# Drop bar commuter



## rayhead00 (Oct 29, 2008)

Hi Everybody,
I am looking to convert my Devinci Destination tourer to a dedicated commuter/urban warrior. I'll be installing mech disk brakes soon and I would like to simplify the drive train with an internal gear system.
Does anyone have experience installing a system on a drop bar bike?
What are the shifter options?

Thanks for your input.
Ray


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## klunker2 (Oct 21, 2008)

*Urban IGH*



rayhead00 said:


> Hi Everybody,
> I am looking to convert my Devinci Destination tourer to a dedicated commuter/urban warrior. I'll be installing mech disk brakes soon and I would like to simplify the drive train with an internal gear system.
> Does anyone have experience installing a system on a drop bar bike?
> What are the shifter options?
> ...


Hello Ray, I can't offer an expert opinion as I haven't ridden it yet, but I am having a similar bike built, I want to go IGH on the rear to have a simpler drivetrain, and going to mech disc brakes as well.

I ended up having a complete new bike being built, using a fram with an eccentric Bottom Bracket and vertical rear dropouts, so I have no chain tensioner. Don't know what your frame has, but I went that way to avoid a tensioner (new frame). Using Shimano Alfine 8 sp setup.

Am going with Nitto 'Noodle' drop bars, the only shifter for Alfine is a thumb shifter, my bike shop says it will be ok on the top of the drops they have done it before.

My bike should be done by XMas, will put up a picture or two once it is done.

Good luck, I think you will see more of these type of bikes in the future.....I am going with a front dynohub too to power lights. (Schmidt)

klunker2 - Steve


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## klunker2 (Oct 21, 2008)

*Urban IGH*



rayhead00 said:


> Hi Everybody,
> I am looking to convert my Devinci Destination tourer to a dedicated commuter/urban warrior. I'll be installing mech disk brakes soon and I would like to simplify the drive train with an internal gear system.
> Does anyone have experience installing a system on a drop bar bike?
> What are the shifter options?
> ...


Hello Ray, I can't offer an expert opinion as I haven't ridden it yet, but I am having a similar bike built, I want to go IGH on the rear to have a simpler drivetrain, and going to mech disc brakes as well.

I ended up having a complete new bike being built, using a frame with an eccentric Bottom Bracket and vertical rear dropouts, so I have no chain tensioner. Don't know what your frame has, but I went that way to avoid a tensioner (new frame). Using Shimano Alfine 8 sp setup.

Am going with Nitto 'Noodle' drop bars, the only shifter for Alfine is a thumb shifter, my bike shop says it will be ok on the top of the drops they have done it before.

My bike should be done by XMas, will put up a picture or two once it is done.

Good luck, I think you will see more of these type of bikes in the future.....I am going with a front dynohub too to power lights. (Schmidt)

klunker2 - Steve


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## rayhead00 (Oct 29, 2008)

I am also going with the dyno front hub!

noodle bars? like mustashe bars?


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## rayhead00 (Oct 29, 2008)

Just looked up the Nitto noodle bars...oldschool drops; good for touring...cool.

Does anybody know; will a SRAM gripshift for the i-9 fit up and around some modern drops?

Might have to make the thumshift work.


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## Verskis (Dec 4, 2007)

klunker2 said:


> Am going with Nitto 'Noodle' drop bars, the only shifter for Alfine is a thumb shifter, my bike shop says it will be ok on the top of the drops they have done it before.


I have the same bars and I am interested in Alfine hub, but I thought it would be impossible to fit the shifter on the bar. 
But can you just pry the shifter clamp open enough to fit on the 24mm diameter bar?


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## klunker2 (Oct 21, 2008)

*Alfine Shifter on Nitto Bars*



Verskis said:



> I have the same bars and I am interested in Alfine hub, but I thought it would be impossible to fit the shifter on the bar.
> But can you just pry the shifter clamp open enough to fit on the 24mm diameter bar?


My bike shop said they would machine the inner dia of the shifter clamp to make it fit on the Nitto bar, they have done it before and it works/looks fine.

Not a big job, worth the fiddling to do properly. Go for it, the right bike shop will do it, or take it to a machinist.

