You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Just seen these, they've not been on my radar before, seems like a very simple way of using existing brakes with drops.
http://www.cxmagazine.com/drop-bar-hydraulic-disc-brakes-cable-pull-adapter-for-cyclocross-cannard
Also noticed u.s.e were prototyping some very neat little cable to hydro piston type things
They've changed them a bit now, so that you can run them overlapping under the stem - leaves more room for hands on the tops.
Afaics they only work on those exact model of Formula brakes though.
So to adapt 'what you have' might be a custom job. Although it doesn't look beyond the realms of anyone with access to the right machinery/friend 🙂
For the amount of faff and trouble involved in sorting out new hoses, rotors etc I'd go for the Hope or TRP options - neater too.
I can't honestly see any real advantage to having hydraulic discs on a CX bike, a decent cable disc (BB7) should be more than up to the job.
Unless and until directly compatable hydraulic STIs come on the market I think most sensible CX teams will be stick to cable actuated discs, considering most teams have to make a balanced judgement on VFM/interchangability/maintainability for many of the parts on their team bikes, why complicate it with a custom adapter?
Yeah, but it could be fun though!
Some people like hacking things and making do.
Also - the OP didn't mention CX, just using existing brakes on drops.
Ok been thinking about this for a few days
Looking for a 31.8 direct mount stem to cut in half to create forward facing pair of brackets
Under the brackets fit some square bar to mount the brake levers to like the formula system
Use either shimano/hope/ anything with a split clamp mount to fix to my bodged bracket
Either use the original levers or 'create' a new mini lever to attach the cable too like the formula system.
Sit back and profit 😉
I much prefer the Hope V-Twins I stuck on my Gryphon to the BB7s I ran (briefly) previously.
I would love a pair of v twins but they're quite pricey, just doing this 'because I sorta can'
The TRP Parabox I used was far better then the BB5 I had previously mainly just as I never had to really spend time faffing adjusting them ... they were fitted .. they worked very well.
Mini 'v' brakes have as much power as the disc options but less modulation, require a lot of set up and adjustment.