"tom" <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:
A long time ago I saw a reference on this group to a source of narrow
straight handlebars, but I can't seem to find it (or them!) anywhere.
Does anybody know where I might find some straights that are relatively
narrow?
A hacksaw?
A long time ago you may have seen this
http://bikesite.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/page8.html
I have changed it since then. I decided the bars were too narrow and the
brakes were ineffective.
The reason for the ineffective brakes was that I had put the bodies
slightly too far back so the levers were getting too close to the bar. In
order to correct this it was necessary to move the bodies forward slightly
which made it necessary to rebind the bar. However, I wasn't happy with the
feel either so I thought I would try
conventional levers (for the bar type). This does require a longer bar. So
the bar in the picture is 41cm against 47cm needed to accomodate the new
levers. My riding hand separation hasn't changed.
I now realise why brakes on drop bars are so spongy. I
originally thought that is was down to flexing of the arms of the dual
pivot sidepulls. In fact it is the brake levers that have different
ratios of stroke to cable pull - flat bar levers are lower [*]. I had not
realised this before and, although this gives the flat bar levers a lower
mechanical advantage, the reduced lever movement gives a much tighter and
responsive action.
Unfortunately there is a downside - the bar mounted levers are not so well
placed because a slight hand movement is needed from the main riding
position (though nowhere near as much as needed on drop bars) and hill
climbing is now not so good because the bar mounted brake bodies give less
space to hook the fingers under the bar ends.
[*] Not to be confused with V brake levers with an even lower ratio.
