Converting flat bars to drops

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

Quoted message said:

Hi folks

I've got a Specialized Sirrus Elite flat barred bike, which I love, but would like to put drop
bars on it to give a more wind-avoiding riding position. I originally went for flat bars because
I'd be towing my daughter's trailer-bike and wanted better leverage and control in town - she's
now being weaned off this and onto a solo bike.

I've checked Specialized's website and the frame geometry of the Sirrus

and

Quoted message said:

Allez bikes are near enough the same (front traingle anyway) so the basic shape of the bike seems
okay. What I'm not so sure about is levers - the Sirrus has canti linear-pull brakes; will these
work okay with standard levers or will I end up over the bars every time I tug 'em?

The bike's got a 105 rear mech and (if it's all do-able) I'd go for 105 levers and change the
front mech to 105 too.

Anyone done similar things and got experience to share? Many thanks in advance for any words of
wisdom (and, as a mainly lurking person, thanks to all for the useful stuff that gets kicked
around on

here -

Quoted message said:

a fantastic resource for relative newbies like me)

Phil Bixby York, UK

The problem is with levers and the callipers. There is not enough travel in the levers and too
much in the callipers, or v-brakes as I suppose they are. There are devices available to overcome
this "The Travel Agent" being one I can recall. I tried such a device a few years back and had
little success, but then I'm not a bike mechanic ! There are brake levers available which have
the necessary travel but they are not STI levers, Dia-Compe I think. The best idea in the long
run might be to try and use cantilever brakes as opposed to v-brakes, the type that are used in
cyclo-cross in conjunction with STI levers. Or failing that sell the Sirrus and buy a Specialized
road bike !

Good Luck

Graham

Hi Graham, and thanks for the info.

The brakes are in fact (as I understand it) cyclo-cross type ones - ie a pair of vertical arms which
get squeezed together by a cable pulling horizontally, not v-brakes where a vertical cable pulls two
bits of upside-down V. Does this sound more promising?

Reason for not selling and getting another bike is that in all other respects the bike suits me -
mudguards fitted, nice Ritchey wheels / crankset and it's robust, even having bosses for lowrider
panniers on the fork. Plus, selling bikes is such a PAIN!

Thanks again Phil

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Hi folks

I've got a Specialized Sirrus Elite flat barred bike, which I love, but would like to put drop
bars on it to give a more wind-avoiding riding position. I originally went for flat bars because
I'd be towing my daughter's trailer-bike and wanted better leverage and control in town - she's
now being weaned off this and onto a solo bike.

I've checked Specialized's website and the frame geometry of the Sirrus

and

Quoted message said:

Allez bikes are near enough the same (front traingle anyway) so the

basic

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

shape of the bike seems okay. What I'm not so sure about is levers - the Sirrus has canti
linear-pull brakes; will these work okay with standard levers or will I end up over the bars
every time I tug 'em?

The bike's got a 105 rear mech and (if it's all do-able) I'd go for 105 levers and change the
front mech to 105 too.

Anyone done similar things and got experience to share? Many thanks in advance for any words of
wisdom (and, as a mainly lurking person, thanks to all for the useful stuff that gets kicked
around on

here -

Quoted message said:

a fantastic resource for relative newbies like me)

Phil Bixby York, UK

The problem is with levers and the callipers. There is not enough

travel

Quoted message said:

in the levers and too much in the callipers, or v-brakes as I suppose they are. There are devices
available to overcome this "The Travel Agent" being one I can recall. I tried such a device a few
years back and had little success, but then I'm not a bike mechanic ! There are brake levers

available

Quoted message said:

which have the necessary travel but they are not STI levers, Dia-Compe I think. The best idea in
the long run might be to try and use cantilever brakes as opposed to v-brakes, the type that are
used in cyclo-cross in conjunction with STI levers. Or failing that sell the Sirrus and buy a
Specialized road bike !

Good Luck

Graham

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

Quoted message said:

Hi Graham, and thanks for the info.

The brakes are in fact (as I understand it) cyclo-cross type ones - ie a pair of vertical arms
which get squeezed together by a cable pulling horizontally, not v-brakes where a vertical cable
pulls two bits of upside-down V. Does this sound more promising?

Reason for not selling and getting another bike is that in all other respects the bike suits me -
mudguards fitted, nice Ritchey wheels / crankset and it's robust, even having bosses for lowrider
panniers on the fork. Plus, selling bikes is such a PAIN!

Thanks again Phil

Your getting v-brakes and cantilevers mixed up Phil. It is the other way around ! So tou should
investigate the brake adaptor situation "Travel Agent" or

Quoted message said:

Q: is it possible to use drop bars on my mountain bike ??

A: yes you can, if you are running cantilever brakes then your new drop road brake levers will work
fine, if you are running v brakes then a v brake adaptor is required.

This is from a bike shop site Gear of Glasgow, just to give you an idea of what I am
talking about.

bikepark.co.ukBikepark Online Brakes 19.htmlOpen ↗ Have a look at this as well.
Hope this helps.

