana stem.
Stayer CarryON Cargo Bike Conversion x Orange 90s MTB. Fully built up with unpainted raw conversion, Velo Orange Kick stand and Brooks England saddle
stayer-carryON-Sam-anglegrinder-diamondback
Stayer-carryON-diamondback-frame
Stayer cycles converted carryON - green Muddy fox courier comp cargo bike frame held up by Judith
stayer-carryONxSpecialized-cloesup
stayer-CarryON-orange-specialized-rockhopper
Stayer-carryON-craig-cargo-fest-riding
stayer-carryON-Cargo-fest-craig-on-rack
Stayer CarryON x ON ONE 26" MTB cargo bike conversion. Black sparkle with purple details. And showing the stayer rack webbing
Converted green Muddy Fox 26″ steel MTB with unpainted raw CarryON cargo front end, full cargo bike drive-side view outside a modern building, featuring a Stayer Banana Banana stem.
Side view of unpainted Stayer CarryON cargo bike conversion kit on metal workbench, showing fork, rack and steering rod.
Unpainted Stayer CarryON cargo conversion kit including 20″ front wheel fork, shown on a metal workbench in an angled studio view with front end, rack and steering components.

Stayer CarryON

Cargo Bike Conversion System for 26″ Steel MTBs

Conversion Kit — £1100 inc. VAT
Second Wave Conversions — £1495 inc. VAT

Turn your 90s steel MTB into a capable cargo bike with the CarryON — a workshop-built steel front end designed and made in East London.

Two ways to CarryON:

• Kit-only — shipped worldwide for installation by your local framebuilder

• Second Wave Conversions (17-28 August 2026) — workshop installation at Stayer, East London.

Full details below ↓

Secure your CarryON with a 50% deposit.

For Cycle To Work Scheme options just get in touch.
See Klarna finance options.

Payment and finance options at Stayer cycles, including Klarna, Paypal, Visa and Mastercard

A new cargo front end for your old 26″ MTB

The Stayer CarryON is a steel cargo conversion system designed and built in our East London workshop to give classic 90s 26″ MTBs a second life.

Its geometry draws inspiration from early cargo conversion work by Stephen Bilenky, whose long-wheelbase cargo builds influenced modern front-loading bike design — reinterpreted here through a workshop-built steel front end refined for everyday riding.

CarryON is modular, strong, and built specifically around steel MTB frames.

It’s for the bikes with stories — the ones ridden hard, stored away, and not quite finished yet.

Now they can carry on.

From riding to building

CarryON exists because we’ve spent years designing, cutting and brazing steel frames in our East London workshop.

CarryON comes directly from the same workshop and fabrication approach behind our framebuilding courses — where riders, mechanics and curious builders learn to make their own steel frame from scratch.

→ Explore framebuilding courses

Two Ways to CarryON:

1. CarryON Conversion Kit — £1100 inc. VAT

Shippable worldwide ·  2 month turnaround

A complete front-end cargo conversion kit for your local framebuilder to install. Designed for straightforward installation by an experienced framebuilder onto most steel 26″ MTB frames.

Unpainted Stayer CarryON cargo conversion kit including 20″ front wheel fork, shown on a metal workbench in an angled studio view with front end, rack and steering components.
Side view of unpainted Stayer CarryON cargo bike conversion kit on metal workbench, showing fork, rack and steering rod.
Unpainted Stayer CarryON cargo bike fork laying on a steel workbench.
Close-up of the Stayer CarryON cargo rack showing the curved front tube and removable front plate connection.
Close-up of the Stayer CarryON cargo kit front head tube with clearly visible fillet brazing and headset interface.
Close-up of the Stayer CarryON cargo rack’s upward-curved rear section showing the TIG-welded top rack and visible head tube.
Close-up of the Stayer CarryON cargo kit head tube and frame interface area, showing the fillet brazing where the rack will attach to a 26-inch MTB frame.

What’s Included

  • CarryON front end
    – External cable routing
    – 44 mm ID front headtube
    – Standard 1⅛″ second/steerer headtube

  • Steerer rod + all attachments

  • Removable cargo rack

  • CarryON fork
    – For 20″ front wheel
    – Disc brake
    – 100×12 mm thru-axle
    – 325 mm axle-to-crown
    – 30 mm offset
    – Clearance for 2.2″ tyre with mudguard
    – Includes 12 mm thru-axle

  • Stayer conversion downtube decals

  • Conversion/fitting instructions for your framebuilder, including drawing

Important: This kit does not include the MTB frame.
You will need to supply a steel 26″ MTB frame for your chosen builder to convert.

