road shifter compatability

[cyberknight]

be careful with bike geometry , the bike you have has a 1.5 cm longer top tube compared to the defy range, this could lead to problems with set up when you go to drops , so you are going to have to budget in changing stems to get your reach right on top of shifters + drop bars .

 

[uphillstruggler]

Hello again guys.

My chainset is a triple with a fdr 443 front mech. I suppose the main issue will be whether the sora front shifted will pull the coect amount of cable?

Sorryfor doubling up but I am viewing this on my phone and its not working properly

 

[uphillstruggler]

This is the bike i have,

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/rapid.4/4866/38976/


it has the 52-42-30 chainset with the F DR 443 front mech which looks compatable from the flow chart shown in an earlier post by recordacefromnew, unless i am reading it wrong?

1) If the OP wants to mix and match flat bar and drop bar Shimano equipment, this is the definitive compatibility info. The key issues are that their road drop bar brifters don't pull enough cable for their flat bar RXX0 series or mtb front mechs, and road drop bar brifter brake levers don't pull enough cable for v brakes.


Also, the stem is quite short on my bike so the geometry will hopefully be ok still. i have quite long bar ends at the moment so hopefully the change should be minimal.

Again guys, thanks for all your help.

hopefully this will be resolved soon and i can add 10mph to my average speed

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

This is the bike i have,

http://www.giant-bic...d.4/4866/38976/


it has the 52-42-30 chainset with the F DR 443 front mech which looks compatable from the flow chart shown in an earlier post by recordacefromnew, unless i am reading it wrong?

1) If the OP wants to mix and match flat bar and drop bar Shimano equipment, this is the definitive compatibility info. The key issues are that their road drop bar brifters don't pull enough cable for their flat bar RXX0 series or mtb front mechs, and road drop bar brifter brake levers don't pull enough cable for v brakes.


Also, the stem is quite short on my bike so the geometry will hopefully be ok still. i have quite long bar ends at the moment so hopefully the change should be minimal.

Again guys, thanks for all your help.

hopefully this will be resolved soon and i can add 10mph to my average speed

The FD-R443 will not work with the sora according to that chart I linked to. The labels on the left are just family class which you can say is designed to confuse for the current purpose. The matching shifters are the SL-RXXX. The implication is that the sora will not pull enough cable to drag the front mech across all the front rings. I am sorry to have to disappoint you.

You need a new front mech, and potentially a new bb or chainset to make it all work - the challenge is to ensure the new front mech works with the chainline of the current chainset.

However when it is all resolved your wallet will be so much lighter that I am sure you will be able to add at least 11mph to your average speed!

 

[uphillstruggler]

The FD-R443 will not work with the sora according to that chart I linked to. The labels on the left are just family class which you can say is designed to confuse for the current purpose. The matching shifters are the SL-RXXX. The implication is that the sora will not pull enough cable to drag the front mech across all the front rings. I am sorry to have to disappoint you.

You need a new front mech, and potentially a new bb or chainset to make it all work - the challenge is to ensure the new front mech works with the chainline of the current chainset.

However when it is all resolved your wallet will be so much lighter that I am sure you will be able to add at least 11mph to your average speed!

Boooooooooo.

 

[cyberknight]

However when it is all resolved your wallet will be so much lighter that I am sure you will be able to add at least 11mph to your average speed!

I went from a subway 1 with slicks to a virtuoso and over 10 miles it saved 5 minutes , thats 2 mph extra on the average speed.

To get that fast they ould have to leave the wallet at home, mind you after all the faffing about it might be worth it as it would be empty

 

[zigzag]

hopefully this will be resolved soon and i can add 10mph to my average speed

if speed is of any concern, you'll barely notice the change by swapping the bars. if you like to tinker and spend money - fine, but you'll end up with a bike that doesn't hande well or doesn't fit (if it fits now). my suggestion would be - get a dropped bar bike if you think you need one, and sell the current (or keep it..).


p.s i can't stop admiring RecordAce's responses - top man!

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

p.s i can't stop admiring RecordAce's responses - top man!

Zigzag you are too kind - as they say I am merely standing on the shoulders of giants.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Hello again.

Thanks again for your time. It would seem that the project is doomed. The main reason for wanting drops was the improved position and access to the gears when climbing.

Although I am surprised that it took so long into the post for someone to mention a new bike

Back to the bar ends for a while but thanks again to all that took the time to reply

 

[uphillstruggler]

Hello guys.

I thought I'd post an update on this one. I called giant about the adaption and they said that the frames on the rapid and the defy are the same. This means that all the necessary components are in line as both frames have a triple on the front. They did say that the front shifters would not 'click' into gear but would need to be set up for trimming instead.

Thanks again to all that have posted on this topic.

Hopefully the only issue now will be which colour bar tape

Cheers

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

I thought I'd post an update on this one. I called giant about the adaption and they said that the frames on the rapid and the defy are the same. This means that all the necessary components are in line as both frames have a triple on the front. They did say that the front shifters would not 'click' into gear but would need to be set up for trimming instead.

It is very good of you to post an update, without such it will be hard for experience to be built up over time.

It takes someone brave or foolhardly to question the advice from a huge manufacturer like Giant, so I am probably foolhardy, but it is not obvious to me that all the necessary components are in line just because the frames are the same and both frames have a triple up front, when the Rapid and the Defy 3 (the one with a triple) don't have the same chainset nor front mech.

The primary challenge as mentioned before is cable pull for shifting. I don't know how any road drop bar Shimano shifter is going to be able to pull enough cable for a R443 front mech, with trim or without - I believe it won't and a new road triple front mech will be required in addition to bar tapes! It would certainly be good to know the result if you are going to try - good luck!

 

[zigzag]

I thought I'd post an update on this one. I called giant about the adaption and they said that the frames on the rapid and the defy are the same.

just looked at the frame sizes, and they are not the same. rapid's top tube is longer by 2cm and wheelbase longer by 3.5cm that defy's. while not a massive difference it is big enough to take into consideration. i'd be very surprised if a reputable company like giant was mounting flat and drop bars on the same geometry frame.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Hello record. The bike that is the same as mine was the defy 4 (according to giant). The question I asked was whether the front mech was in the same place in relation to the rest of the drive chain, the answer was yes but I am taking your advice on board and i do appriciate it.

Zigzag. i agreebut would hope their technical dept would know what they are talking about.

I may go into my lbs giant dealer and seek advice there too.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Hello Guys

As you may remember, this started out as a cross manufacturer compatibility question and ended up as a can I add drops to. a flat bar bike with the associated issues of frame, shifters and mechanism compatibility.

I have now fitted the some sofa shifters and the drops. They are indexing well, including the front set that is being used with the original front mech, although this has been tested on my turbo and not in the bone rattling reality of the road.

The issue of frame geometry seems not to be a problem so far but this may change once I get out for a decent ride.

I think that I may need to retro fit barrel adjusted into the system at some point.

I will update if and when necessary

Thanks to all who posted with advice and concerns.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

I must say I don't know whether I shoud be delighted or shocked if a sora front shifter can index and work perfectly with a FD-R443 on a triple chainset - with less cable pull by the shifter than desgined even if clicks can be ratcheted I can't see how the front mech could avoid fouling the chain for the lowest (small front large back) and/or highest (large front small back) gears.