I inherited a 2003 Trek 7700 FX with a Deore XT groupset (with an SRAM 7.0 11-32, 9spd cassette, and a Deore 48/36/26 crank) last weekend from my grandfather-in-law, and I am trying to figure out whether I will be able to make a drop bar conversion with a set of brifters. Trouble is that I don't fully understand all of the info online about pull ratios and the difference between MTB and road shifters/derailleurs. Is the Deore XT an MTB groupset? Or is it road? (The bike, of course, is a hybrid.) Furthermore, I can't find the pull ratios for the Deore XT...

Would, for example, a set of Shimano Sora R3030 (3x9) brifters be compatible with Deore XT front and real derailleurs? If not—any suggestions for what set of brifters might work well? I would prefer to avoid having to get new derailleurs, a cassette, crankset, etc.