psystemupdate

thanks for the replies everyone; ill go with what one of the earlier posters suggested with getting dropbars and going with the trek. I'm thinking the most difficult task would be finding gear shifters that work with the new bike...i have a 21 speed kent roadtech 700c road bike i can take the click shifters off of; i was wondering if i would have trouble in particular with the click shifter from the road bike not jumping the exact measurements needed if on the trek fx 1 stagger disc. I imagine if you guys replace your handlebars you also want road bike style shifters to go with it as well? It would seem odd for those shifters to go on road handlebars. How is this accomplished on a budget? I would like to avoid buying oem trek parts where i can.

70sSanO

Going from flat bars to drop bars, is not always a cheap conversion.

To get enough benefit from drop bars, over a flat bar, the rider needs to ride at least on the hoods and not the tops. This may, or may not require a stem change. Setting the Trek on a trainer and experimenting with potential hand positions might help.

The most cost effective way to go is to find drop bar brake levers that are compatible with the disc brakes. If they are hydraulic discs, I’m not sure what lever only options exist.

As much as they have been hated over the years, index stem shifters are the cheapest way to go. You know the gyrations necessary to use stem shifters, but going to STI levers will be the biggest cost driver.

You’ll probably need new cables and housings.

John

Korina

As a short rider myself (5'4"), I find the geometry around 26" wheels to be the most comfortable, but your partner may have different preferences and/or proportions.

I found a couple of interesting bikes on CL in your area:
https://ksu.craigslist.org/bik/d/manhattan-youth-road-bike-ready-to-ride/7398734186.html

https://kansascity.craigslist.org/bik/d/overland-park-trek-fx-72-hybrid/7392639989.html

CliffordK

Your first link somehow got scrambled.
https://ksu.craigslist.org/bik/d/man...398734186.html

A bike with 24" wheels would seem awfully small, and tire selection can be a pain.

That Trek FX 7.2 would be a good starting point for a 700c bike.

This Specialized Sirrus would also be an excellent starting point, also a 700c hybrid

Ok, I think this Cannondale is 650b, and would be a good size Rereading the ad, it does say 700x38 tires.

Korina

Thanks CliffordK , don't know how that happened. 24" wheels might not be that small for a person 4'11". In fact, I'm not sure the Trek isn't too tall. The Cannondale is definitely too tall at 16", and the Sirrus, while pretty, looks iffy. She would likely want something in the 13" - 14" range.

dedhed

With your level of knowledge I don't recommend doing drop bars and certainly not without a lot of research on compatibility or a limited budget.
A. The brakes are linear pull lever pull which few drop bar STI are compatible with without travel agents.
B Front Derailleur uses mountain pull
C ONLY Trek OEM part is the frame. Components are third party available from many sources.

Spec parts
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...-disc/p/27988/

Shimano Compatibility
https://productinfo.shimano.com/#/co...432&acid=C-446

cyclezen

Craziest thread I've read in a while! Making sense just doesn't seem to fit in! LOL!
OP, making each ride into a 'death ride' is hardly a way to encourage more effort. Your companion may be doing your 'program' for now - but how long will that last?
Your original questions obviously shows you have 'some' awareness of the situation - but many people don't express or show their true feelings easily..
IF you want your companion to like the rides enough to WANT to do them, make it more enjoyable for HER. AS stated, Less 'I' and more 'HER'..
If she's already well accustomed to her current MTB, then don;t put all the fish in the 'new bike' barrel. Look at mods for the bike she' already familiar with.
I'd be surprised if the mtb didn't already have adequate gearing for a wide range of speed/road surface ranges - I am assuming this means dirt roads NOT SINGLE TRACK riding.
I'd look at the simplest, most effective way to make riding 'easier' for her.
27.5 wheels with appropriate Mid-width tires (without deep lugs) will make a very big change. 30mm gravel road spec'd tires for 27.5 would certainly be much faster for firmer dirt sections.
30 mm for someone her size will also provide a good amount of float on softer stretches.
Drop bars will require a ton of adaptation and change from her MTB setup or a Hybrid setup - and is very marginal, at best. Not saying that drop bars aren't great - but best to do that with a whole bike/system in mind - designed for that.
I'd also be surprised if some learning about gearing and 'use' for both of you wouldn't be a good thing - from what I'm reading in your comments.
The more she likes the rides, the more she'll want to do them... a very normal thing... Personally, if I accidentally poke myself in the eye - I try not to do it again.... LOL!
Ride On
Yuri

CliffordK

There should be brifter compatible disc calipers.

Or one can do bar end shifters + Tektro linear pull brake levers (RL520) or similar.

dedhed

Certainly ways to do it IF you know what you're doing, But then they might as well just build a bike from a frame or by the type of bike they want.

Broctoon

My wife has a Trek FX-3: hydraulic disc brakes, Shimano Alivio 3x9 drivetrain, aluminum frame/carbon fork, and decent parts all around. We paid about $600 for it four years ago (got it new from the Trek store), and she absolutely loves it. It's been great. She is about 4'10" tall. The frame is a nominal size XS, I believe, but I'm not sure what measurement that translates to... 46cm? Maybe 44. It has 700c wheels, which look huge on that little frame, but of course roll smoothly over bumps and allow us to choose from a huge range of good tires. It came with tubeless ready rims but cheaper tires that are not tubeless. I upgraded to tubeless tires, and that was the second best move we ever made for her biking enjoyment (first was choosing the FX-3 to replace her old worn out heavy clunky MTB). She does not ride on gravel, but I'm sure this bike could handle it, with the right tires.

MNebiker

"Back in the day" my wife and I had identical his/her Schwinn 10sp World Tourist bikes. She was not quite 5ft, 110lb - I was 6'1", 210lb. Her bike was a short frame that we had to special order as the dealer didn't stock it, mine was a 21" frame. I was obviously stronger, and in spite of her weight advantage I was considerably faster.

The simple fact is that she was never going to keep up with me no matter what equipment we bought or mods we made. There was no point in trying. I am sure there are well-trained female cyclists that could have blown me off the trail, but for two average individuals there was no comparison. We often rode a straight flat trail on an old railway bed, so if I "felt the need for speed" I would sprint ahead a mile or so, then double back to again ride with her at her best pace.

The important issue was not trying to make her keep up with me - it was that we were able to ride together. That was what made it fun.