WGB 

BRC (Boyes & Rosser Cycles LTD) was a Canadian importer that sold bikes, though not sure where they were made. Generally I thought they were junk.

Saw this today very cheap and was about to pass by when I saw it had a braze on RD hanger and so I stopped for a second glance. Wheel set is a 26 inch so just donor wheels, but shifting is indexed. Brakes and levers are Chang Star so might just keep the brakes and pass on the levers and handle bars to the co-op when I can get there.

Seller claims to be a mechanic and that a tune up was done but can use a good clean up.










My question is, can I pull the drive train (FD and Rd and cranks and move to a road bike and use either barcons or brifters with these??

I don't know the RD and FD models so will search Velobase and add them if required. Cranks are Sugino and large wheel is 46 tooth, will have to clean them to get the other tooth counts.

brian3069

All Shimano index plays nicely together, with the exception of pre 1997 Dura Ace

NatusEstInSuht

I had a red BRC Apex with a Shimano Exage groupset when I was a teen. It was a decent bike and the frame and fork were made from Tange MTB tubing. I put many miles on it exploring the mean streets and bike trails of Ottawa.

You should be able to mix and match Shimano mountain and road components, including brifters. It was once the company introduced its 10-speed offerings that the ratios changed. MicroShift bar end and brifters should also work.

WGB 

Glad to here that as I have a set of 7 speed barcons and a pair of 8 speed brifters so wanted to use one or the other.

Having said that, it's a nice bike for $50 Canadian (38$ US) to bad it doesn't fit.

WGB 

I checked Velobase and the Rd is the Shimano RD AL11 and the FD is the FD AL11 and per Velobase they are both friction shifting. I thought all Rd's with a barrel adjuster were index shifting and "assumed" that with thumb shifters it would have to be an indexing system.
Assuming my guess was off or will these derailleurs work in index anyway????

NatusEstInSuht

I'm pretty sure the derailleurs will not index, but you can still use bar-end shifters in friction mode.

Brifters are not going to work, but If you do want to go with a drop bar set-up, you could acquire a pair of Gevenalle Audax or CX brake levers with shifters.

https://www.gevenalle.com/product/audax/
https://www.gevenalle.com/product/cx2/

WGB 

For @T-Mar
Serial number of TH86 03 129608

T-Mar

The rear derailleur is friction and has the pre-SIS version of the cable adjuster. The SIS cable adjusters have a grey plastic outer sleeve with four ridges that correspond to indents on the derailleur body, so that the adjustment is in 1/4 turn increments. In other words, the cable adjusters are indexed, like the derailleurs themselves. The other distinguishing factor, is the absence of a slant parallelogram, with which all SIS derailleurs are equipped.

The derailleur design pre-dates SIS. It probably won't index but it all depend on the cable travel ratio. I haven't tried this specific derailleur with indexed shift levers. You may get lucky. If you don't, start sulking. Maybe the wife will take pity and you'll have another form of luck.

WGB 

@T-Mar - Very subtle !!!!!!