Handlebar conversion

Vince said:

I have a fifteen year old Dawes Horizon with dop
handlebars and gearshifts on the down tube. I rarely use
the drop position, so I'm considering getting the
handlebars replaced with 'straight' ones that include grip
shifters.

This immediately throws up a few questions:
1) How easy is this (for a bike shop) to do? (or is it
easier to get a new bike)
2) Is it a reasonable thing to do?
3) What should I look out for?
4) Can anybody recommend any shops in Basingstoke (or
maybe Reading) to do the work?
5) What sort of price would be reasonable (bearing in
mind the original bike is a low/mid price tourer?

Vince.

Butterfly bars are IMHO even better than straight bars - you
get a lot more comfortable positions and modern shifters are
fantastic compared to anything that fits on drops.

--
--

J u l i a n

__o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

in message <[email hidden]>, Vince

(') said:

I have a fifteen year old Dawes Horizon with dop
handlebars and gearshifts on the down tube. I rarely use
the drop position, so I'm considering getting the
handlebars replaced with 'straight' ones that include grip
shifters.

This immediately throws up a few questions:
1) How easy is this (for a bike shop) to do? (or is it
easier to get a new bike)

Trivial. It's even trivial to do it yourself.

Quoted message said:

2) Is it a reasonable thing to do?

If it's what you want, yes; and if you really don't use the
drops it sounds as though it is what you want.

Quoted message said:

3) What should I look out for?

I would advise plain straight aluminium bars (not carbon
fibre) with 'anatomical' bar ends (like the Cane Creek Ergos
which I use <URL:http://www.wiggle.co.uk/v2_product_detail.-
asp?ProdID=5220000162> This gives you two comfortable hand
positions and allows you to rest your wrists. Of course, you
can always start with straight bars and at the barends
later. The other thing you might consider is an 'airwing'
style bar like these
<URL:http://www.wiggle.co.uk/?ProductID=5360008179>

They're mostly used by serious roadies and mounted quite
low, but mounted higher they can be comfortable for
utility cyclists. You'll need different brake and gear
levers for these.

Quoted message said:

4) Can anybody recommend any shops in Basingstoke (or
maybe Reading) to do the work?

No, but it really is trivial to do yourself.

Quoted message said:

5) What sort of price would be reasonable (bearing in
mind the original bike is a low/mid price tourer?

Bars about £12 Bar ends £30 - a luxury, not strictly needed,
but will make life more comfortable Grips from about £3
upwards but get ones which are comfortable to your hands
Brake levers from about £5 a pair upwards Grip shifters from
about £10 each

So all in from £40 upwards, plus probably £15 for fitting if
you get your LBS to do it.

Sandy could doubtless do it cheaper but you'd have to factor
in the cost of the ferry...

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke)
jasmine.org.uk~simonOpen ↗

[ This .sig subject to change without notice
]

"Vince" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I have a fifteen year old Dawes Horizon with dop
handlebars and gearshifts on the down tube. I rarely use
the drop position, so I'm considering getting the
handlebars replaced with 'straight' ones that include grip
shifters.

Quoted message said:

This immediately throws up a few questions:
1) How easy is this (for a bike shop) to do? (or is it
easier to get a new bike)

It is easy, but... .see below

Quoted message said:

2) Is it a reasonable thing to do?

It is very reasonable to change from drops to flats. I guess
you currently use two positions and have to lean forward to
brake. With flats and bar ends
[1] you have the same positions but you don't have to lean
forward. Also, the upward angle of the bar ends are more
hand shaped than the the tops of drop bars [2].

The disadvantage is that without fitting a longer handlebar
stem the new riding position may feel short. A new stem may
be required.

[2] Short or cut down bar ends may be better than the usual
longer style.

[3] This is where I need my flame proof suit. There are lots
of drop bar die-hards here.

Quoted message said:

3) What should I look out for?

Listen for air sucking past teeth.

Quoted message said:

4) Can anybody recommend any shops in Basingstoke (or
maybe Reading) to do the work?

There are lots of shops. I do my own tinkering but Halfords
is not usually a good choice.

Quoted message said:

5) What sort of price would be reasonable (bearing in
mind the original bike is a low/mid price tourer?

Minimum - Handlebar, brake levers, shifters, grips & cables-
possibly £80

Budget for Bar ends & stem Your current mechs may not be
compatible with the new shifters Your chain may be worn so
change the cassette too. What condition are your tyres &
brake blocks in?
- over £200

Add labour rates

In article <[email hidden]>, Simon

Brooke said:

Bars about £12

£ 4-30

Quoted message said:

Bar ends £30 - a luxury, not strictly needed, but will
make life more comfortable

Free - I got some which I cannot sell:-(

Quoted message said:

Grips from about £3 upwards but get ones which are
comfortable to your hands

Nearer to £4-00 for comfortable ones

Quoted message said:

Brake levers from about £5 a pair upwards

I got a box of about 30 in a sale recently for a fiver - it
included two (non matched) hydraulics.

Quoted message said:

Grip shifters from about £10 each

About right but if you want grip shift with attached brake
levers they can be expensive.

Quoted message said:

So all in from £40 upwards, plus probably £15 for fitting
if you get your LBS to do it.

Do your own sums and add a tenner for fitting - you will
also need new cables and bits of outer - add another £4-00

Quoted message said:

Sandy could doubtless do it cheaper but you'd have to
factor in the cost of the ferry...

a bike on the ferry costs £2-00

--
A T (Sandy) Morton on the Bicycle Island In the Global
Village millport.netmillport.netOpen ↗

Sandy Morton said:

In article <2m36p1-
[email hidden]>, Simon Brooke

Quoted message said:

Bars about £12

£ 4-30

Quoted message said:

Bar ends £30 Grips from about £3 upwards

Nearer to £4-00 for comfortable ones

Quoted message said:

Brake levers from about £5 a pair upwards

Quoted message said:

Grip shifters from about £10 each

About right but if you want grip shift with attached brake
levers they can be expensive.

Quoted message said:

So all in from £40 upwards, plus probably £15 for
fitting if you get your LBS to do it.

Sounds simpler than I anticipated, I take a look into doing
it myself, some time soon.

Vince.

in message <[email hidden]>, DavidR

(') said:

"Vince" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I have a fifteen year old Dawes Horizon with dop
handlebars and gearshifts on the down tube. I rarely use
the drop position, so I'm considering getting the
handlebars replaced with 'straight' ones that include
grip shifters.

Quoted message said:

Budget for Bar ends & stem Your current mechs may not be
compatible with the new shifters

This is most unlikely to be a problem. SRAM make grip
shifters both for SRAM type and for Shimano type mechs. The
only thing is to make sure you get shifters which match
your mechs.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke)
jasmine.org.uk~simonOpen ↗

Age equals angst multiplied by the speed of fright squared.
;; the Worlock

[email hidden] schreef ...

Quoted message said:

This is most unlikely to be a problem. SRAM make grip
shifters both for SRAM type and for Shimano type mechs.
The only thing is to make sure you get shifters which
match your mechs.

Alas ..... no longer do SRAM make Grip Shift for both
Shimano and their own mechs. They can still be found in
shops, of course. You can however get SRAM's Rocket (trigger-
type) shifters to work with Shimano derailleurs. Also,
Shimano themselves make a few rotating shifters as do
Sunrace (for example their M50, to be seen om
www.sunrace.com).

--
Regards, Marten