since6

I am building a retro-mod bicycle for a granddaughter. It is a retro mod conversion to a classic mixie frame to allow her to stand over and ride an adult sized bicycle.

My Plan is to remove the front derailleur, rear derailleur and rear hub to make this a 1x9 with a single rear derailleur/shifter, to make shifting much easier and indexed with a wide range 12-36 cassette for the hills she will encounter. I plan to have the rear spacing cold set for a 9 speed hub. Otherwise I plan to keep everything else vintage which includes drop handlebars, but will need to change the current brake levers to 9 speed brifters, with the left one unconnected to a front derailleur.

First question: What 9 speed rear derailleur, hub and brifters would you recommend for this conversion? Make and model will help in my efforts to find them.

Second question: What crank arms (165) and chain ring (34T) combination, and I assume new bottom bracket axel compatible with the new crank arms, would you recommend? Again specifics as to made model will help a lot in my search to purchase.

My thanks for your help and suggestions.

Take Care.

veganbikes

Agreed though funny you didn't provide us with a lot of info though you make good allusions. Age and size of her would be handy as well as the bicycle you plan on converting and what it has on it already and such. Before we start making recommendations we need to know some specifics to the rider and the bike so we can help in your search. Drop bars and brifters might not be my first choice for someone really young who is newer to cycling or maybe I might suggest something like Gevenalle levers but maybe there are other issues with the frame we might need to contend with. Would like to know a bit more.

thook

this should get you started. just get the derailleur and crank to match the group set. getting good reviews from some on bikeforums.

https://www.sunrisecyclery.com/produ...BoCBb0QAvD_BwE

since6

It is an adult Fuji mixte frame going to a 9 year old. Similar to what I made for her older sister when she was 8.

since6

This was the older sisters frame and it will be identical but with a different model name. I did put pull back handlebars on the older sisters bike and may consider doing the same, but with Mtb shifter/brake lever controls if I use swept back as opposed to drop handlebars.
She did fine with step over and leaning to the side to then stand on the peddle and then launching into balance and ride.

since6

Her bike will be the Sagres mixte shown above, which I want to modify with a modern 1x9 or similar single front chain ring, single indexed rear derailleur with brifter.

I started at 6 on a full size bike weighing as much as I did, yes I had to learn how to mount and dismount it, but once it was going it was So So much easier to ride than the small 20"/24" tired bikes that wobbled all over while that big 27" wheel once it got rolling was just rock steady. So far it has worked well for her 8 year old sister now 11 and hopes are for her too now at 9.

thook

drop handlebars might be too much of reach for her to comfortably control. looks like a 16 inch frame (seat tube)? how tall is she, if i may ask?
if you decide on some cruiser/flat/riser type handlebar, consider just getting one right hand 9spd twist grip shifter. they're mechanically simple and easy to learn with nice number indicators. they only go in one direction or the other. opinions will vary, but they're kinda fun, too

thook

otoh, it did just occur to me that...duh...there are short reach drop handlebars. 75mm of outward reach and shorter drop good for small hands and operating the brake(brifter) levers. perhaps a short stem of 60 or 70mm reach. just throwing out ideas since i obviously don't know how tall your daughter is

here is just one of a number of examples of compact handlebars (26mm clamp..good for quill stems).

https://www.santucci-cycles.com/prod...v=3a52f3c22ed6

i have these and they're very nice since i'm 5'6 and short'ish fingers. made fitting a 57cm frame (on the maximum large size for me) easy with an 80mm reach stem

since6

thook the Advent rear derailleur, cassette and brifters really look like the answer, thanks a lot for suggesting them.

Grip shift are pretty neat too, but can they pull enough cable for the rear derailleur to shift across the 12-42 cassette?

Using the existing crank arms and the inner chin ring of 43 or maybe, maybe a 39?, with the 42 on the rear cassette would give a lot of ways to spin up hills without having to replace the bottom bracket axel and new crank arms/chain ring.

But going new would make sure that the single chain ring was properly located for the rear derailleur to cover the 12-42 cassette and allow the choice of a lower chain ring of 34/36 and a shorter crank arm of 165.

Because of Covid haven't seen her in two years, so it's a special bike to me. Choose the Fuji "Sagres" for its neat connection to the Tour of Portugal , error: see next post, she lives in France and so might visit her bike's namesake someday.

Anyway really like the Advent suggestion.

since6

Not Tour of Portugal, instead it is the following race in Portugal:From Wikipedia:



The 2021 Volta ao Algarve (English: Tour of the Algarve) was a road cycling stage race that took place in the Algarve region of Portugal between 5 and 9 May 2021. It was the 47th edition of the Volta ao Algarve and was a category 2.Pro event on the 2021 UCI Europe Tour and the 2021 UCI ProSeries calendars.[3]

The race was originally scheduled for 17 to 21 February,[2] but due to rising COVID-19 cases in Portugal leading up to the race, it had to be postponed to 5 to 9 May.[4][5]

Sagres is the Second Stage of the Volta ao Algarve and is a mountain stage:

Stage

Date

Course

Distance

Type

Stage winner

1

5 May

Lagos to Portimão

189.5 km (117.7 mi)

[img]file:///C:\Users\US2~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg[/img]

Flat stage

[img]file:///C:\Users\US2~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.gif[/img] Sam Bennett (IRL)

2

6 May

Sagres to Fóia

182.8 km (113.6 mi)

[img]file:///C:\Users\US2~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image004.gif[/img]

Mountain stage

[img]file:///C:\Users\US2~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.gif[/img] Ethan Hayter (GBR)

3

7 May

Faro to Tavira

203.1 km (126.2 mi)

[img]file:///C:\Users\US2~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg[/img]

Flat stage

[img]file:///C:\Users\US2~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.gif[/img] Sam Bennett (IRL)

4

8 May

Lagoa to Lagoa

20.3 km (12.6 mi)

[img]file:///C:\Users\US2~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image007.gif[/img]

Individual time trial

[img]file:///C:\Users\US2~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image008.gif[/img] Kasper Asgreen (DEN)

5

9 May

Albufeira to Alto do Malhão

170.1 km (105.7 mi)

[img]file:///C:\Users\US2~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image010.gif[/img]

Hilly stage

[img]file:///C:\Users\US2~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image011.gif[/img] Élie Gesbert (FRA)

Sorry about the table describing the stages blowing apart, sometimes your coping works and sometimes it doesn't.
Take Care

thook

you're welcome

the grip shifts will be fine as long they're nine speed.

if your little lady isn't a masher speed demon, the 39 tooth single ring would be a good choice. up to the 90 plus gear inches down to near 20 gear inches.

if you're using a bottom bracket for a double ring crankset and a single ring mounted on the spider in the middle position, it will have no problems with chainline to the cassette. all nine gears will be useable. she might really appreciate the shorter crank, though

not in two years!! oh...that's gotta be rough.