Road gearing on a hybrid???

[Chris-H]

Ok firstly I am not expecting to turn my hybrid into a racing bike..........
That's that out of the way now on to my situation. Due to health reasons (trapped nerves in my back) I sold my Bianchi road bike which I absolutely loved. I have had my Corratec shape pro hybrid for about a year now and I do like it but.........
It has full 105 groupo, 2x9 speed and weighs in at 12.4 kg. It is going on a diet and I have some carbon forks on the way, then i'll be replacing the bars,stem and seat post with full carbon. Now what i'm thinking is will my rear wheel take a 10 speed,its currently 9? My road bikes all had the oomph even when riding gently, the bikes glided effortlessly, I am wanting to achieve as close to that as possible on my hybrid as the effort required to get along is hugely noticeable.
So any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated. I'm unsure how much difference converting from 9 to 10 speed would make.
Now you see the reason for the first line

 

[Kies]

Buy a flat bar road bike such as the Giant rapid 2 it has the same frame as the Giant Defy but with a flat bar. You will spend so much money trying to turn your hybrid into a flat bar road bike.

 

[BJH]

The 10 speed won't make a difference to your speed, the cassette won't go down to a smaller number of cogs so if you have a 9 speed with a 12 tooth cog, it's no different to a 10 speed with a 12 tooth cog.

 

[Chris-H]

Buy a flat bar road bike such as the Giant rapid 2 it has the same frame as the Giant Defy but with a flat bar. You will spend so much money trying to turn your hybrid into a flat bar road bike.

I did consider that but trying to make the most with what I have, also my hybrid has huge sentimental value as I brought it with some money left to me by my Nan when she passed away.

 

[cyberknight]

The 10 speed won't make a difference to your speed, the cassette won't go down to a smaller number of cogs so if you have a 9 speed with a 12 tooth cog, it's no different to a 10 speed with a 12 tooth cog.

Wot e said

 

[Chris-H]

Wot e said

so how about changing the front chain ring from the 50 that's on there to a 53-54?

 

[cyberknight]

so how about changing the front chain ring from the 50 that's on there to a 53-54?

depends on how fast you want to ride, i use a compact double and i do not even get into 50x12 till i get up to 30 mph+ , on the flat i tend to spin 50x 15 at around 21 -22 mph , 50x13 21-23 mph etc
I do not know if you ride faster, spin or grind but thats what i use on my virtuoso with panniers.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

If you want higher gear I would first check the cassette and see if the smallest cog is 11T. If not that is a far better swap than getting a bigger chainset/chainring, since it would have no impact on the front mech or chain, and it would be easier, cheaper and lighter (all else being equal).

If you want to go 10 speed, not only do you have to change the cassette and chain, you will also have to change the shifter. I don't see why a 10 speed bike should be noticeably faster than a 9.

If you want more ooomph, I would delay/forget switching bars/stem/seatpost, but change those tyres, tubes (and if you don't mind the expense wheels) instead for higher quality, lighter, faster options - they will give you a far more noticeable difference. As long as you are aware that, at the end of the day, the aerodynamics of (you on) a flat bar hybrid is never going to be the same as a drop bar road bike, especially at speed.

 

[Chris-H]

If you want higher gear I would first check the cassette and see if the smallest cog is 11T. If not that is a far better swap than getting a bigger chainset/chainring, since it would have no impact on the front mech or chain, and it would be easier, cheaper and lighter (all else being equal).

If you want to go 10 speed, not only do you have to change the cassette and chain, you will also have to change the shifter. I don't see why a 10 speed bike should be noticeably faster than a 9.

If you want more ooomph, I would delay/forget switching bars/stem/seatpost, but change those tyres, tubes (and if you don't mind the expense wheels) instead for higher quality, lighter, faster options - they will give you a far more noticeable difference. As long as you are aware that, at the end of the day, the aerodynamics of (you on) a flat bar hybrid is never going to be the same as a drop bar road bike, especially at speed.

