ARPRINCE

Hello All,

I'm contemplating getting a new road bike and convert my existing one to a hybrid used for a Sunday Funday rides. I currently ride a Cannondale Synapse Alloy 5 (105). The bike has a more upright/relax position so I think the frame is a good candidate for convertion.

Right now, I'm using 700x23C but it came with a 700x25C. Thinking to swap it with a 700x28C and the wheelset of the new bike. Get a flatbar and shifters + pedals. Any parts recommendations?

TIA

David Bierbaum

If you get a flat bar, you'll probably need a stem or extension to raise the bars to about level with your seat, I would think. Also, I'm a big fan of trekking/butterfly bars, myself! With some butterfly bars, you could probably use your current brakes and shifters on the inner or outer elbows, though I don't know how convenient that would be for your hands.

Oh, and as mentioned in the post below, while I was editing this, you may just want to stay with your current drop bars, and just look to raising the stem up and tilting the drops a bit upward, to give you a more comfy upright position without having to change anything else in your handlebar area setup.

javal

Why? Due to bike-fit? Why not have two drop-bars?

ARPRINCE

That moustache handlebar looks neat! My current handlebar and stem will go to the new bike since I really like them a lot. You may be spot on with the stem part. I just saw someone post a pix at the road bike forums with a long and high stem. tnx!

ARPRINCE

No not really. Used to ride MTBs long ago. I really like the straight handlebars. And since I usually ride with my wife+kids on weekends during summer, I figured a more laid back riding config would be better. I was thinking of getting a hybrid but have decided to take the convertion route instead.

PatrickGSR94

Buy flat bar road bike and swap bars between each? Since you said you're putting your current stem and bars on the new bike anyway...

I dunno, just a thought.

RollCNY

It can be a little bit complicated of a conversion:

Front Derailleur - MTB flat bar shifters use a different cable pull than road shifters. So you can use a MTB FD, but usually their curvature is maxed out at 48T, so they won't like your current road crank. Options are to buy flat bar shifters designed for road components (like the SRAM double tap ones), use a MTB FD and grind a larger radius in it, or buy a Shimano R440 or R770 FD, which is a road curvature with a MTB travel.

Brakes - you will have to find flat bar brake levers with a "short" cable pull. Most are designed more a linear pull v-brake, and are labeled "long pull". I believe SRAM's new 700 levers are short pull, and Tektro has one short pull model and one model that can do short or long.

10 speed flat bar stuff is pricey, and usually the best values are found in 9 speed stuff. If your RD is Shimano, no problem, but a SRAM 10 speed RD won't play happy with a 9 speed shifter (have not confirmed this in actuality, but believe it to be true from research).

In general, a relaxed geometry road bike usually has a very short top tube, and taller head tube. It may end up too short to be comfortable with a flat bar. But flat bar fit is very unique to the rider, so it may work fine. I tend to look either for a really long TT, a really long stem, or a forward STA when I set up a flat bar bike.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but good luck.

treadtread

For the shifters, you can also your bar end shifters with paul thumbies. Either way, I don't think its going to be cheap. You might be better off getting a used hybrid off craigslist.

ARPRINCE

I was thinking more like this kind of a set-up (link below) as far as the shifter and handle bar is concerned. Then I think or hope that I do not need to change anything on the drive train (and brakes). I might just check this config out with my Cannondale LBS. Interesting inputs you have there. Thanks a lot!

https://www.cannondale.com/2013/bikes...quick-carbon-1

giantcfr1

I think this is going to be easy. You have 105 and shimano have road flat bar levers to
fit (10 speed)

ARPRINCE

Anyone knows if this will work?
SRAM S700 / 700

https://tinyurl.com/9zo8sew
https://tinyurl.com/8tmj7fy

RollCNY

Brake levers yes.

Left shifter with FD.. yes.

Right shifter with RD.. no. Needs SRAM 10 speed RD (I think you have Shimano now, based on the Synapse (105) in 1st post)

ARPRINCE

Confused a bit. The shifter says 2x10. I interpret it as 2 cogs front 10 cogs back. I'll do more research on this product.

RollCNY

You have to understand that SRAM and Shimano are not fully interchangeable. For front derailleurs, they are, so you can use any road 2x shifter with any road fd. For rear derailleurs, they are not, so a Shimano shifter has to be used with a Shimano RD, and a SRAM shifter with a SRAM RD.

The parts you link would work great if you also bought a SRAM 10 speed rear derailleur, like an Apex or X9

ARPRINCE

OK got you. Never really thought that the 2, as far as RD & Shifter are incompatible. Darn....that Shimano 770 is expensive $150+. Looks like I'll be spending around $300 to convert.

But If I changed my RD to an APEX, I'll get the Shifter + Brake Lever (all 3) at approx the same cost of the Shimano 770 shifters. Might be the best route I would take!

rebel1916

Drop bars are always more comfortable than flatbars on the road or MUP. I mean that. Always. Someone will say otherwise, but they are just being contrary.

badger1

fify.
Your statement, in its original and unqualified form, is complete nonsense.

rebel1916

Nope. Drops have more hand positions. They can be used as flat bars and they have the option of giving you some shelter from the wind. The are ALWAYS more comfortable, and more usable. When talking about rides over 10-15 miles this becomes even more apparent. Some people may not like em for aesthetic reasons or because they are intimidation and scary, or whatever, but that doesn't mean they aren't functionally superior

RollCNY

First, you are in the Hybrid forum, so please make your non-sense statements in the Road Forum. You will have people agreeing with you like a monkey on a cupcake. But in the Hybrid Forum, the vast majority have flatbars.

Second, functionally, they are identical to a flat bar in that they serve the functions of a handlebar: steer, hold the controls, and have a place to put your mitts.

Third, there are more back angle positions in drop bars, but there are the same number of hand positions as there are on a flat bar with bar ends. The drops, the hoods, and the corners all have your hand in the exact same position, but they change your back angle.

These are old pictures, but on my flat bars I use:

RollCNY

I would do the SRAM route. My flat bar bike has SRAM X9, with similar triggers to what you are looking at (it is older, so 9 speed mtb, and I had to use the special FD I talked about above), and it shifts better than a 105 bike that I had on 30 day trial. It is quiet and exact, and shifts well loaded or unloaded. I have had Shimano trigger shifters, and they were never a fraction as smooth as the SRAM MTB stuff.

badger1

dr1445

i get along great with drops, only my neck dislikes them. what good are drops if you can't see but a few feet in front of the bike?

giantcfr1

Well we should have gathered by now how to ruin a thread. Just troll about drop bars vs riser ／flat bars.

rebel1916

Mount em a little higher lil homey. Than you will still have many options, but you can still sit up like King Fred!

dr1445

about a 10" stem extension would make it possible for me to use drops but then what would be the point. i ride 2 to 2 1/2 hours with flat bars without finding the need for additional hand positions but then i spent many hours on motorcycles, without the aid of additional positions.