Giant Rapid 3 conversion to drop bars.

TheBoyConor

Hey.

So i'm looking for some advice about my planned conversion of my Giant Rapid 3 to drop bars.
The bike currently has flat bars with 3x8 Claris shifters and Tektro M285 hydraulic brakes.

Is there a set of shifters available at a reasonable price that will operate the Claris gearing and the hydraulic brakes?

I am 5'10" and I have the medium frame. What size drop bars and stem should I be going for, as I know the hybrid frame has a slightly different geometry from the defy and the usual size stem would make for an awkward position possibly.

Borderfox

You could use Claris shifters but to get hydraulic brakes working it would cost a lot of money as its 105 or higher shifters that would work. they are 11 speed also.

Best thing to do is go to mechanical or semi hydraulic brakes and use standard shifters

Probably use 44cm bars and depending on frames size could be a 80cm stem

TheBoyConor

To convert the brakes then I'd obviously have to get new calipers.

What about the semi hydraulic. How do they work? Could I keep my calipers?

I don't want to spend much money on this and I'd be hoping I could re-use second hand parts off of adverts or ebay or even a member on the forum.

Could I install hydraulic levers without integrated shifters and, somehow, retain my existing 3x8 shifters in some fashion?

ED E

Borderfox wrote: »

80cm stem

:eek::eek::eek:

ED E

If you could mount giants force control yoke on your setup then that's the only way I see this being cheap.

magicbastarder

you can measure your shoulder width to choose what width bars to use. couple of videos online about it.

floodser

I did this with a Rapid 1, and my first attempt was a disaster.

The problem is that the resting position for my hands was moved about 10cm further forward, making for an extremely uncomfortable riding position.

I ended up having to buy a very compact handlebar (with a very short reach) and the shortest stem that I could find.

The end result looks a bit naff, but is reasonably OK.

cdaly_

TheBoyConor wrote: »

To convert the brakes then I'd obviously have to get new calipers.

What about the semi hydraulic. How do they work? Could I keep my calipers?

I don't want to spend much money on this and I'd be hoping I could re-use second hand parts off of adverts or ebay or even a member on the forum.

Could I install hydraulic levers without integrated shifters and, somehow, retain my existing 3x8 shifters in some fashion?

Hydraulic levers and bar-end shifters will do the trick. Gonna end up expensive though.

TheBoyConor

What about putting my flat bar shifters on the top bar?

site_owner

would this be compatible? then you could use any shifters. this is the setup on my giant contend

http://www.giantbikespares.com/Giant-Conduct-Hydraulic-Disc-Brakes-Master-Cylinder/product_detail/3-43092