megabyzus

Hi, I currently have a fixed gear/single gear bike with a drop bar and two dropbar style brakes.

The specs for the stem on this bike state:
"Forged Aluminum, 8 deg, Removable 26.0 Clamp, Black Finish, Threadless 1.125" It's not clear to me what these measurements, particularly 26.0 and 1.125, mean.

I also have an extra flat bar which I tried to install but the stem (above) was too big for it. The handle bar has no measurement markings so I measured the circumference twice and divided by pi and got 25.2 and 25.26 mm. The online store I'm chatting with insists this a 25.4 mm handlebar. But I see 25.2 mm handlebars online being sold online (here). Although Sheldon Brown doesn't mention a 25.2 mm anywhere either.

My online store also suggest I get a new stem. I don't understand why I can't buy a shim?

My online store also indicates I need to get new brake cables because the current cable endings that are on the dropbar won't fit the new brakes for the flarbar I need.

Anyway here is a summary of what I need and any help will be appreciated!

- Is my extra flat handlebar indeed a 25.4mm or is it really a 25.2mm? This is where everything starts.
- Do I really need to get new brake cables to convert from dropbar brakes to flatbar brakes? If so any recommendations?
- So I really need to by a new stem (see dimensions above)? Why can't I simply buy a shim? If so any recommendations?
- Any suggestions on grips?
- Are there conversion bundles I can get that has all of the above?

Your help and advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

umazuki

The handlebar could be either one. Since your stem is 26.0mm, you could probably just get a couple of 0.2mm shims and use either 3 or 4 of those. And yeah, you need new cables as well. You might be able to MacGuyver up a solution without new cables, but cables are cheap. You probably don't need a new stem.

For flat bars, I'd like something like Ergon grips - they look funny, but they're comfortable.

All of these questions (and more) could be fielded by a competent bike mechanic who has the bike in front of them - if you're not 100% sure what you're doing, I'd at least see what he says.

megabyzus

Umazuki, thanks. Are you CONFIRMING there are 25.2 mm handlebars? If so can you post a reference (other than the ebay link I cited)? I can't find any mention of a 25.2 mm handlebars anywhere else. Sheldon doesn't mention such a beast either. I'm wondering if my measurement tolerances are within the margin of error making this indeed a 25.4 mm handlebar. Thoughts?

Ferrous Bueller

Comments in bold.

megabyzus

Thanks for the info. Great appreciated.

Retro Grouch 

A bicycle is a simple machine but the devil is in the details.

1. Sometimes 1 measurement is worth 1,000 guesses. If you aren't sure of the clamping diameter of your handlebar, and you don't have a metric caliper, wrap a piece of paper around the handlebar, mark where it overlaps, measure with a flat ruler and divide by pi.
2. You don't need a different stem to make your bike work, but you might want one anyway. If it was my bike, I'd try it with what I had and see how it feels.
3. I've made shims for undersized handlebars from an empty soda can. In 1989 Greg LeMond won the Tour de France using such a shim so I'm in good company.
4. You really will need different brake cables to fit flat bar style brake levers. Unless your cables are pristine, you'll probably need new cables anyway. You might need longer brake cable housings too.
5. What are you planning to use for shifters and brake levers? That might drive your handgrip decision. There's lots of choices, I'm partial to natural cork myself.

Try to have fun with your project. I can almost guarantee that you'll find every step of the process more frustrating than you think. You'll learn a lot about bikes through the process, however, and you'll be a lot smarter when you finish.

cyclist2000

What type of shifters do you have on your current bike, down tube? The brake levers probably won't work, and what type of brake are on the bike.

Ferrous Bueller

Comments in bold

TromboneAl

Save yourself some trouble and expense, and don't make the same mistake I made.

You already have a flat bar installed -- it just happens to have drops on the side!

Instead of installing a new handlebar, you can learn to use the brakes with your hands on the hoods (preferred -- they are designed to work this way), or you can buy and install some "inline" or "interrupter" brakes on the top bar:




I spend 99% of my time with my hands on the top, and it works fine.

Ferrous Bueller

^that's exactly what I'd do too

cyclist2000

Isn't the simplest thing to do is get out the hacksaw and cut off the drops or turn the bars over and cut them to bullhorns and use the current brake levers

fietsbob

The steerers are 9/8" so you buy a stem to go with the other bars..

sreten

Hi,

Chop and flip the drops into bullhorns,
not new cable or brake levers needed.

Might need some new handlebar tape
depending on the stuff currently fitted.

rgds, sreten.