Advice for drop bar conversion
 

So, I have a nineties Specialized Hardrock which I'd like to convert to a drop bar bike and put some thinner tyres for hybrid/touring use.
I am aware that a road drop bar won't do and I have a couple models in mind. I'm also aware that I'll probably have to change the stem. The question is, how much of the old materials can I keep? Here's the list of "critical" components.


Shifters: Shimano Altus C20 6 speed SIS (http://galleryplus.ebayimg.com/ws/we.../1000x1000.jpg)

Brake Levers: Shimano Altus C20

Brakes: Shimano Cantilever

Derailleur Front: Shimano Altus C20 28.6 Clamp

Derailleur Rear: Shimano Altus C20

So I suspect that brake levers/shifters will have to go, and I rather think that brifters are quite expensive things which would also imply modifying or changing the derailleurs, so is there any kind of shifter that would allow me to keep the derailleurs as they are? The fewer things I touch, all the better.
Any other advice will be very welcome

Thanks a lot!

What makes you think that road bars won't do? The bars you currently have are probably 25.4mm, just like many road drop bars. Brifters aren't always expensive either. The prices are coming down. Here are 7-speed/triple shifters for $78 on ebay: Shimano RSX St A410 STI Shifters Road Bike 7 SP 7 Speed Triple | eBay

You would just need those, drop bars, a 7-speed freewheel/cassette, bar tape, and new cables.

Bar end shifters or barcons can be had for $40 a set used. Although there is a lot of derision of stem mounted shifters, they can be found very cheaply and will do the job as well. I would liik at new cantileve brakes too, in particular if your Altus brakes have the gray platic spring retainers which are known to crack and irreplaceable.

Yes there are many 25.4 mm road bars. A lot of the older steel ones I believe are 25.4 if you don't mind a bit of extra weight (I used some on my old mountain bike) and they often already have brake levers with them, or you can buy new alloy 25.4 drop bars online and road levers that will also probably fit your existing stem. The only other thing you really need is shifters, if you go with friction shifting you can either use clamp on down tube shifters (I did) or bar end shifters, or even stem shifters. All nice and cheap on ebay, or from a donor bike (if money is a big consideration). I also found that with the road brake levers it helped to lower the yoke on my canti. brakes for a little increased mechanical advantage.

+1 Cheapest route is either pick up a set of stem shifters at a co-op, or buy a new set of Tourney trigger shifters ($15+/-) and mount them on the bars. Lots of alloy bars out there with a 25.4mm clamp, which is another item from the co-op. Not sure what kind of co-ops or similar are out there in Europe.

You will need brake levers. Everything else will work.

Road brifters do not play well with most MTB front derailleurs. They work fine with RDs.

+1, barcons are the way to go, cheap, easy to install and will last you forever. If your fork is threadless, consider an adjustable stem to bring up the bars for more comfort in the drops. Agree with new brakes, I have a box of lower end Shimano brakes with cracked spring retainers

Just a reminder that when you put drop bars on a bike you are going to be stretched out quite a bit farther than you are on the straight bars when you ride on the hoods or on the drops. For some folks with long torsos this works out great; for some of us with short torsos not so great.
Brent

Have you looked through this thread? There's a ton of collective wisdom there.

after spending much time converting a bike and enjoying it immensely, the process and the end result, I eventually bought another bike. so, in hind-sight it might have been worth my while to just get the other bike instead of converting the old one. just thought I'd share that since you are at the early stages of research. (not to discourage you)

Figure 8 bend trekking bars are good for touring too ..
And you can keep the shifters and Brake levers you have now.

Bars are about $25. Plus a roll or 2 of padded tape to wrap them with.
so Cheaper too..

Just to add on...

I got an old stem, bars and brake levers from a nice young man a the bike store for $10.

I got some Suntour Barcons off CL for $30. I'm still futzing with the idea of putting stem shifters on there- and I have those in my bin of stuff. Maybe I'll see if some fancy pants shifters will fit in the stem shifter clampy thing.

I'm also so very intriqued with the trekking bars mentioned above. Just looking at a Google image search for TREKKING BUTTERFLY HANDLEBARS just shows dozens and dozens of ways to set them up.