Conversion to drop bar advice

handful
handful Posts: 920
edited March 2013 in Road buying advice
I currently have 2 bikes and have been badly affected by N+1 syndrome. I have a full sus mtb to take care of my off road requirements and a flat bar road bike (I know) that I actually still really like. My issue is, I do like the idea of a full on road bike but can't really justify another big investment or 3 bikes.

My flat bar bike is a Moda Chord (as per sig) well made, 9kgs so light enough,carbon forks, excellent condition and has the same frame as another one of their road bikes, can't remember which one. I really don't want to sell it because I know it will have limited appeal and wouldn't fetch what it's worth to me probably being a flat bar. I know I will be looking at buying new bars, sti shifters and brakes, will probably match up SRAM Apex with the existing groupset so not cheap. Shifters are currently available new for £189 and the rest would take spend up to something around £3-£350 I would think so a lot cheaper than buying another bike of what would be a similar spec.

Have I missed anything out in my calculations? How difficult is it to do this conversion, any advice from someone who has done similar? Thanks
Vaaru Titanium Sram Red eTap
Moda Chord with drop bars and Rival shifters - winter/do it all bike
Orbea Rise

Comments

  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    you could do it cheaper than that.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • handful
    handful Posts: 920
    Thanks mad dog, would you be care to elaborate? :)
    Vaaru Titanium Sram Red eTap
    Moda Chord with drop bars and Rival shifters - winter/do it all bike
    Orbea Rise
  • gsej
    gsej Posts: 34
    I converted my specialized sirrus elite to drop bars a bit about a year and a half ago, after having ridden it with flat bars for six months or so. It turned out to be rather more expensive than I'd expected - I needed a new front mech and travel agents for the brakes, and I went through a few different stems before I was reasonably comfortable on the bike. In retrospect I should have just bought a bike with drops in the first place, or I should have cut my losses, sold it and bought a new bike rather than doing the conversion. It's never been really comfortable - I guess the geometry doesn't suit drop bars. I'm waiting at the moment for a surly LHT frame which I'm going to build up as a replacement .
  • handful
    handful Posts: 920
    Thanjs jseg, I know that's a risk but hopefully less due the frame being also used for a drop bar in different Moda models. If anyone can suggest a cost effective way of converting it would be appreciated. Are Microshift shifters any good as they would be cheaper than SRAM Apex? I'm having some difficulty shifting into the big ring at present and would rather put any repair cost into converting rather than repairs.
    Vaaru Titanium Sram Red eTap
    Moda Chord with drop bars and Rival shifters - winter/do it all bike
    Orbea Rise
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    I converted my badboy to drops ... cost £100 all in (£50 s/h sora shifters, £20 rear mech as sram not compatible, bar tape + cables/outers ... i had bars lying around) ...

    It gave more position choices but handled appallingly on fast descents so i had to convert it back to flatbar ... in fairness the descents in the yorkshire dales (i converted it for a week away) can be fierce but i just didn't feel comfortable ...

    buy a cheap road bike ...
  • handful
    handful Posts: 920
    Hmm. Food for thought but I think that the geometry on mine would suit drops fine and its a great bike. Seems a shame not to. Point taken though, will think about it some more!
    Vaaru Titanium Sram Red eTap
    Moda Chord with drop bars and Rival shifters - winter/do it all bike
    Orbea Rise
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    you just need some miniVs, drop bars, and STI, plus the ancillaries like bar tape/cables and maybe a stem, and maybe a front mech, depending what you currently have.

    Alu drops are dirt cheap on ebay, as are stems and front mechs. The only real cost is the STI, which you could go s/hand. If have Shimano mechs then just go Shimano STI. If you want Sram shifters then obviously that adds cost as you'll need the mechs too.

    Bit of canny buying and you'll be well under your original budget. I've got some alu drops you an have for postage...
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • handful
    handful Posts: 920
    Thanks mad dog. Some good tips there and very kind offer for the bars. I would probably be looking for some fairly shallow ones if possible. What are yours like?

