Buying Road Bike Handlebars (What else do I need?)



iWannaBeAdored

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Aug 5, 2010
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Hey everyone. I'm new to this forum and I wanna say hi! I live in Perth, Scotland and I love to cycle. I'm only 16 but me and my friend always go on cycle runs. I have a white Giant Sedona (cost around £300 I think).


I am going to buy these (LINK):
mill_strada_bars.jpg


I am new to buying parts for my bike so this is where I'd like some help. What else do I need to buy to use the new handlebars? I know I would need grip but where would I put my gear shifters and brakes?

Sorry if you look at this and think "stupid kid shouldn't cycle".

Any help is much appreciated :)
 
The first question is 'why are you buying new bars'?

Have you tried changing the position of your bars, stem and brake levers?

As a general rule - and such rules are very general and usually only provide a starting point:

Find out where your hands are comfiest in the drops. Set the angle of the bars too this. This includes in the rounded section of the drops but also the flat part at the very ends.

Once you have that set position the brake levers. A starting point would be to have the bottom of the levers level with the bottom of the flat section of the drops. Easiest way to do this - a long ruler or straight edge under the bottom of the bars. It's only a starting point though. Go for some rides before you put the bar tape on so it's real easy to make adjustments.

Try it out, with your mitts on, making sure that it's easy to reach the brake levers and change gears from both the drops and the hoods of the brake levers.

Once you've found something that's good - tape it up. Start from the bottom of the bars and work to the center. You'll notice that there's normally a small strip of tape about 2 to 3 inches long - this piece covers the metal clamp band that fastens the brake levers to the bars. Pull back the brake lever rubber hoods, stick on this piece of tape over the band and then wrap the tape up the band - just overlapping enough not to leave any exposed places and keep the top of the tape pretty flat. The tape tends to be padded more in the middle, so if you wrap it just right it stays pretty even. Finish off with electrical tape - the stuff that comes with the tape is normally pretty sh1t.

Remember to leave a little bit if an overlap of tape at the bottom ofthe bars and to finish the whole thing off by putting the bar ends in. Without these, at best your bars might sound odd on rough roads, at worst, they'll be good implement to skewer you in the stomach or chest... or maybe remove an eyeball should you fall off.

Scotland aye? Have a buckfast and a deep fried mars bar for me will ya? It's been a while since I've been up there...
 
iWannaBeAdored said:
..I have a white Giant Sedona (cost around £300 I think).


I am going to buy these (LINK):
mill_strada_bars.jpg


I am new to buying parts for my bike so this is where I'd like some help. )

According to the pic I get up when I search for Giant sedona what you're trying to do is a "flat bar to drop bar conversion" (do a search on that and you'll find some links) on a low-end MTB-looking bike with a sus fork. You're heading into loads of trouble and money. Your old shifters and brakes won't fit the new bar, don't even know if the new bar will fit the old stem. Most drop bar brake levers won't work with your current brakes, and if you replace the shifters the front derailer might no longer work.
So unless you're willing to face all these costly and skills consuming challenges I suggest that you settle for a pair of drop bar ends or a trekking bar. They will bolt right on, give a few extra hand positions with far less trouble.
 
Thanks guys. I didn't really think that far into it. I think I'll just buy the drop end bars instead.
 

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