cchs said:
I have a trk 7500 bike (see it here
http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2003/citybike/7500.jsp )
I would like to change it to a touring bike as best a s possible. I was thinking of just adding drop handbars and some aerobars. is that possible will it work?
thanks
You will need
1. Drop bars
2. New stem, possibly longer but definitely new (road handlebars are wider than flat bar stems)
3. Shifters
4. Brake levers
If you choose integrated shift/brake levers you will need to buy a set of cantilever brakes. To stick with your V-brakes you will need a set of Dia-compe 287v levers.
Setting up shifters will be an utter pig, as the front mech cable runs along the top tube and road shifters are designed to work with an adjuster barrel which mounts on the downtube. You might be able to get one of these by cannibalising an old pair of band on downtube shifters, but with an ali frame you might find the band isn't wide enough.
In short, you're looking at a lot of work when you would be better off getting a road bike.
I'm selling the frame of a Dawes Galaxy at the moment - classic british Reynolds531ST tourer, could run rings round the average hybrid, more looking for a good home for it than a pile of cash. I'm in the UK, though, so don't know if it would do for you.
Cheaper still - have you thought of just fitting a pair of barends? Lots of extra hand positions, for nothing compared to what you'd spend on a road bar conversion.
Let us know how you get on.
Chris