Are you a framebuilder interested in offering CarryON conversions locally?
Join our upcoming CarryON builder network.

*coming soon

CarryON Kit FAQ

How heavy a load can it carry?
The modular front rack & fork are built for real-world use — kids, cargo, groceries — just like the Bilenky rigs that inspired it.

Can I carry children on a CarryON?
Yes — the CarryON has been designed with family use in mind. The front rack can accommodate up to two child seats, and you can also run a top-tube-mounted seat (such as a Mac Ride or Shotgun). We recommend proven systems like Thule and are happy to advise on compatible setups.

What add-ons and upgrades are available?
CarryON is modular by design. Available upgrades include a dynamo front wheel, Hope headset upgrades, child seat setups and more. See the full range on our Add-Ons & Upgrades page.

How do I find a framebuilder who could do this for me?
There are framebuilders everywhere, but unfortunately not an all-encompassing database… A good place to start may be to ask your local bike shops (the nerdier the better) or ask on forums or social media.  The hive mind should be able to help. 

I’m a framebuilder and would love to offer this to my customers – what do I do?
Amazing! Sign up here.

Can I do the conversion myself on the Stayer Framebuilding 101 course?
What a great question! 😉 Yes, you can. You wouldn’t be able to build the whole kit as well as fit it, but in short, absolutely – yes.

Where do you ship?
Anywhere. If a shipping price doesn’t show up on checkout just get in touch.

2. CarryON – Second Wave Conversions

2. CarryON – Second Wave Conversions

17-28 August 2026 · Stayer Workshop, East London

Following the success of our First Wave this spring, the Second Wave is our next limited CarryON installation window at the Stayer workshop.

For two weeks in August, we’ll dedicate the workshop to CarryON installations.

The Second Wave finishes with Back to School Cargo Fest on Saturday 29 August — a collection day, open workshop and celebration of freshly converted cargo bikes.

Stayer CarryON Cargo Bike Conversion x Orange 90s MTB. Fully built up with unpainted raw conversion, Velo Orange Kick stand and Brooks England saddle
Ben's CarryON x Orange. Built in our First Wave of Conversions, April '26.
Off-white and fully repainted Stayer CarryON x Muddy Fox Cargo Bike Conversion, set up with Ikki child seat on the front rack and with by Wizard works frame and basket bags
This is the same CarryON x Muddy Fox frame as in the top of the page (the green one!). Repainted in the Muddy Fox Courier Comp off-white and set up with Urban Ikki child seat and Wizard Works bags
Stayer CarryON x ON ONE 26" MTB cargo bike conversion. Black sparkle with purple details. And showing the stayer rack webbing
Craig's CarryON x ON ONE. Also fully repainted and sporting our rack webbing straps.
Close up of the Stayer CarryON x ON ONE cargo bike conversion. Showing where the original 90s MTB is attached to the CarryON Kit at the head tube. Steering rod mechanism and boom tube visible.
Where the 90s MTB frame attaches to the CarryON Kit - the original head tube is cut off and mitered. The steering rod does the steering, excellently.

What’s Included

Everything in the CarryON Conversion Kit, plus:

  • Front 20″ alloy wheel — CarryON-ready

  • Matched headsets — for the steerer tube and (new) head tube

  • Full installation at Stayer — including professional fitting of the CarryON system and disc-brake conversion of your supplied MTB frame

  • Back to School Cargo Fest event on Saturday the 29th where everyone can come to collect their CarryON conversions

In Short

We build the CarryON Conversion Kit

You bring/send in your 26″ steel MTB frame

We stick the two together, with great skill and fire

You collect your new CarryON Conversion on Saturday the 29th

You — or your local shop — build it into your ultimate cargo rig.

Then you ride your freshly recycled MTB x CarryON off into the sunset.

17-28 August 2026 · Stayer Workshop · London E11

Limited installation slots available.

Second Wave Conversions FAQ

What kind of bike can I bring?
Steel 90s mountain bikes only — rigid or short-travel, 26″ wheels.

