Turning an old Raleigh nitro into a hybrid

[rajkv84]

So I have a Raleigh Nitro 3x5 speed. I've had this bike for almost 25 years.
Due to sentimental value I want to revamp it. So I'm almost done but I have an issue with the gear lever.
I've installed a drop bar it and I'm looking for 3x5 speed gear/brake lever to go on the drop bar. But I can't find one anywhere. I'm guessing they don't make those.
Is it possible to use a 3x7 speed gear brake lever?

 

[Cycleops]

Why don’t you use a band on down tube shifters? Sounds like a great project so let’s have some pics.
Welcome to the forum.

 

[rajkv84]

Why don’t you use a band on down tube shifters? Sounds like a great project so let’s have some pics.
Welcome to the forum.

Thanks @Cycleops, glad to be here!
So I'm very new to cycling, can you explain what you mean by a band?
Also just to clarify, I did some research last night, and maybe I'm not using the correct terms.
So I want to install shifter brake levers on the drop bar. But I can't find any that will do a 15 speed (3x5) .... Hence why I thought, can't I use a 3x7 shifter brake lever and still be able to change gears?

 

[sleuthey]

So I have a Raleigh Nitro 3x5 speed. I've had this bike for almost 25 years.
Due to sentimental value I want to revamp it. So I'm almost done but I have an issue with the gear lever.
I've installed a drop bar it and I'm looking for 3x5 speed gear/brake lever to go on the drop bar. But I can't find one anywhere. I'm guessing they don't make those.
Is it possible to use a 3x7 speed gear brake lever?

I don’t think you can use a 7 speed indexed gear lever on a 5 speed cassette. Cable and mech yes but shifter no.

Very surprised you have but dropped bars on a heavy 1990s mountain bike with off road gearing and 26 inch wheels.

 

[Ajax Bay]

[Looking for 3x5 speed gear/brake lever to go on the drop bar but I can't find one . . . I'm guessing they don't make those.
Is it possible to use a 3x7 speed gear brake lever?

Don't exist and No.
Best bet is to get some bar end friction shifters - I had these on my bike in the seventies: they were the 'bee's knees. Some randonneurs still use these in preference to other shifting mechanisms.

 

[Cycleops]

Best suggestion AB. Hadn’t thought of that but an ideal solution.

Only downside might be the cost, bar ends are quite expensive especially compared with these cheapie band on ones:
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-sh...andon-down-tube-shifters-286mm-includes-bolt/
Might be worth checking the tube diameter but I don’t think the Nitro used oversize.

 

[MichaelW2]

Rear mech indexing coordinates shifter cable pull ( per click) with mech travel ( horizontal) with rear sprocket thickness and spacing.
The sprocket spacing is different

See
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-spacing.html

Non indexing friction or micro indexing ( Suntour) shifters will work. These are usually in downtube or bar end configuration.
I should be trivial to replace a 5 speed freewheel cluster with a 7 speed, I have done that with no modifications.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Very surprised you have but dropped bars on a heavy 1990s mountain bike with off road gearing and 26 inch wheels.

I'm very surprised too, and I'm a big fan of these sorts of bikes - if left in their original form with flat bars. The biggest improvement you can make to a bike like this is to merely replace the knobbly tyres with alternative ones that aren't knobbly and leave the rest of it pretty much standard.
As already mentioned, you cannot create a lightweight road bike out of an MTB with a beefy frame and hefty unicrown forks that are wide enough to run 2" tyres. Better to enjoy it as designed on gravel and dirt tracks, and either buy a drop bar bike or convert one from a lighter 27" or 700c toad-oriented frame.

 

[figbat]

What is the rear dropout width? Could you get a more modern hubbed wheel in there with a cassette that would match an integrated shifter? It's what I did, replacing a 7-speed hub with a 10-speed one - luckily the frame was already at 135mm and had room for a 700c wheel with 42mm tyres.

I'm very surprised too, and I'm a big fan of these sorts of bikes - if left in their original form with flat bars. The biggest improvement you can make to a bike like this is to merely replace the knobbly tyres with alternative ones that aren't knobbly and leave the rest of it pretty much standard.
As already mentioned, you cannot create a lightweight road bike out of an MTB with a beefy frame and hefty unicrown forks that are wide enough to run 2" tyres. Better to enjoy it as designed on gravel and dirt tracks, and either buy a drop bar bike or convert one from a lighter 27" or 700c toad-oriented frame.

I took a beefy, 90s MTB frame and made a gravel bike out of it. Not to make the best gravel bike but to have a project, something to do, some problems to solve and ultimately a bike that would be ridden rather than left abandoned in the shed. It's not lightweight but it works better than I had ever anticipated and has become a firm favourite on my fleet despite being the oldest and heaviest thing I own.

 

[sleuthey]

I'm very surprised too, and I'm a big fan of these sorts of bikes - if left in their original form with flat bars. The biggest improvement you can make to a bike like this is to merely replace the knobbly tyres with alternative ones that aren't knobbly and leave the rest of it pretty much standard.
As already mentioned, you cannot create a lightweight road bike out of an MTB with a beefy frame and hefty unicrown forks that are wide enough to run 2" tyres. Better to enjoy it as designed on gravel and dirt tracks, and either buy a drop bar bike or convert one from a lighter 27" or 700c toad-oriented frame.

If I were the OP I would turn it into a town bike with a 1X drivetrain and 26x1.5 slick tyres. Then you don’t need to worry about the front shifter or chain drag

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

If I were the OP I would turn it into a town bike with a 1X drivetrain and 26x1.5 slick tyres. Then you don’t need to worry about the front shifter or chain drag

Removing the front mech and manually setting the chain on the 38T middle ring would be easy and zero-cost. Regarding the tyres, I assume you are thinking City Jets or similar. I'd go for 26" x 1.75" Marathon Greenguards as they are more puncture-resistant and have a bigger air volume.

 

[rajkv84]

I don’t think you can use a 7 speed indexed gear lever on a 5 speed cassette. Cable and mech yes but shifter no.

Very surprised you have but dropped bars on a heavy 1990s mountain bike with off road gearing and 26 inch wheels.

My Friend said the exact same thing. But for its more of sentimental value but also being able to use everyday.

 

[sleuthey]

Removing the front mech and manually setting the chain on the 38T middle ring would be easy and zero-cost. Regarding the tyres, I assume you are thinking City Jets or similar. I'd go for 26" x 1.75" Marathon Greenguards as they are more puncture-resistant and have a bigger air volume.

It’s whatever you prefer. I have 1.5 Kenda Kwests on my fixi which are very comfortable indeed

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Are they effective at keeping the Fairy away? Very important attribute on a town bike ridden over debris-strewn roads & paths.

 

[rajkv84]

What is the rear dropout width? Could you get a more modern hubbed wheel in there with a cassette that would match an integrated shifter? It's what I did, replacing a 7-speed hub with a 10-speed one - luckily the frame was already at 135mm and had room for a 700c wheel with 42mm tyres.



I took a beefy, 90s MTB frame and made a gravel bike out of it. Not to make the best gravel bike but to have a project, something to do, some problems to solve and ultimately a bike that would be ridden rather than left abandoned in the shed. It's not lightweight but it works better than I had ever anticipated and has become a firm favourite on my fleet despite being the oldest and heaviest thing I own.

View attachment 523554

This looks really good and close to what I'd like to achieve.
I'll do measuring and see what's possible.
Thanks!