Convert to drop bar HELP!!

[ahstueyman]

First of all any advice is welcome as I literally dont have a clue of what to do after swapping the bars!

The current set up i have is a flat bar Raleigh Pioneer Trail (1991ish), it has a flat bar and these horrible grip shift gears and your normal brake levers.

What I would like to do essentially is turn this into more of a cross inspired bike. First things first, fit some drop bars right?? Im guessing a new stem would be needed here also to fit a 26mm bar (curent bike fits a 25.4mm/22.2mm (1 inch) quill stem)

Next....the brakes and gears, all previous experience is from mountain bikes so I struggle here as alot of road bikes seem to have integrated brakes and gears...how do these work? how are the put together? fitted to the bars?. Coinciding with this...I want to fit a bigger chainset something like this http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=40623

Im happy with the cassette on the back (7 speed) would this be alright?

Still on gears.....im guessing the change in chain set and possibly cassette would require new derailleurs?

Back to the brakes, im happy with my current cantilver style brakes, will it simply be a case of just fitting the cable to the new brake levers?

Im trying to do this as economically as possible, so whilst things may not be perfect the main goal is to have drop bars. Would it even be possible to not go down the new chain set/cassette route straight away and fit my current gears to the new shifters/brakes? Im guessing unlikely because all I see online are 9 or 10 speed shifters?

(PS. I dont want frame shifter things)

Any advice will be welcomed!

Thank You

Stu[/url]

 

[dbmtb]

Without wanting to appear condescending but taking into account all the questions you have, it seems like you might be taking on a bit too big of a mouthful compared to your mechanical skills.

It will also be a very expensive conversion, requiring in all likelihood -
Bars and probably stem as you rightly point out
Brake levers & shifters (barcons are hard to find so brifters=expensive)
New front mech. Rear mech will likely as not work.
New cables.
For a Raleigh Pioneer - this seems like an awful lot of work and expense.

 

[Dead Rats]

sad to say I agree with dbmtb here (sad to say as it's great doing all the work yourself and we all love a challenge!) just flog it and buy something else, if you didn't know that road levers require different brake cables than flat bar levers you're in for a frustrating conversion and FYI road STIs are available in 7 and 8 speed too, but they are becoming rarer...

do you have any mates who are handy with bikes at all? I think it would be pretty easy for someone who knows what they are doing, but if they do they would probably concur that it's not worth the money or effort when a half-decent s/hand 'cross bike can be found for under £300.