MTB shifters/brakes on road bike frame?

johngti

I suspect the answer is that it makes not a jot of a difference, but to do a flat bar conversion on a road bike frame, is there any reason why a MTB groupset wouldn’t work? By that I mean shifters/brakes/rear mech with a single chainring at the front. Just playing with ideas for what to do with the spare frame I now have. Teen GTi is less keen on a drop bar bike at present.

whyamihere

If you're using disc brakes, then everything will work. With rim brakes, you'd have to get flat bar levers with road brake pull ratios, Shimano do them at various levels, Tektro and others do a few as well.

Also, if you get MTB cranks, make sure they're not Boost spaced as that will throw off the chainline.

johngti

Yep. Discs all the way. Suspect one-by would be the only option though, no idea If a double on an mtb has the same spacing as a road bike. Could easily be wrong though.

And this should be post 2000. Whoop!

johngti

Dang it.

Wheelspinner

Dang it, what?

As above, should work with all MTB shifters/mechs etc.

Recommend a (much) longer stem than you're used to, Road bikes expect drop bars, so a stem of 100 plus bar "reach" of another 80 or so mm. Flat bar in that stem will make steering feel squirrelly, like you're riding with hands on the bar tops at all times. Put a 130 or 140 on it to roughly replicate position of hands on drop bar hoods.

PMark

How easy this is will also depend on what groupset you go for. 9 speed is pretty interchangeable between MTB and road. So might be the best option unless you are looking at getting something very light. Can do Sora 2x on the front and then altus on the rear so you can use larger cassettes.

johngti

Wheelspinner said:

Dang it, what?

As above, should work with all MTB shifters/mechs etc.

Recommend a (much) longer stem than you're used to, Road bikes expect drop bars, so a stem of 100 plus bar "reach" of another 80 or so mm. Flat bar in that stem will make steering feel squirrelly, like you're riding with hands on the bar tops at all times. Put a 130 or 140 on it to roughly replicate position of hands on drop bar hoods.

Dang it because I got my 2000th post wrong.

That’d be a super long stem. Got time to think, it’s not as if I can afford to do much about it yet anyway.
Thanks all

W12_Lad

I did exactly this to a Boardman Pro Carbon SLR frameset (rim brake).
I went 1X 11 speed using Shimano XT mech and shifters.
SRAM Apex 1X Crankset 40 tooth.
SRAM 11-36 cassette.
Cheapest Tectro brake levers (I never considered possible cable pull problems).

Everything was really easy to install and setup. It all works perfectly together.
As mentioned, it feels super fast steering, bordering on dangerous without a much longer stem than you would normally have.

It was a fun project and I really like the simplicity and the looks of the bike.
It's a really "fast" and light, flat bar bike.

However, I struggle to find reasons to ride it, as I much prefer my "faster" drop bar bikes!

MattFalle

I did it on an OCR and just lobbed it all on without caring a nought about stem lengths etc and it rides perfect and handles fine.

think it was Tektro levers (2nd cheapest I could find) Tektro brakes, Rival rear mech, 1xSRAM shifter.

don't overthink it and get all clubbie - bosh what you want on and it'll be fine.

johngti

Boshing stuff on would be the plan. If I can be bothered. Might just try to sell it, won’t be worth a lot but should get a bit of spare cash for it.

MattFalle

Get shot.

Save time, effort, hassle for something you'll never use and spend cash on a ho and some blow, or, if it won't stretch to that, a copy of Razzle and a kebab.