Graham

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Hi folks

I've got a Specialized Sirrus Elite flat barred bike, which I love,

but

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

would like to put drop bars on it to give a more wind-avoiding riding position. I originally
went for flat bars because I'd be towing my daughter's trailer-bike and wanted better leverage
and control in

town -

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

she's now being weaned off this and onto a solo bike.

I've checked Specialized's website and the frame geometry of the

Sirrus

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and

Quoted message said:

Allez bikes are near enough the same (front traingle anyway) so the

basic

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

shape of the bike seems okay. What I'm not so sure about is levers -

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Sirrus has canti linear-pull brakes; will these work okay with

standard

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

levers or will I end up over the bars every time I tug 'em?

The bike's got a 105 rear mech and (if it's all do-able) I'd go for

105

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

levers and change the front mech to 105 too.

Anyone done similar things and got experience to share? Many thanks in advance for any words
of wisdom (and, as a mainly

lurking

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

person, thanks to all for the useful stuff that gets kicked around on

here -

Quoted message said:

a fantastic resource for relative newbies like me)

Phil Bixby York, UK

The problem is with levers and the callipers. There is not enough

travel

Quoted message said:

in the levers and too much in the callipers, or v-brakes as I suppose

they

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

are. There are devices available to overcome this "The Travel Agent"

being

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

one I can recall. I tried such a device a few years back and had little success, but then I'm
not a bike mechanic ! There are brake levers

available

Quoted message said:

which have the necessary travel but they are not STI levers, Dia-Compe I think. The best idea in
the long run might be to try and use cantilever brakes as opposed to v-brakes, the type that are
used in cyclo-cross in conjunction with STI levers. Or failing that sell the Sirrus and buy a
Specialized road bike !

Good Luck

Graham

I must be going senile - I could have sworn that thread title said "bras" and was expecting an
entertaining thread about silicone implants, which would inevitably have drifted into a helmet
thread and finally petered out some time in 2004 when Paul Smith posted that helmets were
essential to protect cyclists against those drivers who insist on dangerously failing to exceed
the speed limit.

I'll get me coat....

--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud
wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.

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

Quoted message said:

Your getting v-brakes and cantilevers mixed up Phil. It is the other

way

Quoted message said:

around !

Guilty as charged :o/ I'll follow your advice - replacing the brakes with cantilevers seems like the
most elegant solution. Cost isn't too bad once it's lost in amongst the bars/levers/etc, especially
if you sort of half close your eyes while writing the cheque :o)

Thanks for your help (once again) Phil

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Your getting v-brakes and cantilevers mixed up Phil. It is the other

way

Quoted message said:

around !

Guilty as charged :o/ I'll follow your advice - replacing the brakes

with

Quoted message said:

cantilevers seems like the most elegant solution. Cost isn't too bad once it's lost in amongst the
bars/levers/etc, especially if you sort of half close your eyes while writing the cheque :o)

Thanks for your help (once again) Phil

No problem, anytime ! wiggle.co.ukwiggle.co.ukOpen ↗ Look at the brakes here, see if they are suitable.

Graham

Graham said:

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Your getting v-brakes and cantilevers mixed up Phil. It is the other

way

Quoted message said:

around !

Guilty as charged :o/ I'll follow your advice - replacing the brakes

with

Quoted message said:

cantilevers seems like the most elegant solution. Cost isn't too bad once it's lost in amongst
the bars/levers/etc, especially if you sort of half close your eyes while writing the cheque :o)

Thanks for your help (once again) Phil

No problem, anytime ! wiggle.co.ukwiggle.co.ukOpen ↗ Look at the brakes here, see if they are
suitable.

Graham

I'm about to do a similar conversion on an old hybrid type bike. I intend to do it on the cheap. I'm
hoping the cheapo cantilever brakes ("suitable for drop handlebars"😉 from SJS will do the trick.

I just need to make a few phone calls to SJS to clarify stem/handlebar sizes and I'll be off on my
first bike engineering task.

The other thing I've got to do is to lose the grip shifters. Again, I've found some cheap stem
mounted shifters on SJS which seem OK. I've never seen stem mounted before and can't understand why;
it looks a really ergonomic place to change gear from.

If it all works, I might go the whole hog and respray it yellow; my favourite bike colour.

Quoted message said:

I must be going senile - I could have sworn that thread title said "bras" and was expecting an
entertaining thread about silicone implants, which would inevitably have drifted into a helmet
thread and finally petered out some time in 2004 when Paul Smith posted that helmets were
essential to protect cyclists against those drivers who insist on dangerously failing to exceed
the speed limit.

I'll get me coat....

No dear - you need to up the medication. Matron will be along shortly. Be a good boy and lie quietly
in the padded cell.

Cheers, the paving slab fairy

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending a reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I must be going senile - I could have sworn that thread title said "bras"

/snip/

Quoted message said:

I'll get me coat....

--
Guy

This ng is indeed a mine of weird and wonderful information. Perhaps you're right Guy... maybe
"drops" is indeed the technical term for what you get when bras are removed?

I'll expect clarification from the paving slab fairy when she comes round with the clarification
trolley next...

Phil B