Kona Jake The Snake

[WickedThump]

I saw a 60cm Kona JTS frame up on Craigs this morning and just now got home with it.
The owner had been using it for single speed, and it came with a Campy Chorus SS crank. It also has Chorus brifters and Avid Shorty6 cantis, front and back. No FD or RD. I took the wheels off my Crossroads and they fit just fine, thought the front brake needs adjusting out a little.

konajake.jpgJake1 002.jpg

Now I guess I need to learn about options for setting up a drive train for this. First off, what derailers can I use with the Chorus brifters. Is there any chance I can use my Deore DX components on this bike? If not what're my options?

[Andy_K]

Nice score!

How many speeds are the shifters made for? That will determine what derailleurs you can mix and match with it.

[WickedThump]

Nice score!

How many speeds are the shifters made for? That will determine what derailleurs you can mix and match with it.

I have no idea, how to tell?

[sharpsandflatts]

Those look like 8 speed shifters. In order to run that drivetrain optimally, you'll need a campy rear dérailleur, rear wheel, and cassette. You can also look into getting a jtek shiftmate ( google it) to mix and match campy and shimano stuff.

If you've got some deore drivetrain parts, I believe the path of least resistance would be to sell off the campy shifters (they command a good price on eBay fwiw) and buy some shimano shifters that correspond to the number of speeds on your deore cassette. Shimano road shifters will work with your mountain drivetrain.

[Andy_K]

Shimano road shifters will work with your mountain drivetrain.

This is only about 2/3 true. Road shifters don't work well with a triple front MTB derailleur. You can make it work, but it isn't the easiest way to go. Otherwise, I agree.

[WickedThump]

I have a bike to cannibalize with "like new" Deore DX components. The LBS guy said everything should work, but I'd need to have the BB spindle length changed to accept the Deore DX triple ring crankset, and go to flat bars for the DX levers/shifters. He said get aero levers and bar-ends (least spendy solution) if I really want to use drop bars later on.

The shop guy mentioned selleing the chorus crank and brifters too, say $100 each is reasonable to ask. That would help a lot, as it would drop the net cost down to $125ish for the project so far.

[WickedThump]

This is only about 2/3 true. Road shifters don't work well with a triple front MTB derailleur. You can make it work, but it isn't the easiest way to go. Otherwise, I agree.

Ultimately, I will most likely use thumb shifters for flat bars or bar ends for drops.

[himespau]

If you don't mind friction (and it's not really that big of a deal), you might want to look into getting some Kelly Take-Offs and aero brake levers. Some people will say they're ugly (and I'm admittedly going to be taking them off to go to a Shimergo setup - Campy Centaur 10 speed brifters with shimano 8 speed drivetrain), but throw on some friction shifters (or indexed shifters that can be made friction like I have) and you can shift anything you want from the hoods or tops (drops is a bit of a challenge). I currently have a touring triple with a mtb front deraileur and a 6-speed freewheel on the back. I was using some 105 6 speed indexed shifters and loving it, but then there was an incident at the bike rack at work (or so I assume) and my derailleur claw got bent. Rather than taking the time to fix it when I knew it was going to be replaced, I just switched the shifter over to friction and have kept going without a problem. Friction makes working with anything a breeze and having the levers right at your fingertips makes double shifting so smooth and easy.

[Andy_K]

Ultimately, I will most likely use thumb shifters for flat bars or bar ends for drops.

You can probably get a set of lightly used Shimano Sora STI levers for around the cost of bar end shifters, but depending on what you plan to use the bike for though the bar end shifters might be better. I just built a bike up with 8-speed bar end shifters and it has been pretty nice for commuting. I had both Sora brifter and bar ends on the shelf and decided to go with the bar ends. If I was going to use the bike for CX racing I probably would have gone the other way.

If you're going to use the Shorty brakes, you'll need a road-compatible brake lever. If you decide on flat bars, then I'd definitely swap the Shorties out for some V-brakes.

[WickedThump]

Thanks for the heads-up on the Kelleys. I had no idea such a thing existed.

[WickedThump]

If you're going to use the Shorty brakes, you'll need a road-compatible brake lever. If you decide on flat bars, then I'd definitely swap the Shorties out for some V-brakes.

I have big hands and pretty good hand strength, do I still need road levers? I was contemplating disc brakes when I upgrade the wheels, (after I decide if this bike is right for me). I really liked the Deore stubbys when I rode a mtn bike equipped with them.

[Andy_K]

I have big hands and pretty good hand strength, do I still need road levers?

I think so. The issue is that MTB brake lever pull more cable than road levers. I suppose it may be possible to setup a cantilever so that it matches the cable pull of a MTB lever since cantilevers are quite variable. I would expect you wouldn't like the brakes setup like that. The pads would need to be very close to the rim. The braking force is largely determined by the geometry of the brakes and lever. How hard you squeeze them is a secondary effect and might be limited by lever travel.

That frame won't let you use disc brakes.

[WickedThump]

I think so. The issue is that MTB brake lever pull more cable than road levers. I suppose it may be possible to setup a cantilever so that it matches the cable pull of a MTB lever since cantilevers are quite variable. I would expect you wouldn't like the brakes setup like that. The pads would need to be very close to the rim. The braking force is largely determined by the geometry of the brakes and lever. How hard you squeeze them is a secondary effect and might be limited by lever travel.

That frame won't let you use disc brakes.

It appears the Shimano SLR cantis from the DX donor bike will fit the JTS. I'll see for sure when I attempt to do the component transfer tomorrow.
Does this frame have not enough clearance for discs? Eyeballing it, it looks like there's room.

[Andy_K]

Oh, I missed that you have Deore DX components. In that case, you're probably OK with the Avid Shorty brakes. DX is old enough that it has different cable pull.

The reason the frame won't work with discs is that it doesn't have the tabs to mount the disc caliper.

[WickedThump]

Oh, I missed that you have Deore DX components. In that case, you're probably OK with the Avid Shorty brakes. DX is old enough that it has different cable pull.

The reason the frame won't work with discs is that it doesn't have the tabs to mount the disc caliper.

OK. Tabs. Derp!

[Sawtooth]

Congrats on the frame! You are going to love your JTS.

[Cynikal]

If you can confirm that they are 8 speed shifters I have a set of nine speed STI (Tiagra I think, could be 105) that I would trade you for. 8 speed campy stuff is getting hard to find so it's not great for cross. PM me.

[WickedThump]

If you can confirm that they are 8 speed shifters I have a set of nine speed STI (Tiagra I think, could be 105) that I would trade you for. 8 speed campy stuff is getting hard to find so it's not great for cross. PM me.

I'm glad you posted before I took those brifters to a swap meet. I don't know how to confirm, but they are about to be removed and cleaned. I'll post some pics of them here. They are well worn and fairly dirty inside. On my want list are: 1. Bar end or thumb shifters 3x7. or 2. Aero brake levers. or 3. Cyclocross levers with the interuptors. There's a graphic on these brifters "Carbon BB System" where the lever stops against the body.