Question about handlebars.



Tember

New Member
Oct 20, 2009
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I have a hybrid bike that I want to change the handle bars on to make it less hybrid and more road bike. I am new to cycling and not rich to start this off. So I am not looking to spend $500 on a set of handle bars. My challenge is changing the shifters; they are grip shifters and I am not sure how you would change those and how hard it is to get them around the bends. If they won't work; then what do I have to do to adapt so I shift gears? Below are links I like the Ambrosio ones the most, but I am assuming the the Nitto ones will be easier to adapt my current setup with. I am riding a Cannondale Adventure 5. Thank you for any help in advance.

Ambrosio Atritium 1 Aero Bars | Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com
BikeSomeWhere.com | Nitto | Handlebars - Track/Pursuit | Nitto RB-018 Pursuit Bicycle Handlebar
 
Tember said:
I Thank you for any help in advance.
Twist-grip shifters on the drops of the drop bar might work, as well as on the bullhorns, but the result would be so awkward you might want to give up riding.

Look into bar-end or downtube shifters for both applications.
 
Tember said:
I have a hybrid bike that I want to change the handle bars on to make it less hybrid and more road bike. I am new to cycling and not rich to start this off. So I am not looking to spend $500 on a set of handle bars. My challenge is changing the shifters; they are grip shifters and I am not sure how you would change those and how hard it is to get them around the bends. If they won't work; then what do I have to do to adapt so I shift gears? Below are links I like the Ambrosio ones the most, but I am assuming the the Nitto ones will be easier to adapt my current setup with. I am riding a Cannondale Adventure 5. Thank you for any help in advance.

Ambrosio Atritium 1 Aero Bars | Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com
BikeSomeWhere.com | Nitto | Handlebars - Track/Pursuit | Nitto RB-018 Pursuit Bicycle Handlebar
The clamp of your Grip Shifts have a smaller inner diameter than the diameter of any ROAD handlebar, so unless you enlarge the inner diameter of the clamp, you will need a different set of shifters.

It seems that most non-racers rarely put their hands on the drops of a road handlebar ... and, you should consider that you may eventually be in that group.

BEFORE you change handlebars, if you haven't done so already, then you may want to consider flipping the stem DOWN to lower the handlebar AND adding some bar end 'grips'.

Otherwise, if you are keen to get some road/("drop") handlebars, then I recommend that you buy the 'aero' clip-ons separately rather than an integrated combination ... and, I recommend that you only spend ~$30-or-less for any pair of 42cm bars (that width will probably seem narrow after using a "flat" handlebar).

If you like using ROAD bars, you may eventually want a different SHAPE of the drop and/or a different width; and then you can pony up for a different set of bars + new stem (if necessary).

FYI. Campagnolo 10-speed ERGO shifters can be mated to the derailleurs of almost any Shimano(-compatible) drivetrain -- at the low end of the cost spectrum you may be able to buy a pair for about $100 on eBay ... $200 at your LBS.

Of course, you'll need to spend about $10 for some handebar tape, too.
 
You may also want to look into used components which should be way less than $500.00. Drops, levers,tape etc used can be pretty inexpensive if you stay from carbon.