Viewing 18 posts - 1 through 18 (of 18 total)
  • convert flat bars to drop bars ?
  • coylumbridge
    Free Member

    I'm thinking about converting my flat barred 700c wheeled hybrid to drop handlebars. Anyone know what I need to get please ? assume the handlebars (recommendations ?) and brake levers (recommnendations ?) but what about gear levers or can I just keep the ones I have (shimano 27 speed LX) ?
    – or is it a non starter ?
    Thanks

    andrewh
    Free Member

    Bars, obviously.

    Brake levers – check the new ones will work if you have Vs, road-type ones may not pull enough cable.

    Shifters, can keep LX pods, assuming the clamp will slide round the bend in the new bars (why don't Shimano do a split clamp, like most brakes have). Better to combine into roadie-style STis with the brake levers, but these are silly expensive. Other option if you don't like shifters in the middle of the bars is downtube shifter.

    Recomendations?
    Bars http://www.cycleco.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=58 nice and light
    STis http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shimano_Dura-Ace_Di2_7970_STI_Double_10_Sp_Road_Lever_Set/5360038123/ but you may need new mech for these ones to work properly.

    coylumbridge
    Free Member

    thanks andrew – bars and STIs a bit out of my price range unfortunately though

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    andrewh
    Free Member

    Those bars cost more than my car! Quite a lot more. Look nice though.

    aracer
    Free Member

    Shifters, can keep LX pods, assuming the clamp will slide round the bend in the new bars

    Apart from that even if they did, road bar diameter is different to flat bar diameter. That and the flat bit in the middle of road bars is a really rubbish place to put shifters. If you can't afford STI (there are some a little cheaper than those) then bar end shifters are the best alternative.

    MarkDatz
    Free Member

    http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5120249/marksfotos/5.jpg

    u need barend shifters and stem and break levars it's wikid awsum 4 ridding 2 scool but it sux wikid 4 dh and jumps

    rootes1
    Full Member
    mefty
    Free Member

    You can pick up bar end levers pretty cheap, I got some Dura Ace 9 speed ones off ebay for £25. If going this route you just need to drop bar levers such as these.

    When I did my conversion to create a commuter I used Sora 8 Speed STI levers which work well and replaced the V brakes with some cheap cantis. The cheap cantis were a mistake and I have since upgraded to Avid Shorty 4s.

    freeganbikefascist
    Free Member

    as they said plus take care, you can get 25.4mm dia drop bars but the standard is 26.0 (OS is same for MTB and road at 31.8)

    also, drop bars make you reach a *lot* further to get onto the hoods (depends on the bars) so you need a shorter stem, dunno what you have on there at the moment. For example the Cotic Road rat is sold in 2 frame lengths, fro flat bars and dropped ones. The difference in TT length is 50mm iirc.

    woffle
    Free Member

    as rootes recommended above – they were the cheapest (and one of the few) options available that enabled me to run 'drops' and a rohloff:

    Work for me. Especially at £15 from fleabay.

    coylumbridge
    Free Member

    thanks everyone – this has been very useful – one question though, could you tell me what a rohloff is please ?

    akira
    Full Member

    Rohloff is a German internal hub gear, very expensive but very good.

    coylumbridge
    Free Member

    thanks akira – have now had a look on their website

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    Lol md your seatpost is longer than the seat tube!

    Jimbo
    Free Member

    Surely you'll struggle with the "length" of the bike when switching from flat bars to drops. Drop bars add what, another 50-80mm to the length when you're on the hoods/drops. That's a big difference! Bikes intended for drop bars have shorter top tubes to counter this (e.g. Cotic Road Rat).

    MarkDatz
    Free Member

    My dik is enormis so now it dusnt whak on TT

    coylumbridge
    Free Member

    good point jimbo – think I'll try the drop bar ends and see how I get on – if they work, I can do something more permanent

    rootes1
    Full Member

    hey woffle

    looks nice, i really wanted a airnimal – they ride really nice, but in the end with at least 8 folds a day i got a Brompton – if they could just sort out the fold so you don't have to remove the front wheel then the airnimal would be spot on – i did come up with a fork design to help, but run it past them

Viewing 18 posts - 1 through 18 (of 18 total)

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