Cycling Equipment · Public discussion

Converting from drop to flat

Started by Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott · · Last activity · 10 posts · 679 views

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Cycling Equipment
Published
11 February 2006
Last activity
15 February 2006
Original author
Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott
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10
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Public discussion
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  1. The old back is getting too creaky for the drop bars on my road bike.
    I'm more comfortable on my beater flat-bar bike and I think I want to
    put flats on the road bike. Yeah, I know I lose hand positions, but my
    back thanks me. So. Need to lose the brifters, I reckon. Ultegra
    sidepull brakes, and Ultegra derailleurs with 9spd on the rear. What's a
    nice set of levers/shifters that will work here?
    --

    Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
    71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
    84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana"😉
    KG6RCR

  2. Shimano has rapidfire shifters that'll work fine, but why not save some
    energy and money and get the bars up to a sane height?

    If it's quill, just get a technomic:
    http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/webalog/handlebars_stems_tape/16044.html

    Threadless extender:
    http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=119&subcategory=1186&brand=&sku=4264&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

  3. On 2/11/2006 3:33 PM landotter said:

    Shimano has rapidfire shifters that'll work fine, but why not save some
    energy and money and get the bars up to a sane height?

    Threadless extender:
    http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=119&subcategory=1186&brand=&sku=4264&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

    A useful and intelligent suggestion! It's certainly less hassle (unless
    some or all cables need to be lengthened) than new handlebars and
    shifters and things.

    My bike has a threadless steerer. Is that compatible with the "Ahead
    system" that the riser is described as being made for?

    --

    Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
    71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
    84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana"😉
    KG6RCR

  4. Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott said:

    The old back is getting too creaky for the drop bars on my road bike.
    I'm more comfortable on my beater flat-bar bike and I think I want to
    put flats on the road bike. Yeah, I know I lose hand positions, but my
    back thanks me. So. Need to lose the brifters, I reckon. Ultegra
    sidepull brakes, and Ultegra derailleurs with 9spd on the rear. What's a
    nice set of levers/shifters that will work here?

    Paul Components Thumbies and Ultegra 9spd thumb shifters. These things
    are phenomenal.

    http://www.paulcomp.com/thumbmtn.htm

    I have a set of Tektro/Nashbar/Forte levers that are supposed to be
    adjustable for this kind of thing, but I haven't installed them yet so I
    can't recommend them.

    Have fun!

  5. Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott said:
    On 2/11/2006 3:33 PM landotter said:

    Shimano has rapidfire shifters that'll work fine, but why not save some
    energy and money and get the bars up to a sane height?

    Threadless extender:
    http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=119&subcategory=1186&brand=&sku=4264&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

    A useful and intelligent suggestion! It's certainly less hassle (unless
    some or all cables need to be lengthened) than new handlebars and
    shifters and things.

    If you jack the bars up a couple inches, I bet you'll need some fresh
    cables. I moved my levers from a pretty jacked up position on the bars
    to having the blade ends level with the bar flats--about an inch and I
    got away with not getting longer cables by having the cable exit the
    bar wrap earlier. Worth a shot.

    You can also think about getting a stem with more rise in the angle
    department, or flip your current stem if that would raise the bars up,
    but the extender is the way to really get them up there.

    Quoted message said:


    My bike has a threadless steerer. Is that compatible with the "Ahead
    system" that the riser is described as being made for?

    yes, just make sure you get the right diameter, most are 1.25" these
    days, but some road bikes have 1" steerers.

  6. "Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"
    <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    The old back is getting too creaky for the drop bars on my road bike. I'm
    more comfortable on my beater flat-bar bike and I think I want to put
    flats on the road bike. Yeah, I know I lose hand positions, but my back
    thanks me. So. Need to lose the brifters, I reckon. Ultegra sidepull
    brakes, and Ultegra derailleurs with 9spd on the rear. What's a nice set
    of levers/shifters that will work here?

    Something like this:
    http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=12809&storetype=estore&estoreid=540&pagename
    oughta get you rolling. I had to ride a similar get-up for several years;
    bad backs have an amazing way of getting better for unknown reasons.

  7. landotter said:

    Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott wrote:

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    My bike has a threadless steerer. Is that compatible with the "Ahead
    system" that the riser is described as being made for?

    yes, just make sure you get the right diameter, most are 1.25" these
    days, but some road bikes have 1" steerers.


    In fact, nearly all are 1.125", 1" stems going the way of the dodo. Not
    a problem, as shims are readily available to make the larger stems fit a
    1" steerer. My LBS recommends at least one thin spacer between the stem
    and top cap if doing this, to ensure an undersize top cap can press
    evenly on the stem.

  8. "Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"
    <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    The old back is getting too creaky for the drop bars on my road bike.
    I'm more comfortable on my beater flat-bar bike and I think I want to
    put flats on the road bike. Yeah, I know I lose hand positions, but my
    back thanks me. So. Need to lose the brifters, I reckon. Ultegra
    sidepull brakes, and Ultegra derailleurs with 9spd on the rear. What's a
    nice set of levers/shifters that will work here?

    I have SRAM Attack gripshifters and some CODA levers I can't identify as
    anyone else's knock offs on what used to be a drop bar shimano brifter bike.
    It's a great setup, much preferable to any trigger system. Just don't get
    too long a stem or too wide a bar.

  9. On 2/11/2006 3:58 PM Collin O'Neill said:
    Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott said:

    The old back is getting too creaky for the drop bars on my road bike.
    I'm more comfortable on my beater flat-bar bike and I think I want to
    put flats on the road bike. Yeah, I know I lose hand positions, but my
    back thanks me. So. Need to lose the brifters, I reckon. Ultegra
    sidepull brakes, and Ultegra derailleurs with 9spd on the rear. What's
    a nice set of levers/shifters that will work here?

    Paul Components Thumbies and Ultegra 9spd thumb shifters. These things
    are phenomenal.

    http://www.paulcomp.com/thumbmtn.htm

    So . . . if I read the blurb for this product correctly, they are a not
    inexpensive way to mount bar-end shifters (like I used to have on my
    12-spd commuting bike in the '70's) closer to the center of a flat
    handlebar so I can flip the shift with my thumbs? I thought the bar-end
    shifters I had were pretty clunky -- are they better now?

    --

    Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
    71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
    84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana"😉
    KG6RCR

  10. Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott said:
    Quoted message said:

    http://www.paulcomp.com/thumbmtn.htm

    So . . . if I read the blurb for this product correctly, they are a not
    inexpensive way to mount bar-end shifters (like I used to have on my
    12-spd commuting bike in the '70's) closer to the center of a flat
    handlebar so I can flip the shift with my thumbs? I thought the bar-end
    shifters I had were pretty clunky -- are they better now?

    Yep. The Shimano bar-end shifters are smaller than their downtube
    shifters. Rather petite, actually- only slightly larger than old-school
    Campy friction bar-ends.

    Jeff

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