Monster Cross Help

I’m terrible at forum searches, so apologies if it’s been done to death….

I am trying to drop bar my Specialized Chisel. I started off by sticking some Selcof rigid forks on a couple of years ago. Now I want to try and get drops on it.

It’s Shimano SLX 11 speed.

Q1) Do all shimano road shifters work like my basic Shimano ST-RS405 that are on my Giant Defy? ie do they all have that brake lever that moves inward (which is for the upward shift) away from your fingers as you grab at the brake? This seems insane for gravel/monster cross! Off road vibrations and a brake lever that moves away from your grip? I can handle it on the road, but I was hoping gravel shifters might be different?

Q2) If I replace the shifters, what else do I have to replace? The calipers are interchangeable? ie 105 shifters work with deore calipers? I understand the rear mech will need changing…. cassette also I presume, due to the range? Any issues with 29er wheels and road cassettes?

Hopefully I just need = 1 x set of Hydro road shifters + 1 x Road rear derailleur + 1 x Road Cassette (as wide as poss)

Many thanks for any help.

1 x set of Hydro road shifters

Check out the price…

I reckon about £200 for the shifters and about £40 for a mech. But I’ll also get a set of brakes and a mech spare from the current set up.

But is there anything I’mmissing with the cassette and freehubs? More incompatibility?

Get a wolf tooth tanpan and run your current mech/cassette with shimano shifters. I run xtr mech/11-46 cassette & ultegra shifters this way

I’m with you on Q1. All Shimano road STi do that although older cheaper 8 speed stuff did have an inner “ear” like Campag to drop to smaller sprockets. With small hands it is’t possible to brake without moving that lever sideways or to move that lever without touching the brakes. Moving stumpy fingers sideways makes a curve. Just one reason why I can’t abide Shimano. Plenty of people are fine though and can’t eve conceive the issue.Good on the turbo trainer.
With SRAM things are seperate. Some people have other issues. One good thing about SRAM, especially if you are doing things on a budget is that 10 and 11 speed shofters and mechs are interchangeable. MTB and road is interchangeable. I have a 10 speed rear MTB with 11 speed road shifters.
Lot more older, thus cheaper, Shimano out there though. Go 9 speed and you can mix and match MTB and road . Better still go to Aliexpress and get some chinese things. Brillian for the cash.

You’ll probably be fine on shimano STIs – plenty of cross racers use that flippy lever style on 33mm tyres for cushioning, Yeah, calipers should work OK (not sure about 4 piston models)

My money’s on the bike being uncomfortably long, assuming it fit you as a MTB 🙁

There are cheaper and easier ways to scratch an itch but might not be as good. It will however give you an idea if you like it or not.

Option 1, hack saw, cut bars down to 44 – 50 cm

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363168081838?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338343596&toolid=10001&customid=eb%3Ag%3Avms%3Aeb%3Ap%3A363168081838%3BCj0KCQiA-eeMBhCpARIsAAZfxZDoApHcySbZaza3FS7v3dQnN4Kp_4OhSnChMXHMDwLASEN8DaMLbvsaAmLuEALw_wcB&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-eeMBhCpARIsAAZfxZDoApHcySbZaza3FS7v3dQnN4Kp_4OhSnChMXHMDwLASEN8DaMLbvsaAmLuEALw_wcB

Option 2 isn’t that cheap but you should be able to sell them

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/surly-launches-drop-bars-designed-for-mountain-bikes.html

Option 3, pick a funky bar from planet x

https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/components/finishing-kit/handle-bars