Narrowing it down

[DCBassman]

I'm about to flat-bar a 3x8 speed Scott road bike. Getting flat bar combo brake/shifters difficult but not impossible. If you go the route of separate trigger shifters and brake levers, it ought to be easy. There are certainly Tiagra brake levers and triggers, quite possibly Ultegra triggers.

 

[DCBassman]

Note: Ultegra triggers do need to be paired with their matching mechs, it seems. Tiagra triggers probably the way to go.

 

[Pit Stop Pat]

The triple is a Sora crankset. It`s kind of heavy, think 844 grams. Never really looked at weight of the various bicycle components before but i am this time since the bike is for someone who actually is in dire need of a lightweight bicycle (work related) so figure i might as well do a proper job. The flatbar is in my opinion a more userfriendly handlebar. Already acquired a carbon bar around 100 grams and a 91 gram Ritchey stem. I may have become aware of potential brake compatibility issues, but in my head it`s still "you pull the lever and you engage the brakes" whichever lever it is. Is there really that much more to it? Also, triple seems to be found on lower quality components and i want high quality as far as i can take it. If mikeymustard is correct, the 34T cassette compatibility of the new 11 speed R8000 series may help tip the scale in that direction. Rather that than go for a triple. I found some Shimano 11 speed shifters, but they come without a gear display, so useless. Looks like they have different names depending on where you buy them.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/shimano-sh...300990&hash=item2a51138e6c:g:IRkAAOSwpdpVWZ~q

 

[DCBassman]

Aside from wanting the best, what do you see as the need for Ultegra?

 

[Ajax Bay]

Apart from the flat bar conversion, what is the point of this 'upgrade'?

The triple is a Sora crankset. It`s kind of heavy, think 844 grams. Never really looked at weight of the various bicycle components before but i am this time since the bike is for someone who actually is in dire need of a lightweight bicycle (work related) so figure i might as well do a proper job. The flatbar is in my opinion a more userfriendly handlebar. Already acquired a carbon bar around 100 grams and a 91 gram Ritchey stem. . . . I found some Shimano 11 speed shifters, but they come without a gear display, so useless.

what do you see as the need for Ultegra?

OP has acquired a R8000 Ultegra crankset - that's why he wants to build an 'Ultegra-equipped' bike but with flat bars, and to make it real light (Weightweenies site is that way >>>).
Why are 'shifters without a gear display' "useless" btw?
I think seeking advice from a decent LBS would pay dividends for the OP, as to what can be done, and what can't (ie is not compatible both gear and brake).

 

[Pit Stop Pat]

Ultegra is a very good #2, not the "best" Ultegra is pretty much the pricepoint i`m working with. It gets confusing when you start to mix in components from other Shimano series but the fact that flat bar shifters are not that abundant it is becoming apparent i will have to improvise to some degree. Apart from the weight advantage when buying better equipment, the allround quality is higher which is very appealing. No, i have not yet acquired any other crankset, but i better decide on one very soon because this is starting to drag out. The bike i am building is for an elderly individual around 70 y.o. so the shifters has to have a visual gear display. Not one bit to do with being a weight weenie. My main bike, a CX is around 22 lbs.

 

[Milkfloat]

I am not sure an elderly gentleman will even be able to see a visual gear display - my 10 year old struggles and she has 20-20 vision.
Regarding Ultegra - I don't find it any more durable than 105 or Tiagra, probably less so, although it does have more bling factor. To be honest I think you are complicating things, making it more expensive and severely limiting your options than you need to on this build.

 

[Pit Stop Pat]

Nonsense. I`ve been riding an old Sram Apex system without indicators for the past 6 years and i keep having to look down at the cassette to check what current gear i am in. That means having to take your eyes away from the road. The gear display is there for a reason. Need i say more? The reason i am more interested in going with Ultegra is because i understand the top series is all about weight and not so much about longevity/durability. I feel i get a pretty darn good level of quality when going with Ultegra and keeping in mind the weight factor is also of relevance. I believe most people follow my reasoning when upgrading, that means you get something lighter - not heavier. Since i am working with a carbon frame this goes without saying. You are right when assuming i am complicating things, but this is what i always have done to challenge myself and to discover new things. Looking at different components weights and other specs allows me to see the bigger picture and how things correlate. Personally, this is how i progress!

