I run 8 speed trigger shifter on my mountain bike with a 7 speed cassette. Some people just ignore the slight shifting differences, but I sand down the plastic spacers to match the 8 speed cassette.

As for the front, you probably could try a road triple. My wife's road bike is running a Tiagra 4503 or 4603 that works with her 46-39-30 triple. She was using ST2300 but is now using Claris shifters. I'm not sure how it will work with a 24t granny, but was happy that it shifts to th 46t without any issues. Some road front derailleurs are not happy with a smaller large chainring. I have tried an older 7703 and it doesn't work as well.

John

I’d guess it will work on the back. I’ve used 8 sp brifters with a 7 sp freewheel and it works fine. Just center things on the middle cog and Shimano’s floating pulley will accommodate the minor differences at the top and bottom of the cluster. Just choose which end you want the empty click from the brifters.

As for the triple in front, no experience, but if you need a new f der they’re cheap

Just be careful about any suggestion that a mountain bike front derailleur is compatible with road brifters. Do your reasesrch.

​​​​​​​John

Any chance you could post a picture of the cable path at the front derailleur? I’m trying to do something similar to you. I’ve got a Shimano tourney fd-ty510 front derailleur that I’m hoping to be able to use their st-a073 brifters with.

Thanks for the description! Sounds similar to my setup. Only difference is that my cable comes up from the bottom bracket, over a pulley/curved guide and then into the clamp.

Also occurred to me that I would need some kind of adjustment ability - where would an in-line adjuster go? Just ahead of the cable stop on the down tube?

Finally got all the parts in today and spent the evening getting everything installed. Shifters seem to work *almost* perfectly. I was able to quickly get the rear derailleur dailed in, but the front one is being finicky. I can get it to shift between the middle and biggest chainrings but it won’t go down to the smallest. If I set the cable tension etc so it will shift down to the smallest I can’t seem to get it shift to the largest... I’ll keep messing with it and get some help from a friend but I may eventually take it to my LBS to see what they can do.

Only real issue issue is with the brakes. (I may make a separate post in Bicycle Mechanics just to address this topic.) I bought Tektro R559 extra long reach brakes - the nutted version, recessed wouldn’t fit in my bike. They came with two contoured washers for each brake. I was only able to use one of them because the bolts weren’t long enough for me to use both. So right now I’ve got the contoured washer between the brake and frame and a flat washer between the nut frame. Also, the arms on the rear brakes still aren’t quite long enough. The brake pads when set at their lowest position sit at the very top of the rim. With both front and rear brakes adjusted to the best of my very limited ability the braking power is definitely lacking...

Had a friend who has been around bikes for a while and does all his own work help me out with the derailleur. It’s dialed in as good as it will get. The chain rubs when in biggest chainring/smallest cog - so the hardest gearing. Not that big of a deal but I may eventually just get the road derailleur that matches the shifters.

Bigger issue is the brakes - the Tektro R559 just don’t have any room for adjustment and the braking power is pitiful. So my next step is to see if Tektro 984 brakes will work... they are technically BMX brakes, but short pull and they have the proper reach I need. If they don’t work they go back to the store and I try mini v brakes (probably Tektro 926). Last resort after all that will be problem solver travel agents as they actually end up being the most expensive option. Beauty of Amazon prime is returns are easy!