Handle bar change

igp said:

Hi,
Looking for some advice about the possibility of changing Bars. I
recently bought a fairly cheap 24 speed road bike (£250) with flat
handle bars as I thought I could use the bike on various surfaces.
Since riding it for a couple of months I find myself on the road all
the time and would like to do longer runs.

So I would like to fit drop bars with integrated brake/gear levers. So
is this possible, what components would I need and how much would it
cost?

In addition to getting the levers, you need to make sure the handlebar
stem is compatible. Most stems for flat bars have a 25.4mm bar clamp
diameter, which should not be used with 25.8 or 26.0 bars. You might want
a different length stem anyway.

New levers will be supplied with cables and cable stops.

See www.parker-international.co.uk and www.settlecycles.co.uk/shop for
some prices.

~PB

in message <[email hidden]>, igp

(') said:

Looking for some advice about the possibility of changing Bars. I
recently bought a fairly cheap 24 speed road bike (£250) with flat
handle bars as I thought I could use the bike on various surfaces.
Since riding it for a couple of months I find myself on the road all
the time and would like to do longer runs.

So I would like to fit drop bars with integrated brake/gear levers. So
is this possible, what components would I need and how much would it
cost?

I assume your gears are Shimano. Shimano and Campagnolo integrated lever
systems are not really compatible. I believe the cheapest Shimano
integrated road levers are probably Sora, which will set you back about
£95 a pair <URL:http://www.wiggle.co.uk/?ProductID=5300002754>

Alternatively you could fit either downtube or bar end levers for your
gears and fit separate brake levers. This would be a bit cheaper.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; my other religion is Emacs

igp said:

So I would like to fit drop bars with integrated brake/gear levers. So
is this possible,.........

Shimano STI levers for drop bars are not compatible with all front
derailleurs. Perhaps the derailleur could be changed if there was a
problem, or an alternative front shifter used, in the style of Lance
Armstrong!

Alternatively, Campagnolo Ergo levers could be fitted. They're cheaper
than Shimano's and the front (left) shifter is compatible with everything.
There are complications with rear compatibility, but they can be got round
or tolerated.

~PB

In message <[email hidden]>, igp
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hi,
Looking for some advice about the possibility of changing Bars. I
recently bought a fairly cheap 24 speed road bike (£250) with flat
handle bars as I thought I could use the bike on various surfaces.
Since riding it for a couple of months I find myself on the road all
the time and would like to do longer runs.

So I would like to fit drop bars with integrated brake/gear levers. So
is this possible, what components would I need and how much would it
cost?

I am going the other way due to back problems - may be interested in
your shifters, levers if not V brake and bars if 25.4.
--
John B Wilkinson

John B Wilkinson said:

In message <[email hidden]>, igp
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hi,
Looking for some advice about the possibility of changing Bars. I
recently bought a fairly cheap 24 speed road bike (£250) with flat
handle bars as I thought I could use the bike on various surfaces.
Since riding it for a couple of months I find myself on the road all
the time and would like to do longer runs.

So I would like to fit drop bars with integrated brake/gear levers. So
is this possible, what components would I need and how much would it
cost?

I am going the other way due to back problems - may be interested in
your shifters, levers if not V brake and bars if 25.4.

I have a pair of canti shifters, they aren't pretty but were good once
upon a time. Dia-compe, I think. Email your address to me and if they
don't cost a mint to post you can have them. Someone did this for me
earlier and I am in a good mood.

Chris

--
|C|H|R|I|S|@|T|R|I|N|I|T|Y|W|I|L|L|S|.|C|O|M|
Remove the bars to contact me

Newk bar ends , but they seem rather expensive.Still cheaper than new
bars barake handles etc..
http://www.sjscycles.com/store/vIndex.htm

Terry J

Terry said:

Newk bar ends , but they seem rather expensive.Still cheaper than new
bars barake handles etc..
sjscycles.comvIndex.htmOpen ↗

Terry J

Thanks for all the advice
Its good to know that I can make the change.
Has anyone used the 'newk drop bar ends' and are they worthwhile?
Also would it be possible to just buy new drop bars and fit my existing flat bar levers/brakes to the drop bars?

Thanks

Ian

in message <[email hidden]>, igp

(') said:

Terry said:

Newk bar ends , but they seem rather expensive.Still cheaper than new
bars barake handles etc..
http://www.sjscycles.com/store/vIndex.htm

Thanks for all the advice
Its good to know that I can make the change.
Has anyone used the 'newk drop bar ends' and are they worthwhile?

I haven't tried them but vis-a-vis ordinary bar ends they add a drop
position which is very valuable for headwinds (and you may find useful
at other times too). I use Cane Creek Ergo Control bar ends, and would
suggest them as an alternative:
<URL:http://www.wiggle.co.uk/?ProductID=5220000162>
They don't give you a drop position but are extremely comfortable.

Quoted message said:

Also would it be possible to just buy new drop bars and fit my
existing flat bar levers/brakes to the drop bars?

You might get away with this. Get a cheap pair of drops and experiment.
But if there's any danger at all of the bars fouling the brake levers
don't do it.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; how did we conclude that a [censored] cartoon mouse is deserving
;; of 90+ years of protection, but a cure for cancer, only 14?
-- user 'Tackhead', in /. discussion of copyright law, 22/05/02

"igp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Also would it be possible to just buy new drop bars and fit my existing
flat bar levers/brakes to the drop bars?

I tend to doubt it - bars for road bikes (drops, aero bars etc) seem to be
of a slightly different different diameter to typical mtb flat bars - 26.0mm
vs 25.4mm I think. This means it's unlikely you'll be able to fit typical
flat-bar levers on typical drops, ergonomics aside. If you want to go the
drop bar route, I'd suggest do it properly and get road STI levers!

Rich

igp said:

Also would it be possible to just buy new drop bars and fit
my existing flat bar levers/brakes to the drop bars?

Not readily. Most flat bars have a diameter of 7/8" (22.2mm), while road
bars are 15/16", so the clamps of the flat-bar controls are too small to
fit over the road bar. You might be able to ream out the clamps, or simply
bend them to fit the larger bar diameter, but it's not a neat solution.

James Thomson