Changing brake system..

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Helpmebikegods
Posts: 5
Joined: 20 May 2022, 12:15pm

Changing brake system..

Post by Helpmebikegods »

Please help!
I would like to change the bars on my bike and in my ignorance realised that the bars I purchased would require a whole new braking system! I will attach photos to show you my situation.
I have been recommended the Shimano Tiagra 4720 10 Speed Disc Groupset however it's taking forever to restock at wiggle.. I'm wondering if there is another way/set I can get?
Also! I would like to try and instal the new system myself.. or should I pay a bike shop to do it? I mean.. I won't need to tools that are required for the job again so it could just be wasted money. However I would learn more about my bike in the process.
Pictures to follow!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated :) thank you!!
audaxjk
Posts: 155
Joined: 2 Mar 2020, 4:45pm

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by audaxjk »

Hi
In order to help:

I am assuming that you are changing from a flat bar to racing/drop bars? Also can you show us what type of brake mounts your frame and fork have as this will also influence what type of shifters/brake callipers you will require.

Once this is clear, your best bet may be to source parts secondhand, eg eBay as even if you can find new parts in stock, they are likely to be quite expensive.

Tools wise, you may get away with only needing a pair of cable cutters for new gear cables (which you will most likely also need to replace).
Helpmebikegods
Posts: 5
Joined: 20 May 2022, 12:15pm

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by Helpmebikegods »

Yes from straight bars to drop bars :)

Hopefully these pictures upload ok!

Can only upload 5 pics at a time so pictures of the bars are coming..
Attachments
IMG_20220520_124020072_HDR.jpg
IMG_20220520_123752740_HDR.jpg
IMG_20220520_123828060_HDR.jpg
IMG_20220520_123900992_HDR.jpg
IMG_20220520_123803181_HDR.jpg
Helpmebikegods
Posts: 5
Joined: 20 May 2022, 12:15pm

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by Helpmebikegods »

Here are the other photos -
Attachments
IMG_20220520_125720719_HDR.jpg
IMG_20220520_125752602_HDR.jpg
IMG_20220520_125747875_HDR.jpg
IMG_20220520_125657812_HDR.jpg
IMG_20220520_125647892_HDR.jpg
peetee
Posts: 4292
Joined: 4 May 2010, 10:20pm
Location: Upon a lumpy, scarred granite massif.

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by peetee »

If you are riding in heavy traffic ignore what I am about to say. The reason being it encourages you to ride with a hand position away from the brakes.
From a cost perspective this project is going to be a big one. As well as brake, gear and crankset replacement you may have a problem finding a suitable reach to the bars. Even with a stumpy stem the drop bar lever position is going to be further from the saddle than at present. It would be better to reconsider what can be done with the brake levers you have. If it were me, as a first step I would find as straight a bar as possible with a narrow centre bulge and bring shifters and levers inward, add curved bar ends and trim off the excess bar each side. This gives a more aerodynamic riding position with arms tucked in and adds an additional hand hold that will lower your back angle more akin to drop bars. If that is comfortable and beneficial perhaps follow the plan you have with lower cost risk for a small up-front outlay of bars and bar ends.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
audaxjk
Posts: 155
Joined: 2 Mar 2020, 4:45pm

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by audaxjk »

Hi again

Looking at your photos, I’m not sure it is worth converting to drop bars. You are going to spend a lot of money to end up with a bike that isn’t really a road bike and not a hybrid. I’m also not sure whether your position on the bike will be ideal as it is hard to know how the geometry will play out.

I think at the very least you will need Shifters (triple front) , bar tape, possibly a new stem, front derailleur and olives for the hydraulic cables. The brakes will need to be re-bleed so a bleed kit/mineral oil would be needed. You may also require a new rear derailleur (if the existing one is not compatible with the new gear shifter) and then recabling of the gears front and back. Depending on how the cable & hydraulic hose run length alters on the new bars you might need new gear cable outers and hydraulic hoses. Even used, this will come to a fair bit of money.

Tools wise, you can improvise with diy cutting of hydraulic cables, some of the bleed stuff, leaving you with cable cutters to buy for the gear cables. Other basic tools are needed such as spanners and Allen keys.
You could do it yourself and for sure you’ll learn a lot about bike maintenance and assembly! There are plenty of instructional videos for each bit of setting up on YouTube.

Personally, I would just put some bar ends on your existing handlebars which will give you a more stretched out position and buy a used road/gravel/cyclocross bike if you are really keen on drop bars. That way you have the best of 2 worlds rather than a compromise on each.
Helpmebikegods
Posts: 5
Joined: 20 May 2022, 12:15pm

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by Helpmebikegods »

Thanks for your input. It's very much appreciated.

I was aware that this would cost a fair bit after visiting a few bike shops, however the overall cost seems less than if I was to buy a gravel bike. Which is the type of bike that I am apparently trying to achieve with this custom build..! :P

The new bars I have do fit quite well when attached to the stem.. I don't seem to have any issues reaching them. However I will attached them again and sit on the bike to double check it's comfortable. They have been sat under my bed for some time since I reattached the original bars but I just can't get comfortable with the original. I have considered the option of adding drop bar attachments as you have suggested but I really like the feel of drop bar specific brakes/gear changers. They are very streamlined and agile. I wish I knew more about what I had wanted way back when I was looking for a new bike! I love cycling fast low and streamlined from previous road bike experience but I also like jumping off curbs and riding through woodland. So the thicker wheels and stronger frame are perfect. I dislike the large straight bars for a number of reasons.. again if only I had known before.
Helpmebikegods
Posts: 5
Joined: 20 May 2022, 12:15pm

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by Helpmebikegods »

Thanks everyone for helping :) I'll get some more pics up of the bike with the bars on I want.

