Due to move house in a couple of months and my commute when I bike will get a bit longer (to about 20km each way) and a bit roadier.

Currently use an old Lee Cooper steel MTB frame (from the 90s so long and steep) singlespeeded on slicks.

The frame has sentimental stuff attached so would love to keep it rather than buying a road or cross bike – thinking of switching up to a 1 x 10 road drivetrain and adding some drops (currently running flats and bar ends).

Couple of related questions for the hive mind.

1 the factual one – if I go 10 speed Tiagra mech and cassette will 10 speed Shimano MTB shifters work with those?

2 the opinion one – liking the idea of some not-quite-drops – looking at On One Mungo or Midge – which would be comfiest/best for relaxed cruising and the odd mild off-road excursion?

Thanks.

You’ll be fine with the road mech and MTB shifters, assuming they are both 10 speed, which they are. Friend used XTR shifters with a Dura Ace rear mech on his DH bike with no issues so the pull-ratio is definately the same between them both.

Never used strange shaped drops, so can’t comment on those I’m afraid.

Cheers, Rich

Cheers. Bump for the Sunday surfers.

there used to be a lot of mtb/cx stylee ghetto bikes on here and quite a lot with mungo and midges so I’m sure someone that knows about them will be along shortly

I ran an old trek (Easton ali’ welded in the US!) frame as a cx/commuter for quite a while but used “proper drops” and STI’s

I run 1 x 10 on an old Merlin Malt at the moment as my local runabout and use an mtb shifter with a zee mech on the rear to ensure I don’t drop the chain – this is flat bar – if going to weird drops I think most people end up with a bar end shifter ?
I like drops mainly because if you get a constant headwind it does mean you can get a bit of an advantage but in traffic I’m usually sat up on the bars anyway
One other thing to consider with commuting and drops is if you plan on wearing a rucsac will it be comfy? what works sat up doesn’t always work on drops

hope the bump works

One last plea for any opinions on bars.