I got this Cube Road Race SL for 3 years and I really like it except the flat bar so I’m looking to change to a Gravel bike. Now I thought it might be better since it’s all Shimano 105 components to just change to drop bars and buy the Shimano 105 shifters. But I’m not sure if it’s possible to install these myself as someone with a bit of experience in bike repairs but not a professional since it’s hydraulic disc brakes. Does anyone know how much it would cost me to let it be done by a bike shop or is it something that can be done by someone semi experienced in bike repairs?
by Tonight-Similar
9 Comments
Just put some bar ends or some alt bars on it and go ride it on some gravel. Swapping to drop bars can be expensive and ruin the fit of the bike, it’s rarely worth doing.
I’d just get some jones h bars and wider tires, it willbe a significantly more comfortable and more capable bike in that configuration
Buy the components online and let a local Bikeshop do the work. The breaks will need bleeding and setting up the shifter is probably something a mechanic should do. They’ll charge like 1 to 2 hours of labour.
Changing all that stuff, while not too hard, requires the right tools and experience. It’s worth it trust me.
Also leave a tip, or buy them coffee. Trust me, they’ll appreciate it
yes totally possible but honestly i would use this as an excuse to buy a new bike….
any bike is a gravel bike if you ride it on gravel. fr tho if you want, the surly corner bar is prob what you are looking for. i put drop bars on my hardtail and it was a ton of work. i fkn love that bike, but wouldn’t recommend it for a commuter style bike. id get the corner bar and buy a proper gravel bike if you love it so much, the gravel bike will be cheaper than the conversion prob.
I would keep the flat bars. Either, buy some “surly corner bars” or “crazy velo orang bars” , or get some inner bar ends from sqlab, spirgrip, or origin8.
The origin8 are what I have now. Not the most ergonomic but might be better with some bar tape around it. I’m lazy though.
Better to have any hydraulics done by a shop.
Speaking as a home mechanic who recently redid their own hydraulics, the tools to work on hydraulics are cost-prohibitive asl. Think like ~$100 for a bleed kit, ~$80 for the tools to resize your hose and install a barb. That’s excluding the cost of the brakes themselves and assuming you have all the general tools necessary to do it yourself.
Also it shouldn’t be understated that failure to do it right could actually be life-threatening.
Shimano 105 shifters are for wired brakes if I am not mistaking
Change the bar to surly corner bar. It’s like a drop bar style for flat bar shifter and breaks.
If you need to make the horn handles longer, you can buy a $7 handlebar extension on aliexpress.