Here was the groupset that was suggested would.be needed IF I do decide to go ahead with the idea :

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-tiagra ... content=en
audaxjk
Posts: 155
Joined: 2 Mar 2020, 4:45pm

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by audaxjk »

The Groupset now appears to be >£600 where it is supposedly in stock (although I suspect if you ring they’ll tell you otherwise). I don’t think that if/when wiggle stock it, it will be £490 anymore. Full new group sets are hard to come by now due to global demand etc etc and they are being prioritised for bike manufacturers. As such even if you can hold of one, it wouldn’t be at the bargain prices of old. Add on your tool(s), bar tape etc and it’s adding up to a lot of money! I don’t think you’d save much more than £150-200 if you collated all the bits second hand. You’re also then at the mercy of their condition.

Have a browse of eBay for gravel bikes and cyclocross bikes too - there are some decent looking ones for £500-700, ie a similar budget! That way you also get to have 2 bikes with their own niche role.
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PedallingSquares
Posts: 548
Joined: 13 Mar 2022, 11:01am

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by PedallingSquares »

Buy a gravel bike if that is what you think you want/need.The cost to convert yours will end up more than buying a purpose built bike.
scottg
Posts: 1218
Joined: 10 Jan 2008, 8:44pm
Location: Highland Heights Kentucky,, USA

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by scottg »

For once the amazing Jones bar are cheaper than the OPs idea.
Also a lot less work.
Alt-bars are very popular in the gravel community.
You can use the money saved for frame, stem and seatpost bike packing baggages.
https://jonesbikes.com/jones-h-bar-butt ... -aluminum/
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Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-AG
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
delstron
Posts: 91
Joined: 13 Oct 2007, 10:15am

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by delstron »

Hope you don't mind an observation, constructively meant....

Your chain is quite cruddy and bone dry (no lubrication). It would greatly benefit from a good clean, dry and lubrication. It should then run and shift better & last longer. Downside will be tell-tale oily marks on your right calf.

There are experts on here well versed in the art of chain cleaning and lubrication if you need guidance, or do a search - it's been covered once or twice.
mattsccm
Posts: 5101
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by mattsccm »

I wouldn't bother.
If you want a hydraulic brake set you are looking at a lot of money. You may be able to save bit by buying just the levers and grafting the Shimano calipers on. With the better stuff (say XT level or above) it works but I don't know about the lower level stuff. Minimum shifter spec is Tiagra if you want to go that way and the cable pull for them doesn't match much in the way of MTB gears so thats probably a rear mech. Chainset will have to go as there are no hydraulic braked triple gear shifters for dropped bars.
Cheaper would be ditching the hydraulic brakes and using cable operated discs. Not bad but not as good on the whole as hydraulics and can be fussy to set up without practice. Still have the gears to match.
You then have, as said above a bike that is made with a longer top tube and it may well be too long. Very short stems can help but handling suffers and the saddle may be too far back.
Suspension forks on drop bars are very much an aquired taste as well.
Been there and tried all of the above.
Flog the bike and throw the difference at a gravel bike from Planet X if you want new or look on ebay, Facebook etc for a second hand one.
rareposter
Posts: 1990
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by rareposter »

To pick up from the previous two points:
- the whole drivetrain is in desperate need of a thorough clean and probably a new chain.

- trying to convert a flat bar hybrid to a drop bar gravel bike is going to be very expensive and it probably won't work that well anyway. You'll need a shorter stem to bring the reach back to something close to where it is now. Too much weight on the front and the bike will handle badly.

As mattsccm says, you'll need more or less a complete new groupset which means a complete total strip and rebuild of the bike. While I don't doubt you can do some it it yourself, you mentioned that you'd need to buy some tools so either you buying tools and doing it yourself or the labour cost of giving the difficult bits to a bike shop is going to be a fair chunk of cash right there.

OK you might get a bit by selling off some of the old parts but it would be significantly easier and probably cheaper to sell the whole bike and buy a proper gravel bike. There are probably ways and means of bodging some of it to work; the calipers will probably work with drop bar levers for example but they'll still need new hoses and bleeding so by the time you've saved the very minimal cost of new calipers, you're really no better off.
Jupestar
Posts: 920
Joined: 29 Feb 2020, 3:03pm

Re: Changing brake system..

Post by Jupestar »

I assume you know the calipers in the groupset you link to are flat mount, and your frame is IS/post mount. So the calipers would need to be swapped over, and then risk that the new shifters/old calipers are not a good match.

I don’t think Shimano do post mount road bike calipers anymore.

I’ve converted a couple of bikes from flat to drop, it doesn’t have to be expensive. But I’ve always been sure the geometry worked before i started. In my case the same frame was used on hybrid and road bike versions by the manufacturer.

In mine, I’ve used TRP Hylex single speed brakes. And barend shifters. BMX levers (on the tops) matched to some Shimano cable discs brakes, (with down tube shifters)…. Not a good lever/caliper combo for modulation, but it will definitely stop you in a hurry.

And finally on bullhorns some TRP triathlon brakes (HD-910 or something) connected to some Hylex PM calipers…

Your bars are ergo, so no brakes I know off will fit on the tops.

And TBH I get the feeling your bike won’t ride well as a drop bar, rarely do you see gravel bikes with FS. Feels a bit strange.

My view would be to sell your bike, buy a secondhand gravel bike and start from there with any upgrades.
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