R440 flat bar shifters/front mech and MTB chainset

[jpembroke]

A friend has a flat bar bike with Shimano R440 flat bar shifters, a R443 triple front mech and a road chainset. If we swapped the chainset for an MTB chainset, will it still shift OK? Or do we need to change to MTB shifters and front mech? Obviously, the shifters and front mech are compatible but will the front mech cope with the smaller chainrings of an MTB chainset?

 

[PpPete]

You'll probably need to move the front shifter down on the downtube, but apart from that it should be OK.