[trapshooter]

I have a Trek 790 hybrid that is collecting dust. Would this make a good crossbike. It's starting to feel like winter here in Ohio and I do not want to destroy my 2003 Cannondale r2000 which I love. The trek has the straight bar with the grip twist shifters. Not sure if that is what you call them. So what do I need:

New Bar
New brake levers ( the brakes are center pull caliper style)
How much is it to have the shifting like my cannondale

What wheelset would you all recommend? I am not gonna compete I justg want something strong for trails when we go camping.

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[SAB]

You could of course just ride it in the winter as is, maybe with beefier tires and fenders. But if you want a real cross bike you'd need a set of drop bars and STI shiftersIf your wheels are currently 8spd, you can upgrade to 9 or 10. If they're 7 speed you'd need new wheels to make it 9 speed and therefore compatible with newer 9 speed STI shifters. You can go to 10 speed, but that would be expensive. Cost depends on what group you go with. Shimano 105 is the best bang-for-your-buck. Ultegra is lighter. 10 speed dura-ace would be the best, but all-new wheels, cantilever brakes, drop bars, cables, shifters, cranks, cassette, rings, and deraillers would be over $2000.

[trapshooter]

It sounds like more than I anticipated. I may just get a get a good set of beefy wheels that will be bullet proof and ride it as it is. That way I could buy a crossbike later and already have a spare wheel set. What wheels do you recommend? I am not afraid to spend some money since these wheels can be used after the old trek get's given away.

[Homer]

Another option...

Use whatever you have relative to cogset. Change the bars but find compatible bar-end shifters. A lot of guys seem to like that set-up. It's not as nice as STI, but it's probably more durable. If you pork your STI lever in the mud, it's not going to like it. But a bar end lever is cheap and also in a location that probably won't get hurt in a crash.

www.sheldonbrown.com or www.rivendell.com would probably be a good place to get levers.