Hybrid Bicycles - Switching Handlebars to Trekker/Butterfly

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alexmansour
08-11-11, 12:31 PM
Hi gang!

I am having several issues with hand numbness, and neck pain on my longer rides. There seems to be a lot of good things being said about trekker/butterfly bars that will help alleviate these issues and I'm willing to give it a try. However, there are a few questions I need some help with.

1 - I have an older Trek 700 MultiTrack with a Quill stem (picture included). Should I (is it possible) to convert this to the new adjustable threadless system in order to get the proper spacing between the handlebars and the bike?

2 - I have grip shifters on my current handlebar. Will they work on the new handlebar (if I reversed them. 3 speed on right and 7 speed on left)? Or should I get a set of new trigger shifters?

3 - What do you guys recommend to wrap the handlebar with to provide the most comfort?

4 - Is there a particular brand that you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help.

PS. That is my wife's car in the background not mine :)

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wiredfoxterror
08-11-11, 05:46 PM
I saw a picture posted in the forum of someone's with these bars and he had ergo grips on them. He said they were the stock nashbar trekkers and he put the ergo grips on them.
irclean
08-11-11, 05:48 PM
A quill stem will work just fine, but you'll likely need to get a longer one to get your controls in more or less the same position:

214294214295

Either grip or trigger shifters will work. No need to change the configuration:

214296214297

Cork tape all the way around is very comfortable. If you like you can put some gel pads (http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=24126) under your tape. I've found the most comfortable combination for me to be cork tape plus Ergon GP1 grips:

214300214301

Both sets that I have are Kalloy Uno:

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alexmansour
08-12-11, 02:13 PM
Irclean -

Thanks! What you've done with your Schwinn is exactly what I'd like to have done to my bike. It looks great!

Question. Where did u get your stem with the longer reach from?

Cheers.
irclean
08-12-11, 02:22 PM
Irclean -

Thanks! What you've done with your Schwinn is exactly what I'd like to have done to my bike. It looks great!

Question. Where did u get your stem with the longer reach from?

Cheers.
Thanks! :D I got the stem from my LBS; they just happened to have the one with the length and angle that I wanted hanging on a peg.
pocky
08-12-11, 02:32 PM
1 - I have an older Trek 700 MultiTrack with a Quill stem (picture included). Should I (is it possible) to convert this to the new adjustable threadless system in order to get the proper spacing between the handlebars and the bike?


You can certainly get a longer quill stem, but if you've got a larger or cheaper source of threadless stems, I'd suggest using a threaded-to-threadless adapter:

http://www.performancebike.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=1033269&storeId=10052&catalogId=10551

Your Trek 700 MultiTrack, if it's anything like my wife's 700 MultiTrack Sport, probably needs the 1" quill rather than the 1 1/8". Note that the threadless part is always 1 1/8", but the threaded "quill part" is 1".