Bicycle Mechanics - On shifters, and wheels...

Salutations,

I just bought an '89 Backroads Mistaya (tourer made by Fuji to the Backroads Co specs for their touring fleet). Cool bike that rides and fits like a dream. The bike came with 27x1 1/4 wheels (that measure dead nutz at 1":notamused: ) on a SunTour 7sp freewheel and DT shifters. SunTour XCM(aster) and XCE(xpert) comp group, and DiaCompe Canti brakes and levers.

I have no problems with riding the 27in wheels til something breaks or falls off, but for availablity, at some point I'd like to switch over to a 700c wheelset, preferably running the fattest tires I can cram under some fenders. In my research and reading there doesn't seem to be a major problem switching to 700c except for brake alignment, but everything I read dealt with caliper brakes. Any issues anyone can think of sticking 700cx35s, or maybe 38s :D, on here with cantis? I know I'll have to readjust the pads, but I think there is enough adjustment to do it easily. If not, well, compared to a new wheelset, new more adjustable cantis are cheap. I'd really love to put 29x2.0s on there;), but I'm not sure they'll fit atall atall, much less with fenders. (Can you tell I like fat tires?)

Second, and most important in the short term, the bike has DT shifters (front friction and rear index), and I'm not a fan. Actually, I loathe and detest the frakking things, but will use them until I can swap them for something I like better. Really, the only fault I have with the bike, and it's purely a personal hang-up. STIs/brifters are not in the budget, nor am I sure I'd want them if they were.

I'd like to switch to barcons, but in my searching, several folks here and elsewhere mentioned that there were adapters to use the DT levers on the bar ends. Problem being that every single mention I found of the adapters had a dead link. Anybody have a current link to such critters, if they still exist? Other options or suggestions welcome.

Other than those, I'm gonna ride the bejesus out of this thing, and do some touring on it (tours on a touring bike, whoda thunk it?) and swap parts as they need it, I want it, and the budget allows. Nothing else has jumped out as needing swapping, but I like to tinker.;)

Thanks in advance folks. :)

I've got no clue on the wheel size vs brakes issue.

for the barcon conversion though;

You need these to bolt onto where your current DT shifters are;
http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/cad3.htm

These go on the bars;
http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/sh13.htm

then you'll need some cable housing strung between them; and some new longer shift cables

if your suntour DT shifters have a curved base to match the curvature of the frame tubing; you'll need to use a bench grider to flatten them out so they fit onto the bar end adaptor -measure good; dont take off too much metal
you'll want the cable groove on the lever to line up with the exit hole on the bar end pod

done this conversion myself; works well

Rivendell sells the bar-end adapters.

New-production Panaracer Pasela 27x1-1/4" measure almost exactly that wide if you're interested. :thumb:

I've got no clue on the wheel size vs brakes issue.

for the barcon conversion though;

You need these to bolt onto where your current DT shifters are;
http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/cad3.htm

These go on the bars;
http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/sh13.htm

then you'll need some cable housing strung between them; and some new longer shift cables

if your suntour DT shifters have a curved base to match the curvature of the frame tubing; you'll need to use a bench grider to flatten them out so they fit onto the bar end adaptor -measure good; dont take off too much metal
you'll want the cable groove on the lever to line up with the exit hole on the bar end pod

done this conversion myself; works well
Sa-WEET! Will order these this weekend.


Rivendell sells the bar-end adapters.

New-production Panaracer Pasela 27x1-1/4" measure almost exactly that wide if you're interested. :thumb:

Interested, and will be ordering them next week. :D

Thanks guys! :thumb:

I recently built a set of 27" wheels for an OLD bike.
Sun Rims CR 18 are pretty inexpensive.
http://www.amazon.com/Sun-CR-18-36h-Rim-Polished/dp/B002DMRBY6