Shimano compatibilty problem I have a hybrid bike which has dropped handlebars with Shimano Tiagra dual brake/gear levers.
The front mech is a Tiagra triple ring and the back mech is Shimano Deore XT (9 sprockets)
I have developed back problems and now need a more upright position when riding and am hoping to convert my bike to a flatbar.
Can anyone help in identifying the options for compatible Gear Shifters.
Thanks in advance
As long as your choosing a 9 speed Shimano shifter for the rear and triple shifter for the front you'll be fine. That's basically everything in the Deore lineup, as long as it's 9 speed. Obviously you'll want to stay away from 10 speed shifters and dont try to mix and match Shimano derailleurs and SRAM shifters or vice versa.
Though you didn't ask this, what may be a more important concern is how your bike is going to fit when you slap flat bars on it. Road bike frames are shorter in the effective top tube than mountain bikes are due to the fact that a straight handlebar decreases reach compared to a drop bar. Your bike is going to fit pretty darned short if you do a flat bar conversion which can cause comfort problems of it's own. There are other fit issues to be considered when doing a flat bar conversion on a road bike, but in my opinion this is the big one.