Originally Posted by
emsara
Blue Order - it does all make sense, but it's still pretty complicated to me!
Yes, if you try to sort through everything at once, it can get complicated. Just think of the bike as a collection of systems that all work together. Break it down into systems, but understand how those systems interact with each other. For example, you can choose a handlebar/stem/brake lever/shifter system, but understand how your shifters interact with your drivetrain, and how your brake levers interact with your brakes. So when you choose shifters, you will choose them based on your drivetrain.
Make sense?
Originally Posted by
emsara
I will never be racing, but I would like to have indexed shifting and I would like to be able to do long distances. However, I also would prefer to have a little bit more of an upright position, not major, but I don't need to be extremely aero.
If you want drop bars, but a more upright position, you can achieve that by changing your stem.
Look at the differences between these stems to see what I mean:
Racing angle;
Racing angle with drop bars
Touring angle;
Touring angle with drop bars
Hybrid stem;
Hybrid stem with drop bars
That hybrid stem with drop bars is raised to a ridiculous height—a height you yourself won’t aim for—but you can see how the combination raises the drop bars.
Alternatively, you can change to a flat bar (with bar ends or aero bars), or trekking bar, as you suggested.
Originally Posted by
emsara
For gearing, I want a wide range cassette with triple chain ring.
Pick out a triple based on crank arm length and gearing combination you want. Getting the crank arm length right will be an important part of bike fit. Your wide range cassette will be based on indexed or not. Get a copy of
Frank Berto’s book and read up on gearing—it will be worth it in choosing a system. From there, you can choose the rest of your system.
Originally Posted by
emsara
It sure seems to me like this would all get too expensive to really do.
Break it down into small steps. Buy parts here and there until you have the parts you need to complete one of your modifications. Meanwhile, ride your bike. The end result is worth the effort, because you’ll have a bike that fits you perfectly, and is set up the way you want it set up.
Originally Posted by
emsara
I can see how it would be much simpler to be able to take the whole system off an existing bike. I have never looked at bikes with an eye toward just using the parts. Wouldn't the bike itself be pricey? Who made a crappy frame and used good components? That's the bike I want to find!!!
Nobody.
It might be pricey, depending on what you get. I bought a bike for the frame, and am taking everything else off. When I looked at it, I realized I had a full Shimano Deore gruppo, plus a wheelset. Just what I needed for another bike that has crap components. So getting those Deore components and wheelset was a bonus.
I think you could buy a bike, strip parts, and sell the frame. It’s cheaper than buying components individually. The downside is you probably won’t find a bike with exactly the combination of components you want—especially a triple crankset with short crank arms. Therefore, I would suggest building your system around three things: 1) Your handlebars/stem; 2) your crankset; and 3) your shifting (indexed or friction). Decide those three things, then build a system around those. You can’t really do that by buying a bike and stripping it, so just decide what you want, and start collecting parts. Meanwhile, ride and enjoy your bike. Over time, you will build the perfect bike for you.