RMoudatir

So I have this 2014 Fuji Sportif 1.4 disc I got second hand for a steal and I have already put in almost 5k miles into it and I want to completely overhaul it. All the parts are worn out and the brakes that came with it are terrible.

I want to use this bike for courier delivering, commuting, grocery shopping, etc. It feels way too over geared for the type of riding I am doing with it. When I'm doing deliveries I have to push my bike that weighs over 35 lbs with pannier bags and a NY Kryptonite lock on it while I am carrying a backpack for food that weighs usually 10-15 lbs with food, sometimes more, all up very steep hills 10-15% grade while I weigh only 130 lbs so it's like pushing a third of my weight extra while grinding up those hills. The bike currently has 50/34 crank set which is way too much for me, I never use the 50t ring so it's like dead weight and lowers the range of the low end gearing. The cassette is an 11-32t but I always end up bottoming out on the 34/32 combo when on these brutal hills with all that weight. I never go past 20 mph unless on descents so I was thinking of going 1x with a 30t chain ring and an 11-46t cassette using 11 speed STI hydraulic shifters. I don't know which derailleur I should use though, I was thinking an XT M8000 rear derailleur with the tanpan adapter or the new GRX rear derailleurs. I have all the tools and just made a custom gravel bike. I think it'll be fun making a sort of Frankenstein bike of my own.

mr_bill

My frankendale has a Shimano compact crank with the HG-800 11-34 cassette, but while I ride lots of errands, I carry about half what you do and while some of our hills are about the same, they are probably shorter though. (But my achilles heel is my achilles tendon, and I'm still, uh, healing.)

However, for me spinning out at 20mph would be a deal breaker for me though.

And you are considering making HUGE changes where something more moderate migh work too.

Before you invest in the mech, what's on your gravel bike? Test ride that laden. You might find something like a GRX 46/30 crankset with an 11-34 cassette gives you your climbing while still letting you occasionally have the speed of an unladen swallow.

Then you can do your frankenbuild. Sounds like fun.

-mr. bill

RMoudatir

The gravel bike I just built last September has Ultegra R8020 shifters with 46/30 Absolute black chain rings, XT 11-40 cassette and RX800 rear derailleur. The gearing is amazing I don't even dread those steep hills anymore like on my road bike. Often when making deliveries fully loaded, I'd intentionally ride farther than what I'd need to, to reach the destination because of those steep hills on the way, I'd even cancel some orders if I had to ride up the Hollywood Hills with a backpack full of food to feed a village. I was even considering a bit lower gearing on the road bike than 30/40t since I'm weighed down so much versus riding light and faster. Thank goodness for 40t+ cassettes.

mr_bill

I'd hate to suggest an E-cargo bike and spoil your fun. Curious to see what you come with.

-mr. bill

CliffordK

You might also look at some of the Microshift components:

https://www.microshift.com/en/product/bs-m11/
Bar-End shifters compatible with MTB-11





It looks like they now have a MTB compatible Brifter too. I haven't heard much about this. Time for some reviews?

https://www.microshift.com/en/product/sb-m110/





No left shifter? So, there is this one:
https://www.microshift.com/en/product/sb-m090-ld/



Unfortunately that is a modeately close match, but not a perfect match.

mr_bill

See this thread over in Fifty Plus (even if you aren’t) for lots of good advice about the varied drivetrains people are running on road bikes.



-mr. bill