Drop bar mountain bike, some advice please. ;O)

[Alsajosora]

Hi all,

I have a mountain bike that I use for the daily commute to work and for Sunday rides when the weather is to cr*p for my good bike. Recently I swapped the V-brakes out for some mechanical disk ones.

My next project, depending on what is said here, will be to convert from flat bar to drop bar.

I have a set of Shimano Sora Brifters (the model just before they brought out the ones with the gear cable running under the bar tape.) Shifting wise I don't foresee there being an issue, however I keep hearing/reading that road brake levers and mountain bike brakes are not compatible. I understand this is true with regards to V-brakes etc but didn't think it would be an issue with mechanical disk callipers.

I have Shimano BR-M375 callipers and on Shimanos oh so easy to follow compatibility guide the only thing I can see is that the front brake must have an inline adaptor ( SM-PM50) which I believe "softens" the lever pull slightly so that touching the lever doesn't lock up the wheel?

Does anyone have any wisdom to impart as to the feasibility of the above? Cheers in advance!!

 

[Cycleops]

I've recently done this on a Specialised AWOL , dead easy, no probs, also used Sora brifters. This might help you

View: https://youtu.be/f1vSHauv1VY

 

[vickster]

I went the other way from drops to flatbar roadbike, it was always too small even with another 3cm of stem. You may find you have the opposite problem and end up with some of the issues with a too big bike

The geometry could be pretty weird too

I'd just sell it and get a CX

 

[HLaB]

You can fit Problem Solver Travel Agents to in part overcome the difference between the pull of v brake lever and the pull of sti levers.

 

[Tangoup51]

If you have the brifters & a drop bar your potential is limitless. It all uses cables and everything is highly adjustable. There wont be any compatibility issues. Go mad.

 

[simon.r]

When V brakes first came out there were dire warnings issued that anyone using non-V brake levers with V brakes (or vice versa) would almost certainly die, either due to the brakes being very poor, or so sharp that the rider would be thrown over the bars the first time the brakes were applied.

In reality the difference wasn’t that pronounced.

In your shoes, I’d fit what you’ve got and go for a steady ride to see how they perform. If you’re happy with them all well and good, if not, start looking into travel adjusters and the like.

 

[Alsajosora]

Right,
All done!
1) Swapped Deore Shadow rear mech for Sora mech.
2) Kept front derailleur but screwed in the limit screw so that it doesn't drop onto the innermost ring (triple).
3) Replaced 100mm stem with 60mm stem. (Photo shows with the 100mm stem)
4) Fitted bars.
5) Fitted all new cables.
6) Checked and adjusted brakes, lever feel is a touch "softer" than with the MTB levers but they work just fine!!
7) Checked and adjusted the gears.
8) Got the double Sora front derailleur shifter working with the Deore MTB triple derailleur (just on the inner and outer rings)

Now, my next question is......

This bike has a 68mm bottom bracket shell, I have a road FSA Tempo compact (50/34) crank set with a 68mm bottom bracket. Could I swap out the current HT2 crankset (48/36/26) and move the deraillieur up the required amount or am I going to have issues with chainline etc?

 

[Bodhbh]

This bike has a 68mm bottom bracket shell, I have a road FSA Tempo compact (50/34) crank set with a 68mm bottom bracket. Could I swap out the current HT2 crankset (48/36/26) and move the deraillieur up the required amount or am I going to have issues with chainline etc?

I'm currently running a Tiagra road triple mech with a 48/36/26 MTB crankset and it works fine. I'm pretty sure I also ran the opposite - a Deore MTB triple mech with the Tiagra road 50/39/30 chainset - and that also ran fine. I swapped from flatbar to drops to back again but lost track exactly what got swapped for what on the journey!

 

[Cycleops]

No reason at all why you can’t use your current FD with a double set up, just adjust the gap between the outer and derailleur to 1-2mm and align it by eye from above so they are parallel. I went the opposite way.
How is that stem? If not comfortable expirment with a shorter one,

 

[Alsajosora]

Are not the axle sizes different for a road bike double and a MTB triple?

Going from a 100mm stem down to a 60mm has made a difference comfort wise!! ;O)

 

[Cycleops]

Yes but you can adjust the derailleur as required.

 

[cyberknight]

How are you finding sti shifters with road disc brakes ?
I read that they have different cable pulls so it was supposedly not effective unless you changed the calipers to road discs, if theyare ok i might change mine to brifters too.
I went with linear pull brake levers for the correct pull and bar end shifters.

EDIT
you say the brakes feel softer nd the above is probably why ,i will most likely stick with my setup as i use it for winter commuting with poggies to keep my hands warm and only take my hand out to shift.

 

[cyberknight]

Are not the axle sizes different for a road bike double and a MTB triple?

Going from a 100mm stem down to a 60mm has made a difference comfort wise!! ;O)

Also depends on the reach of the drops , the ones i have are a really compact reach so i went for a longer stem .

 

[Alsajosora]

How are you finding sti shifters with road disc brakes ?
I read that they have different cable pulls so it was supposedly not effective unless you changed the calipers to road discs, if theyare ok i might change mine to brifters too.
I went with linear pull brake levers for the correct pull and bar end shifters.

EDIT
you say the brakes feel softer nd the above is probably why ,i will most likely stick with my setup as i use it for winter commuting with poggies to keep my hands warm and only take my hand out to shift.

View attachment 381741

When I say softer...... The lever doesn't require as hard a grip before the brakes engage, at full lock there is still a good 15-20mm travel before the lever contacts the bar, if that makes sense. They are good enough to stop me at the junction at the bottom of a 15% hill!!

 

[chriscross1966]

If you aren't running it off road then you can set the V-brakes up with road-bike style minimal gapping, shouldn't be an issue, but if you do need to amplify the travel then a Problem solver travel agent will do it, Im using a pair to make Campag Triomphe levers work with Delta brakes on a Brompton....