I'm a believer in having just one bike that i can use for anything I do, mostly club rides and light touring. I currently have a Giant Defy 1 with 28c tires, but am intrigued by the new gravel grinder bikes such as the GT Grade, which have road bike components but accept broad tires. I'd like to make a few changes to a GT Grade, and would appreciate any guidance on a few questions I have:
I'd like to replace the road bike transmission (Shimano 105) with a mountain bike transmission Shimano XT), both 11 speed.
- Is it possible to make the change? Will an XT crankshaft fit on a road bike?
- Can i use the 11 speed 105 shifters to shift the XT front and rear derailleurs?
I'd also like to replace the wheels (Stan's No Tubes Grail Disc) with XT wheels, which i expect would be more robust when touring. The XT wheels have an internal width of 24 mm. I believe they will fit the bike, but will they work with 32c tyres (Conti Gatorskins or Schwalbe Marathon Supremes)?