Some good points there cheers mate, the tyres got changed to 700 x 25 marathon plus greenguards as I was fed up with shed loads of punctures on my commute, swapping to 10 speed wouldn't be that expensive as I only need to change the rear shifter which is approx. £20 on ebay,rear mech I already have and was thinking my wheel would take the 10 speed, as it goes I will check the small cog for size. I know that the hybrid will never be a racing bike but I would like to get as close as is possible for a hybrid. I have been looking at wheels to be honest and they are on my shopping list, cant really go much over £100 for wheels at the mo but in time I don't mind spending more.
My riding style is more grid, I always go for the highest gear possible unless I need to rest my legs for a bit and that is where the hybrid falls flat, the grind isn't as effective if that makes sense?

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Some good points there cheers mate, the tyres got changed to 700 x 25 marathon plus greenguards as I was fed up with shed loads of punctures on my commute, swapping to 10 speed wouldn't be that expensive as I only need to change the rear shifter which is approx. £20 on ebay,rear mech I already have and was thinking my wheel would take the 10 speed, as it goes I will check the small cog for size. I know that the hybrid will never be a racing bike but I would like to get as close as is possible for a hybrid. I have been looking at wheels to be honest and they are on my shopping list, cant really go much over £100 for wheels at the mo but in time I don't mind spending more.
My riding style is more grid, I always go for the highest gear possible unless I need to rest my legs for a bit and that is where the hybrid falls flat, the grind isn't as effective if that makes sense?

If you can get a new Shimano 10 speed flat bar road bike shifter for £20 then you are doing well - it seems they are usually more like £50 a piece, which is criminal when one considers that Shimano 10 speed mtb shifters, which must have nearly exactly the same innards, can be bought for far less - another example huge premium being loaded onto road equipment when they know you can't substitute one by another.

I am sure the Marathon plus are great for puncture resistance. I am not sure what you had before, but at 520g the M+ are 300g a piece heavier, and undoubtedly having much higher rolling resistance, than e.g. Conti's GP4000s, which are proven fast, fairly reliable tyres supported by Tour's test results. You are unlikely to find the same ooomph improvement (lost time from roadside puncture repair excepted ) by changing anything else on your bike for the money.

 

[Chris-H]

s that is what my hybrid currently has,well 105 flat bar thumb shifters, theres tons of em on ebay
As for tyres.....i'll give the conti's a go , I was running 700 x 35's before which were the standard factory tyres.

 

[jowwy]

from what i'm reading here it seems to me that you need new wheels, tyres and tubes and forget about changing to a ten speed.

shedding the marathons off will save you nearly 600grammes, added to that get a lighter weight sram 9 speed cassette and some decent lightweight handbuilt wheels and the jobs a good un........enjoy

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

well 105 flat bar thumb shifters, theres tons of em on ebay

10 speed 105 flat bar shifters for £20 on ebay? Can you provide links? According to this they are either SL-770, 780 or 4600 Tiagra, all usually around £50 a shot.

I have been looking at wheels to be honest and they are on my shopping list, cant really go much over £100 for wheels at the mo but in time I don't mind spending more.

If your wheels are ok I wouldn't replace them with £100 wheels.

 

[Chris-H]

10 speed 105 flat bar shifters for £20 on ebay? Can you provide links? According to this they are either SL-770, 780 or 4600 Tiagra, all usually around £50 a shot.
.

are you after some shifters then
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161073053...WAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_195wt_958
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121158537...EWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_64wt_988
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200951900...WAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_473wt_988

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

are you after some shifters then
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161073053...WAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_195wt_958
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121158537...EWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_64wt_988
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200951900...WAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_473wt_988

If you think any of the shifters in your links would work with your existing 105 rear mech then I am afraid you are mistaken. Those Sram shifters don't pull the right amount of cable Shimano requires per click (and it is a personal thing but functionally I also don't like their all-thumb shifts). I think at a push you can get Microshift 10 speed flat bar road shifters cheaply that might work, but I have no idea how robust they are.

No I am not after any Shimano 10 speed flat bar road shifter, but I would be pleasantly surprised if new ones could be found at a price anywhere as low as their mtb shifters, and it seems I am right, so far... You see Shimano changed the cable pull ratio when they brought out their 10 speed mtb rear mech, so buyer choice for 10 speed flat bar road shifter is currently strictly limited.