Klunker2


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## Schmucker (Aug 23, 2007)

http://www.hubbub.com/store/proddetail.asp?prod=HUROHL


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## itsdoable (Jan 6, 2004)

rayhead00 said:


> Does anybody know; will a SRAM gripshift for the i-9 fit up and around some modern drops?


Not likely, the i9 grip shifter is really long - almost half-pipe like.

The twist-shifters for the Nexus 8s work on the Alfine, but they are not as robust. You are probably better off mounting the triggers up on top of the drops.

There are no other compatible shifters for the Alfine or i9, and they are not cross compatible.

I have modified a SRAM esp 8s grip shifter for the Nexus 8s, you have to build up the reel as the nexus/alfine pulls a lot more cable.


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## klunker2 (Oct 21, 2008)

*Adapter*



Schmucker said:


> http://www.hubbub.com/store/proddetail.asp?prod=HUROHL


Thats another option thanks Schmucker!

Klunker2 - Steve


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## rayhead00 (Oct 29, 2008)

Thanks Guys, I have a lot new ideas to work with.

I wish I was smart enough to make a transmision to convert my STI's to pull the SRAM or Alphine. Remember the old Roll-a-majig...when V brakes first came out?


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

JTek Engineering has a prototype in testing to allow a bar con shifter to work with the Alfine. I have a project in mind using an On-One 29er with sliding drops and Alfine hub for an all around commuter, grocery / errand runner, fire road cruiser.


me said:


> I was told on an MTBR forum that you might be working on an adapter to
> allow an 8 speed bar end shifter to work with a Shimano Alifne 8 speed
> hub?
> 
> ...





> Hi,
> 
> Yes, I've been working on this and testing prototypes. It's going to be a while yet, but we're making progress.
> 
> ...


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## rayhead00 (Oct 29, 2008)

I just visted Jtek. It seems like they have the capability to design and build the device that we need. 
Can anyone see a problem with a device like the Shiftmate working?


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

rayhead00 said:


> I just visted Jtek. It seems like they have the capability to design and build the device that we need.
> Can anyone see a problem with a device like the Shiftmate working?


They are working on a Shiftmate for the bar con to Alfine cable pull difference; that is what I posted above. Look at the link in the post above, and read the post by i*tsdoable* about difference in amount of cable pull. JTek will have it eventually.

I will try to get the Alfine paddle shifters on my Midge bar, but may use a Mary bar flipped upside down until the JTek adapter is ready.


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## rayhead00 (Oct 29, 2008)

what is a _bar con _shifter?


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

rayhead00 said:


> what is a _bar con _shifter?


Now called bar end shifters, I'm so old skool that I think it was SunTour called them BarCon short for Bar Control.









https://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=140


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## rayhead00 (Oct 29, 2008)

I understand the posts. I think...what I want hasn't been covered.
I don't want bar end shifters...just regular old drop bar STI type (intragrated brake lever) shifters to work with an IGH.
I've visted Jtek's site and wrote as quick note to them. They said the are working on it.


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## bikeny (Feb 26, 2004)

rayhead00 said:


> I understand the posts. I think...what I want hasn't been covered.
> I don't want bar end shifters...just regular old drop bar STI type (intragrated brake lever) shifters to work with an IGH.
> I've visted Jtek's site and wrote as quick note to them. They said the are working on it.


If the product they are working on is like their other products, it will work with any 8 speed shifter, whether it is an STI lever, barend shifter, or even thumb shifter for that matter. These Shiftmates basically use a pulley system to change the amount of cable that is being pulled between the input and the output using 2 different diameters on the pulley. The trick is tweaking the diameters to get the right ratio of cable travel from input to output.

Mark


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## carlton (Sep 16, 2005)

I certainly hope Jtek makes good on its promise of building a shiftmate for the alfine hub. But they have been talking about it for over a year. I've given up hope of them producing any results.


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## carlton (Sep 16, 2005)

itsdoable said:


> I have modified a SRAM esp 8s grip shifter for the Nexus 8s, you have to build up the reel as the nexus/alfine pulls a lot more cable.


Pictures please.


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