mottedebeurre

Hello all,

I need some input. I'm currently riding a 17.5" 2008 Jamis Coda, and I ride it long and hard (20+ miles daily with usually one 60 to 80 mile day per week, and this includes some hilly gravel roads...). It's a comfortable bike and fits me well. Perfect for townie rides and commuting, but on the longer cross-country rides I get some serious wrist/shoulder pain (or rather, the rides aggravate my pre-existing wrist and shoulder pains...). I swapped out saddle and pedals right away after purchasing last year; my big issue right now is handlebars. How much trouble would it be to put a set of drops on this bike? Is the frame's geometry right for drop bars? I figure I'll have to get new shifters and brake levers too? Here are my big questions:

1. How do I figure out what components will fit my bike? (Straight-up recommendations appreciated here, it anyone knows off the top of their head).
2. Is this an upgrade I can do at home, or should I have the LBS do it for me?
3. Roughly how much can I expect these upgrades to cost me (parts + labor)? Is it worth the cash, or should I just keep hunting around for an old steel road bike and ditch the Jamis altogether?

Mil gracias.

AndrewP

I did it with a Peugeot hybrid, because I wanted drop bars to deal with headwinds. It can cost anywhere from $300 - $400, so is not worth it unless you really like the way your Jamis rides and handles. A cheaper alternative would be fit barends set low to give the same riding and hand position as riding on the hoods of drop bars, and also clip-on aerobars to give another riding position. This would avoid the problem of dealing with lever/brake compatability.

Jeff Wills

A couple things make this pretty complicated:

1. Your bike has "V" brakes. There are very few "drop-style" brake levers that work correctly with V-brakes. Dia-Compe 287-V and Tektro RL520 levers do this. Using "brifters" (integrated brake + shift levers) will require a cable-travel adapter called a "Travel Agent".

2. If you go brifter, you'll have to get a compatible front derailleur. The best option is bar-end shifters, which avoid most shifting compatibility questions.

(FWIW: I have Shimano bar-ends and Dia-Compe 287-V's on my Fort: https://home.comcast.net/~jeff_wills/...es/bike016.htm )

3. Hybrid bikes tend to have shorter top tubes than road bikes. You'll probably need a long handlebar stem to put you in the correct position on the bike. Your old bike's geometry just wasn't created for use with drop bars.

IMO, your best bet is to invest in a good-fitting "real" road bike instead of mongrelizing your existing bike.

bcarter6

There is also these:

https://www.amazon.com/Origin-Bicycle...f=pd_rhf_p_t_3

I converted my Trek 7.6fx. It was easy, but definitely not cheap, I don't want to think about how much it cost to covert mine. My girlfriend wants me to convert her hybrid and I am going to use those bar ends. My frame was similar enough to a relaxed road bike frame so that the results were very good, but I don't think it would work on her, so I'm going to just clamp on the bar ends and she'll be able to duck down out of the wind.

I_bRAD

If you convert to drop bars, you'll be putting more weight on your wrists and shoulders, making the problem you're trying to solve worse. Have you considered a more upright bar, or a higher rise stem? You want to move your weight towards your pelvis and away from your wrists. A higher bar will do that. Another option, and the cheapest one is to tilt the nose of your saddle just slightly upwards from where it is now and lower the seat by the same amount you moved the tip up. Start with 5mm, and then adjust higher or lower until you've got the optimum posisiton.

How is your posture when you're riding now? You could try tilting your pelvis forward (pull your shoulders back and stick out your belly) and try to keep your back as straight as possible. If you don't already do this, you might find it uncomfortable for a while, but eventually your body will adapt to it and you will be more comfortable.

DMF 

I tend to tense my shoulders while riding, and over long rides my right (mousing) shoulder will cramp. So I practice my mantra, "Drop your shoulders, flex your elbows. Drop your shoulders, flex your elbows." ad infinitum. Helps the hand and wrist discomfort, too.

IMO drop bars will be a big help. Nothing else like being able to choose between half a dozen different riding positions.

Before you decide to change or buy another, have your riding position evaluated. If the Jamis isn't the right fit for you, there's no point in spending anything more on it.

desertdork

Bar choice itself is pretty much open to your budget and preference, but a diameter that is compatible with your current stem might save you the need to purchase a new stem.

While you can sometimes encounter exceptional deals on integrated (STI) shifters, barcons are typically much cheaper and can be found for 8 or 9-sp indexed shifting. While going STI means you won't have to purchase separate brake levers, you will have to purchase cantilever calipers or travel agents...and you'll also need to replace your current front derailleur for something that's compatible with both your crankset and road brake levers.

At the minimum, you'd need your choice of bar, barcons, V-brake compatible road levers, bar tape, and probably cables and housing. For comparison, an STI conversion might require bars, STI shifters, canti brakes, front and rear cable hangers, bar tape, and possibly a different stem.

What are your abilities? Are you comfortable adjusting derailleurs and brakes? Do you own (or are willing to purchase) the basic tools, which include a few hex wrenches, a repair stand of some king, and a means to properly cut cables and housing? If you don't feel comfortable, the LBS would be a good option.

For the basic barcon conversion with v-brake levers, allow $200 (parts) if you do it yourself. For the STI conversion, you can conservatively double that figure. Labor?

Your money