    I just came across this http://www.damianharriscycles.co.uk/prod/cyx_0003_md/Moda/Chord-Cyclecross-2012 which kind of confirms my thoughts that the frame would suit drops OK although I still accept the geo may not fit me well. I still like the idea of fitting SRAM to match what's on the bike already. Already has an Apex front and rear mech but the Brakes are Avid single digits, really good but not Sti compatible I would guess. I may just bite the bullet and start to look around eBay and see what I can pick up and if nothing around see what I can get new for. Thanks again
    Vaaru Titanium Sram Red eTap
    Moda Chord with drop bars and Rival shifters - winter/do it all bike
    Orbea Rise
  • handful
    handful Posts: 920
    Right, I've bitten the bullet and got hold of some brand new Sram Rival Sti shifters at a great price so I now plan to pick up the rest of the bits I need and need some advice on brakes please.

    The bike currently has Avid Single Digit 7 V brakes which if I'm right won't work with the STIs because of the shorter cable pull. How can I measure whether my carbon forks will take an Apex/Rival caliper without having to buy one and try it? It has the top mount (currently unused obviously) but there is some moulding within the carbon that may make it a tight (or too tight) fit.

    I have a full Apex groupset currently so I'm assuming there is only one type of Apex front /rear mech? They don't make a flat bar shifter spec which need more cable pull as well do they?

    If the calipers won't fit, what are my best options? I have read some good stuff about the tektro mini v brakes which are also very cheap. These I believe work well with STI shifters don't they? I also have the option of fitting travel adaptors to my single digits (which work really well btw) but these look awful imo and I would rather give the bike more of a road rather than CX look if at all possible although that isn't the end of the world as will have some other CX characteristics.

    If anyone can give me some pointers here it would be much appreciated.
    Vaaru Titanium Sram Red eTap
    Moda Chord with drop bars and Rival shifters - winter/do it all bike
    Orbea Rise
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    the small hole in the fork crown may just be a mudguard bolt hole...

    If the hole will take a brake shaft then measure from the hole to the rim. Deep drop calipers will go to 57mm. If it's more than this you'll struggle to get roadie calipers to fit.

    The answer is probably mini-Vs. Tidy, work with STI...
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • handful
    handful Posts: 920
    Thanks maddog. I just measured from the middle of the hole to the middle of the rim and I would say it's 70mm roughly. So that means mini v then? Something leke these ok? http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/BCTK926MV/tektro_mini_v_926al___a_pair_front_and_rear

    Or could you recommend anything better, performance more important than price for braking!!
    Vaaru Titanium Sram Red eTap
    Moda Chord with drop bars and Rival shifters - winter/do it all bike
    Orbea Rise
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    yep, sounds like miniVs are the way to go then. Not used the Tektros but they look fine. Just get good pads and clean rims, that's what determines most of your brake performance (within reason).
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • handful
    handful Posts: 920
    Just found these http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tektro-tektro-r559-caliper-brake-55-73-mm-very-deep-drop-nut-fitting-prod24459/

    Looks like these would fit. :D

    What performance could I expect from these over mini v if any? Obviously quite a bit more expensive. Also, are they easier to adjust and keep running smoothly?
    Vaaru Titanium Sram Red eTap
    Moda Chord with drop bars and Rival shifters - winter/do it all bike
    Orbea Rise
  • handful
    handful Posts: 920
    Well, I thought I'd update this thread for the benefit of anyone else considering doing this as there are plenty of people that have not done this successfully.

    I shopped around to get what I wanted, was very lucky to pick up some second hand but effectively brand new still in the box Sram Rival shifters for £160 which was the main expense. Then there were the FSA Omega compact bars which were £28 from Winstanleys, Fizik Microtex bar tape for £10, Tektro mini V brakes for £20 from Planet X, a set of jagwire cables for £21 from Tredz so all in cost of £239 so pretty happy overall.

    I did also take the opportunity to sort out my front shifting which was equally as bad with the sti shifters as it was with the flat bar ones so spent an additional £32 on an Ultegra FD which is spot on so far. :)

    I haven't tested it on a long ride yet but it has been much more comfortable on the turbo sessions and shortish rides I've done up to now, handles really well and doesn't cause any discomfort on my wrists or back so all good so far. Keeping the 28mm tyres on until the weather picks up and will then put back some GP4000s I bought last summer.

    The finished bike looks like this

    http://s488.photobucket.com/user/handful17/library/Chord%20drop%20bar?page=1
    Vaaru Titanium Sram Red eTap
    Moda Chord with drop bars and Rival shifters - winter/do it all bike
    Orbea Rise

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