Can I drop off a fully-built MTB so that I can use the components for the re-build after?
Nope — space is tight and we will not be dismantling bikes. Frame-only.

Do I need to prep my bike?
Remove all parts and accessories, give it a quick clean, and bring/send us the bare frame.

How long does the conversion take?
The conversion kits will be prepped beforehand, so roughly 3 hours per frame. Come hang out or return later to collect.

Can I carry children on a CarryON?
Yes — the CarryON has been designed with family use in mind. The front rack can accommodate up to two child seats, and you can also run a top-tube-mounted seat (such as a Mac Ride or Shotgun). We recommend proven systems like Thule and are happy to advise on compatible setups.

What add-ons and upgrades are available?
CarryON is modular by design. Available upgrades include a dynamo front wheel, Hope headset upgrades, child seat setups and more. See the full range on our Add-Ons & Upgrades page.

Can I keep my original paint?
Yes — if you choose the DIY Spray.Bike option, you can mask and spray just the new cargo section and keep your original MTB finish intact. Powdercoating requires a full respray, so the old paint can’t be preserved in that case.

Can I ship my MTB frame to you?
Yes. Please just make sure the parts are removed so that it’s frame-only.

Can you ship the completed conversion back to me?
Yes. Within the UK this typically costs around £50. We create a reinforced box using two of our standard frame boxes. For international shipping, get in touch — it’s possible, but we’ll quote case-by-case.

Completing Your CarryON

Once your CarryON frame is built, you’ll need components to complete the bike.

If you’re converting an existing complete 26″ MTB, many of the original parts can often be reused — including the drivetrain, brakes, wheels, handlebars, stem, saddle and seatpost. Exactly what can be carried over will depend on the bike and its condition.

If all you’ve got is a frame — whether you’re providing one for conversion or starting with a ready-built CarryON frameset from us — you’ll need components to complete the bike. These can be new, reclaimed, or a mix of the two.

In either scenario, if you’re not a bike tinkerer yourself, your CarryON can be built up by your local bike shop or mechanic. This also gives you a workshop that knows your bike and can help with future servicing, maintenance and upgrades. Very handy, that.

If you’re not sure where to start – give us a rough idea of what you’re after, build-wise, and we’d be happy to connect you with a local shop. Just get in touch!

Example Build Costs

The following figures are intended as examples only and assume the bike is being built by a bike shop or mechanic. They also include a full powdercoat finish.

Reuse Build
Using a suitable donor bike and reusing as many existing components as possible.
Typical complete CarryON cost: from around £2,300

Frameset + Used Parts Build
Building up a complete CarryON frameset using a mixture of reclaimed and new components.
Typical complete CarryON cost: from around £2,700

New Build
Building up a complete CarryON frameset using new components throughout.
Example specification: Shimano CUES drivetrain, Gusset finishing kit and Brooks saddle, around £3,300
This is just an example build – you can make it cheaper or a hell of a lot more swish with some UK-made Hope bits for example. 

Final costs will vary depending on the specification, availability of reusable parts, and the workshop carrying out the build.

Need a Frame?

Not everyone has a suitable steel MTB waiting in the shed.

As part of our August installation window we’re planning a limited number of complete CarryON framesets, allowing you to start your build without supplying a donor bike.

Get in touch to discuss sizing, availability and whether a CarryON frameset might be the right option for you.

→ Contact us about a CarryON frameset

Accessories & Upgrades

The CarryON ecosystem is expanding. From performance upgrades to practical cargo additions — including child seat compatibility — you can now customise your build further.

Explore:

  • Dynamo front wheel upgrades

  • Hope headset upgrades

  • Banana Banana stems

  • Head badges and finishing details

  • Child seat options and everyday cargo accessories

Craig’s of 2ND LIFE Bikes about his CarryON x On-One ultimate adventure bike 

A behind-the-scenes look at how the CarryON began, filmed by Craig of 2ND LIFE Bikes ♡

Watch Part 2 to see the completed build coming together, plus a conversation with Sam about the CarryON and what’s next.

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Discuss your project

Tell us what you’d like to build or repair, or simply let us know you’re interested in a future Project Week. We’ll recommend how many days you’ll need, discuss your project, and confirm suitable dates before you book.

Need a little extra help? We also offer an optional one-hour Project Design Consultation (£50) with Sam.

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