Convert road bike to CX?

u33db

Hi,

I commute on an MTB bike to work each day but i also have a road bike in the garage.

The road bike is a full 2 kgs light @ 10kg and with 700c tyres which should be a lot faster but, due to the rim brakes, i don't feel as confident round town going quickly as i could not stop anywhere near as fast as on the MTB (say if a car pulled out in front of me)

So i'm wondering how easy it would be convert the road bike to a run disc front?

This should be similar to a cyclocross bike but as i've never seen one in real life i would like to know the following;

- How are cyclocross disc brakes plumbed into road bike shifters?

(i have Shimano 105 shifters - would i need a hydraulic specific shifter or is there some clever attachment which will convert my cable operated shifter/brake lever to run with the disc?)

- If there are attachments like i've described above can someone tell me what they are called with some links/prices?

- I'll need a new fork...is it possible to get a 700cc cyclocross fork with disc attachment with a 1" steerer?

And lastly;

- Is this really work doing?

The road bike an 80s Raleigh with sentimental value that i've also spent a lot on with new parts...should i really be bastardising it further to use a disc brake or should i just just buy a light hybrid/cx bike or persevere with my MTB?

Thanks in advance!

u33db

I suppose there is always cable operated discs which would get round the shifter problem but i'm interested how hydraulic ones would work...

bails87

CXs tend to have cable discs (mine does). There are some converter devices, but they're very expensive. Cable discs are good enough for road use.

u33db

I must say my experience of cable disc were only with cheapo ones on a Halfords bike.

These were no better than cantilever road bike brakes imo.

I'm assuming you have experience of cable discs are of decent ones...how would you rate them compared to road cantivilers? A world apar or only a "marginal" improvement?

roger_merriman

Half decent cable disks are good, in the dry they will not be much if at all better but in the wet is where they shine.

My wife on her hybrid can easly out brake me on wet days.

This said I'd try some good pads? And depending how old the bike is? Could have single pivot brakes etc. which are fairly lame in the wet.

bails87

My Ribble had Shimano 105 calipers, they were fine in the dry (as has been said, not much better/worse than the discs) but in the wet they were pretty useless. The 105s were only on standard pads, but if I had the choice I'd pick discs every time.

styxd

You could try upgrading your rim brakes and fitting some decent pads and new cables. Could be a much cheaper solution.

rolf_f

styxd wrote:

You could try upgrading your rim brakes and fitting some decent pads and new cables. Could be a much cheaper solution.

Not really anything likely to be gained by changing the brakes - but decent pads in cartridge holders could make a great difference. Probably the Coolstops for wet braking. I find braking fine in wet and dry on the standard pads but I do cut the speed a bit in the rain.

natrix

Rolf F wrote:

Not really anything likely to be gained by changing the brakes

In my experience, decent modern dual-pivot rim brakes will be a big improvement on 1980s style calipers.

attica

If it's an 80's Raleigh, chances are you've got shiny polished breaking surfaces on the wheel rims, best strategic upgrade might just be new wheels with a better braking surface

u33db

The frame is 1980s but everything else is new;

- Prolite Como wheels.
- Shimano 105 groupset (well all except the calipers which are newish Specialized double pivot items).

I think i'll try some new pads and see if that helps.