can that frameset be coverted for say shimano rear meck
Short answer: Ehh, no, not really.
Long explanation: Though I carry a QBP emergency derailleur hanger with me in case the Rohloff packs it in (unlikely, *and* I have a fixed-gear for the disc mounts for a belt, braces *and* duct tape approach), it isn't really practical for the day-to-day and would only be a viable solution for mid-term use on a long tour. The Rohloff just isn't likely to pack it in so the bike is unusable, rather I was thinking interim solutions in case I had to send the wheel in; I already had the hanger on hand from when I owned Sherpa.
Arguably, you could braze on a derailleur tab and all the needed cable guides, but that's going to toast the paint and in the end will cost you far more than a frame that is right from the beginning. You wouldn't use the eccentric feature of the BB but still...just not practical.
will it take drop handlebars
While the bike can be fitted with a stem of any length and that stem will accept drop handlebars, the top tube is really too long to ever ride comfortably with drops. My Nomad Mk2 is a 590M (Medium) and to get the same position I did with my 560S Sherpa Mk2, I had to fit a 50mm stem and compact drops. There's no way I could comfortably use drops on an L (Long) frame. No, it just isn't likely to work.
basically i dont want to go buying a rohloff wheel.
<nods> Of course, understandably, but that or something like a Shimano Nexus or Alfine are really the only practical options here for daily use.
Disappointing, I know, but I just don't see it working as a derailleur conversion, jags.
All the best,
Dan.
