Convert Tiagra to flat bar.

[Rusty Nails]

I have a road bike with a 10 speed Tiagra triple groupset which I want to convert to flat bar. I have a Tiagra rear shifter and before buying a front shifter I was wondering if I could use an mtb Deore shifter off a 10x3 bike.

Any ideas on this?

 

[cyberknight]

try it is the simple answer
i know shimano changed cable pull on the 4700 tiagra to the same as 11 speed so that might be a stumbling block

 

[T4tomo]

^^^

4600 yes, 4700 no for the 10x rear shifter.

I think, but aren't 100% sure, that is is only the rear derailleur pull ration that changed, so your 3X shift might work with either for the front change.

 

[cyberknight]

afaik front shifter could be an issue to dependant on top/bottom pull and i know from experience that front mtb has a different cable pull to road

 

[Cycleops]

I went the other way from flats to drops on a 9 speed. Can’t see why a 10 speed Deore FD shifter wouldn’t work.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Are the brake cable pulls the same for the brakes (STIs v flat bar levers)?

 

[DCBassman]

So long as you don't use levers for V-brakes, yes.

 

[T4tomo]

probably easiest to just leave the bike as it is and ride on the tops....

 

[Rusty Nails]

Are the brake cable pulls the same for the brakes (STIs v flat bar levers)?

I have a few pairs of flat bar brake levers suitable for a range of V's, canti and side pull so should be ok for the brakes.

probably easiest to just leave the bike as it is and ride on the tops..

I have two other road bikes that will stay drop-bar, and tbh I just feel like fiddling about with the one I haven't ridden for nearly two years

Just realised my Tiagra shifter is a 4700 so things are going to get interesting! Will probably give the Deore 3 speed shifter a try to see how it goes.

Thanks everyone. How I long for the old days when 7/8 gears were exotic and compatibility was rarely an issue with the same manufacturer.

 

[DCBassman]

I have a road bike with a 10 speed Tiagra triple groupset which I want to convert to flat bar. I have a Tiagra rear shifter and before buying a front shifter I was wondering if I could use an mtb Deore shifter off a 10x3 bike.

Any ideas on this?

Unfortunately not. DAMHIKT...
I'll qualify this a bit. My Scott has a Sora FD and it doesn't get on with MTB shifters. Using a LH shifter from a Claris/Sora combo lever set works fine. Irritatingly, that also works fine on an MTB FD!

 

[Rusty Nails]

try it is the simple answer
i know shimano changed cable pull on the 4700 tiagra to the same as 11 speed so that might be a stumbling block

^^^

4600 yes, 4700 no for the 10x rear shifter.

I think, but aren't 100% sure, that is is only the rear derailleur pull ration that changed, so your 3X shift might work with either for the front change.

Just checked on the R/H 4700 shifter and it, and the Shimano website, says 10 speed. Why do you say there could be problems using 4700 on a 10 speed?

 

[Ajax Bay]

Because they changed the cable pull ratio for 4700: so 10sp still but one click pulls different length of cable to the other 10 speeds.

 

[T4tomo]

Just checked on the R/H 4700 shifter and it, and the Shimano website, says 10 speed. Why do you say there could be problems using 4700 on a 10 speed?

4600 tiagra is 10 speed and the shifter and RD work on same pull ratio's as "old school" 105 and Ulegra / DA 10 speed i.e, same as shimnao 10 speed MTB series.

4700 tiagra is also 10 speed but the shifer and RD work on a different pull ratio to 4600 et al, the same pull ratio as all shimano road 11 speed series. At bit ridiculous, but I guess they could use some of the 11 speed internals in the shifter but with 1 less click.

This is also a pain if your old 10 speed 105 etc shifter or RD breaks as there isnt a "new" replacement, you are left scouring ebay for used or finding some dusty old stock somewhere.

For what you are attempting, you probably need to just find a MTB / flat bar shifter & deraiieur set, the cassette and chainset you can reuse and then make sure you choose compatible brake levers

 

[Rusty Nails]

Thanks. I think, before looking for different shifter and mech, I will just give it a go with the 4700. Nothing to lose except a bit of time, and I have plenty of that spare.

 

[T4tomo]

so your Tiagra flat bar shifter is 4700 series.

what 10 spd drop bar shifter was on it in drop bar mode? if that was also tiagra 4700 you're fine, if not it will never index properly.