After getting stuck in a headwind today, i think im going to bite the bullet and go drops on my Long haul trucker.

Annoying brifters are so expensive (and why i havent done it yet)

im using 8 speed XT stuff currently, and i would like to avoid having to buy a whole new groupset, just to swap bars.

ive found these:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-st-2400-claris-8-speed-road-sti-levers-triple/

i realize they are likely to be pretty low end, do we reckon they will be ok or to avoid? will they work with MTB triple and 8speed derailleurs, or is the cable pull different?
the other option is some ultegra friction bar end (or downtube) shifters, but coming from muntin bikes (hence the mtb component build) i think “indexed and at the bars” might suit me better.

secondly, ide be needing some cable calipers. Is the only difference between the BB7s and BB5s, pad adjustment? for as often as it needs doing i think i would rather have simpler calipers and get the allen key out (the inner pad wheel on BB7s gets clogged up anyway i seem to recall)
or is there a significant difference in power/quality?

many thanks!

me

P.S, if anyone wants to try and sell me their old parts, feel free.

Bar end shifters, they look like they would be rubbish, work like a charm, especially so on an LHT. Other option is 10spd camapgnolo, same pull ratio as 8spd shimano.

found a new 9 speed cassette in the shed. could go nine speed….

I have the new-ish Sora nine speed, I think they are great. The main thing with shimano if you’re buying second hand is make sure you avoid the annoying thumb shifters, they’re horrible!

You should be able to get BNIB preloved 9speed Dura Ace bar ends for about £40 if you look around. They work great and are a bit simpler than brifters when they go wrong/break. Whatever flavour BB’s you get, make sure they’re road ones.

Yo bro from another mo…just replaced my seized BB5 with a Shimano CX77 so will let you know how it compares.

Ooo, just had a thought. If you go for bar ends you can use drop bar brake levers designed for vee’s (e.g. Tektro RL520’s or Dia Compe 287v’s) and MTB BB’s which are a lot cheaper than the road ones. There, saved you some cash 🙂

quite a lot of cash boblo. Ill cost it up and have a look. Also reduces thinking required, as less options!

i think the main thing im worried about is committing to 8speed for the foreseeable future. not sure if its not sensible. (another reason to separate brakes and shifters)

Bar end shifters, they look like they would be rubbish,

Well that shows you how wrong you can be doesn’t it? Claris is a good group set and the shifters make expensive stuff look like a bit of a waste of money tbh.
Bar end shifters over Claris STI? You’re having a laff, right?

100 quid for mtb calipers with RL520s, 150 for ultegra and road calipers.
quite a tidy saving! i think keeping the brake levers simple and the shifters as separates would make sense in the long run. easier to keep the cables tidy too…

BB5’s are supposedly poor compared to BB7’s according to mates who have used both.

Generally Shimano road and MTB don’t match. Claris is new so you would expect it not to match 8 speed MTB which is old. Then again??
Claris is quite nice. It’s not old style Sora with the thumb buttons but more conventional road STI. I dare bet its silky smooth and as good as Durace from a few years back.
I fail to see an issue with BB7’s . A quick dab of copperslip stops the rear adjuster sticking. Isn’t the outer one missing on the 5’s compared to the 7’s. Unless the pricey is very different buy the 7’s

How long will decent 8 speed stuff be available?

Why spend 100 quid on new 8 speed shifters.?

If you have a new 9 speed cassette you could probably pick up some 2nd hand shifters, new chain, chain rings etc for not much more money.

Just on the subject of brake callipers, you want to see if this fella still has these for sale:

2x Shimano CX77 for £60.

Much better than BB5s, also made to work with Shimano STI….whatever that means.

Bar end shifters are good if you’re worried about durability, but I switched back to brifters as I find them much nicer to use. If you go on Rose Bikes you can get new Sora for less than the Claris ones you were looking at. I’ve got them and they’re great. Also brakes wise, the Hayes CX-5/Expert are great if you can find a pair.

BB5’s are supposedly poor compared to BB7’s according to mates who have used both.

I’ve got bb5s on my road bike and they’re excellent. I’d be interested to know what areas bb7s better the bb5s, mostly to give me an excuse to get some…

TRP Spyre are a class apart compared to BB5s. Having two moving pistons per caliper means they’re a breeze to set up, don’t need constant retrimming and wear the pads evenly. I’ve run both for 2000+ miles each and there’s no competition. They’re light and low pro too. I run mine with Ultegra 6700 STI levers if that’s any help!

My hewitt cheviot has 9 speed xt with campag veloce shifters/levers.

I run my winter roadie with 9 speed Tiagra STIs and a deore MTB mech, with BB5s.

Everything works a treat 🙂

The brakes aren’t as good as hydros but I didn’t expect them to be. The pads wear slowly so adjustments are not needed too often.

Bar end shifters over Claris STI? You’re having a laff, right?

Bar end shifters or down tube shifters make sense for remote touring or lots of travelling as they are hard to break and can be run as friction levers if things get bent or broken .Down tube shifters through choice on my audax bike

I Had the same issue on a Kona Minute and went for Claris 8spd shifters.
They work very well and shift so much better than 105 and ultegra 10spd set ups i have on my road and cx bike The gear cables stick out the side of the shifter and are not bent under the bar tape so it may not look as swish but works better. I have had them on for a year now and done 6K miles and have to say they are great. 8 Spd is still here and will be for a long time so buy with confidence.

forgot to add, i use a 9 spd old xtr rear mech and alvio front triple mech and its sweet.

brifters

I had to google that.

Bar end shifters over Claris STI? You’re having a laff, right?

I’d have downtube levers over STI as they’re all fugly as sin. 😆

Bedded in & adjusted properly, the BB5’s on my commuter are absolutely fine, but in terms of power they can’t match the BB7’s on my mtb.

As someone else pointed out, 10spd Campag Ergos will mate perfectly with 8spd Shimano & with a slight tweak, 9spd too. Veloce can be had for around £70 & are much nicer than anything else you’re looking at.

For braking with current discs, fit Tektro road levers for V Brakes.

For gear changing, stick with your current kit and clamp the shifters to a Minoura spacegrip mounted to the road bars at the stem clamp. The spacegrip ‘bar’ is the same outer diameter as mtb bars.

Simples!

Quick!

Tektro 520’s

Having written that, they’re only £17 from Chainreaction.

Thanks for the input guys

Br(e)aking news

Went with Bar end 8speed, MTB calipers and Tektro levers.
for reliability, separate parts for easy maintenance and replacement.

Downtube shiters was an option, but its a 60cm frame, so the downtube is MILES away, and im used to Mountain bikes. wqas very tempted with the Claris, but bar ends should be a nice compromise. As far as i can see if i did want to move the bar ends to the down tube studs i should only need the mounting collar….

Probably just as well you didn’t put those spyres up yesterday GTTH, they are pretty! (downside of most cable brakes).

Went with the V brake levers because everyone else i will be riding with is running MTB bb7s, so it makes sense to keep spare parts the same? Also, makes them more useful if i decide to shuffle things around in the future.

At the end of the day it makes little difference i guess. Who knows, i might hate drops and go back to the MTB kit, in which case it’ll all end up on the classifieds!

Thanks for the input! Ill put a piccy up once its all done.