How much effort to convert from flat bar to raod bars?

thehamo

Hows things folks,

just wondering, how much effort would it be to convert a flat bar hybrid to a road bar set up?

im looking to get a cross bike, but its for advernture races not for cross really. Im finding it quite difficult to get one for my size and budget (around 550 mark). IM going to see a ridley hopefully during the week, but its a 54" frame, and it might just be too big for my 5'9 frame. However I can get a decent hybrid for cheap enough that would more than suffice for what I need it for. How much effort would be involved in converting over? is it worth my while, or should I just hold out?

Cheers,

Mark

penexpers

You should hold out. Converting to drops is expensive, especially the levers.

Tonyandthewhale

200-300e minimum I'd say plus it mightn't fit that well because flat bar specific frames tend to be more stretched out because of the lack of reach in the bars. I'm 5'7/8ish and I ride a 54cm road frame so 54cm should suit yout (although I'm not sure if the sizing requirements are different for cross bikes).

Converting to drops can be made a bit cheaper if you're willing to use bar-cons or downtube shifters but I wouldn't want to be using such shifters for racing, bit awkward like.

thehamo

yeh apparantly the cross bikes sizing is bigger because they have a higher bottom bracket. The ridley site says a 54" crossbow suits minimum leg size of 87.5cm, but im only coming in at an 82. most of the cycling i'd be doing is on the road, with small parts of the races, usually 8km off road, do id like the bike to be comfortable on the raod too.

If only I could get the feckin cycle to work scheme!!:mad:

at1withmyself

I'm changing a Giant Rapid 3 from flat bar to drop bar tomorrow and picked up the following in Ribble:

• Shimano Sora STi shifters
• Deda Drop Bar
• Deda Bar Tape
• 9 Speed Cassette
• 9 Speed Chain

With postage it came 185 Euro, had the bike been 27 speed rather then 24 it would have been about 20% cheaper. The shifters came with a full set of cables.

I'd imagine it would be expensive in a bike shop to fit but I'm doing it myself. You could probably get a few Euro for the old flat bar parts which would bring the overall price down again.

thehamo

yeh, id need to be enlisting the help of a bike mechanic to be honest, that sould be sure to shoot the cost of the conversion striaght up

cdaly_

I did a conversion last year using second-hand parts. Came out around €100 and I did all the work myself.

@at1withmyself: did you get inline cable adjusters also? Need for the front mech as the shifters have no adjustment built in.

thehamo

Cdaly do u have much experience in building up bikes? Would it be too tough a job for a novice?

funkyjebus

at1withmyself wrote: »

I'm changing a Giant Rapid 3 from flat bar to drop bar tomorrow and picked up the following in Ribble:

• Shimano Sora STi shifters
• Deda Drop Bar
• Deda Bar Tape
• 9 Speed Cassette
• 9 Speed Chain

With postage it came 185 Euro, had the bike been 27 speed rather then 24 it would have been about 20% cheaper. The shifters came with a full set of cables.

I'd imagine it would be expensive in a bike shop to fit but I'm doing it myself. You could probably get a few Euro for the old flat bar parts which would bring the overall price down again.

are sors shifters 9 sp, i thought they were only 8 and tiagra was 9?

seamus

thehamo wrote: »

Cdaly do u have much experience in building up bikes? Would it be too tough a job for a novice?

Personally, the hardest part to get right in the whole thing is wrapping the bar tape, but if you have no experience with adjusting brakes and derailleurs, then it would be a step too far for a novice IMO.

thehamo

yeh, probably. ah sure feck it I may as well hold out and wait for a cross bike that fits me. Just dont want to be stranded with no bike at all!

cdaly_

thehamo wrote: »

Cdaly do u have much experience in building up bikes? Would it be too tough a job for a novice?

Yep, I do all my own mechanical maintenance. Most of the job is just unbolting old and bolting on new. Take careful note of the routing of cables and such. Do a search for derailleur adjustment for those fiddly bits. Once you've done most of the work, bring it to a bike mechanic for final adjustment and for a check-over...

funkyjebus wrote: »

are sora shifters 9 sp, i thought they were only 8 and tiagra was 9?

The latest sora shifters are 9sp.

at1withmyself

Thanks, I just ordred a pair there from CRC so will hold off on the gearing till they arrive, the rest is coming on nicely though.....

cdaly_ wrote: »

I did a conversion last year using second-hand parts. Came out around €100 and I did all the work myself.

@at1withmyself: did you get inline cable adjusters also? Need for the front mech as the shifters have no adjustment built in.