 

[Milkfloat]

If you really want to have Ultegra then you are going to struggle with the requirement for gear indicator. You might be able to get these to fit (9/10 speed), if you are lucky.

The other way to do it is Di2. Either with an XTR groupset, or a road groupset with an external bike computer like a Garmin.

However, despite the challenge you like to set yourself, I don't think it is the right way to go. Even if you manage it, it will not be the economical way of getting the right solution, and I suspect that the gentleman concerned would end up with ill fitting bike, as a conversion from drop to flat bat is more than switching and bodging groupsets. The right way to do it, is to sell the existing bike and buy a new one. Good luck.

 

[PpPete]

and i keep having to look down at the cassette to check what current gear i am in. That means having to take your eyes away from the road.

Why is so important to visually check which gear you are in?
The legs should be providing the feedback as to whether it is the right gear / too low / too high to maintain an optmum cadence.

Still, if you do want to know which particular sprocket you are on, I personally find a look down at the drive train just as quick as squinting at a tiny numbers or an indicator in a little window.

 

[Pit Stop Pat]

Why is so important to visually check which gear you are in?
The legs should be providing the feedback as to whether it is the right gear / too low / too high to maintain an optmum cadence.

Still, if you do want to know which particular sprocket you are on, I personally find a look down at the drive train just as quick as squinting at a tiny numbers or an indicator in a little window.

Why? Well first of all i don`t like surprises. My 10 speed shifter hasn`t been functioning properly for the past 2-3 years. It still shifts good, but i have to press the lever a long way in before it engages the RD. The cable does not have any slack at any point. Most of my focus is of course on the road ahead. I guess you can say things don`t happen quick enough for my liking so i use my vision instead. I am sure there are faster systems out there. The Apex is not my favourite groupset, but it is what i have to work with at the moment. I have to know i am in the right gear or my constantly changing plan might backfire. I try to treat my drivetrain gently so it lasts a long time and that means staying on top of the situation. My legs don`t have any braincells. They couldn`t possibly know exactly what gear i am in, only roughly. When viewing a gear display it encorporates the same logic as a heads up display. This is a good thing, yes?

 

[PpPete]

Each to their own.
For me, gear displays are a poor solution to a problem that exists only in the minds of the marketing wonks.

 

[mikeymustard]

I had sora 3500 on my genesis volant which had gear indicators and I can say with all honesty that I never found any use for them, they just made the top of the shifters a bit ugly.
I think demanding gear indication is just complicating an already difficult wish list.
If you're prepared to pay for r8000, perhaps you should simplify, go back to the drawing board and look at a 1x drive train or at the least a mtb set up

 

[Andrew_P]

Has to be cheaper and easier to sell the road bike and buy a hybrid?

Are road bikes not completely different set ups length top tube etc.?

The last bike I had gears numbers on was a Raleigh Chopper!

 

[Pit Stop Pat]

Each to their own.
For me, gear displays are a poor solution to a problem that exists only in the minds of the marketing wonks.

I bought my road type handlebar CX in 2012. That`s the only such bike with road shifters i`ve ever owned. Before that it`s been MTB all the way. And all of those had some type of gear display so i`m used to that. They are indicators that will tell you the shifting has taken place and no real need to look in another direction. I was pleasantly surprised when i removed the Sora 3x9 shifters from the road handlebar and found they had a visual gear display and the brake could be used for shifting...wow! You live you learn, lol. Gotta get me something like that one day even if it means ditching Sram and jumping ship to SS Shimano. I know Sram has tighter and more responsive derailleurs but oh well.