Shimano brakes and gear conversion

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Electric_Andy

Heavy Metal Fan
Location
Plymouth
Hi everyone, need technical advice please. I have a carrera vengeance road bike, quite old with magnesium frame. I can't do drops because of my back so was wondering if I can fit MTB bars and change the gears and brakes? It has Shimano 105 group set with integrated gear changers and brakes so I guess I'm saying can I put MTB brakes on and use EZ-fire type shifters? It's a 10 speed cassette.

In case you wonder, I have raised the bars as much as I can using a bar riser but it's still too uncomfortable on the drops, even though I got used to them before my back got bad.

Any advice appreciated
 

Kies

Guest
Pretty sure you can as some flat bar road bikes have the same gears etc with EZ shift changers etc.
Someone more knowledgable will be along shortly to advise.
 

RecordAceFromNew

Swinging Member
Location
West London
Hi everyone, need technical advice please. I have a carrera vengeance road bike, quite old with magnesium frame. I can't do drops because of my back so was wondering if I can fit MTB bars and change the gears and brakes? It has Shimano 105 group set with integrated gear changers and brakes so I guess I'm saying can I put MTB brakes on and use EZ-fire type shifters? It's a 10 speed cassette.

In case you wonder, I have raised the bars as much as I can using a bar riser but it's still too uncomfortable on the drops, even though I got used to them before my back got bad.

Any advice appreciated

The solution is not straightforward.

Since for shifters / rear mechs Shimano road and mtb aren't interchangeable for 10 speed, you can't do a straight swap of shifters.

I would suggest you get any Shimano 9 speed mtb shifters you like and a Shimano compatible (incl. sram) 9 speed cassette. The left/front shifter is going to pull too much cable for the 105 front mech, but that is fine if you only have two rings up front and let the front mech's L limit screw to stop the chain falling off the small ring, while ensuring the cable is not too tight while on the large ring.

You can't use most flat bar brake levers since they are designed for V brake cable pull, when you have road caliper brakes. These would be fine however.

If your new 9 speed cassette has a larger large cog than existing you might need a new, longer chain, and depending on its size potentially a mtb rear mech.

Hope it helps.
 
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Electric_Andy

Heavy Metal Fan
Location
Plymouth
Thanks - yes that helps. I thought it would be problematic, good job I asked first. Thinking it might be easier to sell the bike and get a hybrid!

cheers mate
 
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OP
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Electric_Andy

Heavy Metal Fan
Location
Plymouth
Just ride on the hoods or tops.

yeah I would but I usually end up on the drops half the time because through town I'm always breaking, and always changing up a gear because I'm not as fit as I was! I've never really enjoyed the road bike, tried to get into it coming from a MTB so think a hybrid will be best of both worlds.
 

Rohloff_Brompton_Rider

Formerly just_fixed
 
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