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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
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.
thanks andrew - bars and STIs a bit out of my price range unfortunately though
Those bars cost more than my car! Quite a lot more. Look nice though.
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.
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
worth fitting these?
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keep your existing setup with a drop position?
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 [url= http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/22968/Tektro_RL_520_Drop_Bar_VBrake_Levers ]these.[/url]
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.
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.
as rootes recommended above - they were the cheapest (and one of the few) options available that enabled me to run 'drops' and a rohloff:
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Work for me. Especially at £15 from fleabay.
thanks everyone - this has been very useful - one question though, could you tell me what a rohloff is please ?
Rohloff is a German internal hub gear, very expensive but very good.
thanks akira - have now had a look on their website
Lol md your seatpost is longer than the seat tube!
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).
My dik is enormis so now it dusnt whak on TT
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
hey woffle
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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