Drops to flat bar

[jessand]

Hi All

I'm sure this has been covered but I can't find anything by searching. I'm converting a cannondale with drops - Claris 8 speed - to flat bars and need some help.

Brakes: I know v brake levers wont work with dual pivots. Some Shimano levers have a widget which enables them to be used with v brakes on 1 setting and cantilever or roller brakes on the other. Is the pull for cantis the sane as dual pivots? i.e. will they work in this situation.

Gears: I know rear shifting is the same for road and mtb with 8 speed. I believe front shifting is different on road and mtb, is this correct? If so what is the issue and how do I overcome it. Chainset is FSA road triple.

All help greatly appreciated.

[Vantage]

Gear shifters - https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s108p32 ... bar-levers

Brake levers - https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s103p10 ... bar-levers

At one time Shimano did a Claris 8 spd triple STI set but it seems no longer available.

MTB front mechs have a different amount of cable pull to road front mechs.

[Paulatic]

You might find useful information here..
viewtopic.php?t=110595
viewtopic.php?t=121317
viewtopic.php?t=46329
viewtopic.php?t=116256
viewtopic.php?t=43448

[reohn2]

I'm currently swapping from drops to flats on my Salsa Vaya due to increasing back trouble.
Brake levers:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Shimano- ... 2749.l2649
8sp gear shifters:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-ALTU ... 2749.l2649

If you have a triple chainset you'll need an 8 or 9sp MTB front mech as cable pull is different.But check that you have enough room between the seat tube and rear wheel/mudguard to accomodate the mech,as most Shimano MTB front mech pivots are behind and not to the side like their road mechs.
That said there are some older 8 and 9sp front mechs such as XT M951 which have more clearance,and they do come up as NOS on Ebay occasionally.

[mcshroom]

The links Vantage has put up will work with your current front derailleur. For shimano, any road series front triple shifter should work ok, and as you say, any 8sp rear shifter should be fine.

[reohn2]

The links Vantage has put up will work with your current front derailleur. For shimano, any road series front triple shifter should work ok, and as you say, any 8sp rear shifter should be fine.

But it's far cheaper to buy the M310's I linked to above,and a mid range front MTB front mech,providingnthere's room behindnthe seat tube.Both shifters are at the same Shimano groupset level.

[mcshroom]

The links Vantage has put up will work with your current front derailleur. For shimano, any road series front triple shifter should work ok, and as you say, any 8sp rear shifter should be fine.

But it's far cheaper to buy the M310's I linked to above,and a mid range front MTB front mech,providingnthere's room behindnthe seat tube.Both shifters are at the same Shimano groupset level.

It is definitely cheaper. I don't know whether the mtb front mech would be able to swing in far enough to work with the road chainset though. Id guess so, but I know trying to use a road mech on a mtb chainset is usually a struggle as the chainline is wider and the mech can't reach it. I wonder if the same is true in reverse?

[reohn2]

The links Vantage has put up will work with your current front derailleur. For shimano, any road series front triple shifter should work ok, and as you say, any 8sp rear shifter should be fine.

But it's far cheaper to buy the M310's I linked to above,and a mid range front MTB front mech,providingnthere's room behindnthe seat tube.Both shifters are at the same Shimano groupset level.

It is definitely cheaper. I don't know whether the mtb front mech would be able to swing in far enough to work with the road chainset though. Id guess so, but I know trying to use a road mech on a mtb chainset is usually a struggle as the chainline is wider and the mech can't reach it. I wonder if the same is true in reverse?

I've run Deore M591 with a S/light triple no problem with 115mm UN54 BB.

[jessand]

Many thanks for your responses. I will do more research based on your info.

I have a stronglight/spa 26/36/46 chainset I could put on it so a deore 'trekking' mech might work with that? I am limited for space behind the downtube with mudguard.

THanks again.