I posted this same message to rec.bicycles.misc, and then decided that
perhaps this might be a better place to ask this question. Not exactly
a crosspost (ie, if you respond, it won't go both places) but basically
the same message.
In my prep for my first multi-day tour (Guangzhou, Guangdong PRC to
Haikou, Hainan PRC), I decided to try out a different set of handlebars
on my bike. The verdict has not come in yet on whether or not I like
them (so far 50 km of riding on them, compared to more than 3000 km
logged on drop bars).
Biggest advantage so far seems to be that, if I wanted to, I could
fit a basket on my bike (though, right now, it has a handlebar bag with
clear plastic map window).
Second biggest advantage would be that they clearly make my bike
'different'. I've only seen these kind of bars on a bike outside of
the bike shop _once_. I'm already getting lots of questions from
randoms about my "competition" bike, and the general estimate among
locals of how much it cost has more than doubled (but still doesn't
approach my actual cost because very few of them can believe that I
bought a locally made high-end bicycle for the same cost as two low-end
locally made motorcycles).
I figure, if they work out for me, I'll have until the middle of
February (if I survive this solo tour, I will almost immediately have a
weeklong big group ride, and then another solo tour), to decide whether
or not to permanently keep them on this bike and do something about the
old bars and brakes/shifters (within an hour of having my conversion
finished I'd already had someone ask me if I was selling the old ones).
If they don't work for me, I'll get my drop bars put back on when I
get back to Haikou and find myself figuring out what to do with them
On Sheldon Brown's webpage
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/deakins/handlebars.html the brakes and
shifters are in a different place than on my bike's new handlebars.
Mine are on the inner set of flats. His are pictured on the outside
set.
I've yet to have anything other than perfect faith in the meme that
when it comes to bikes 'Sheldon Knows All', but, I've also yet to have
anything other than perfect faith in the meme that my local shop's
mechanic is a genius. And he was involved in the process of putting
them where they are.
Is one of the two wrong?
Are both right?
Is it also acceptable to have the brakes and shifters mounted on the
closer-in flat spots? Cause that's where they are right now.
Or, before I leave for my tour, should I come into the shop with a
printout of the picture on Sheldon's and have him move the brakes
(which could potentially be a bit of a pain since they've already put
the foam tape on).
The other thing is that Sheldon says you would typically replace the
stem with a slightly _shorter_ one when changing from drop bars to
these, and, after a very short bit of riding we replaced it with a
significantly _longer_ one (that I previously owned, thus proving
packrat-ism to be a useful skill) to counter extreme wrist pain..
-M