Hi,

I have an old peugeot monaco ladies bike. I know it is not the best bike but I like the look of it/colour scheme. It will only be used for short distances.

I don't however like using drop handlebars and was wondering if it would be possible for the handlebars to be changed to flat bars.

Unfortunately I won't be able to get time off work to go into a bike shop to ask about the possibility so was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to advise as to whether something like this would be possible and roughly what a shop might charge to do this.

Also would this affect the brakes etc - would i need to get these replaces?

Many thanks in advance

Drop-to-flat and flat-to-drop are both common questions here.
A search should yield plenty of reading material.
You can keep the brakes, but you will need to pick the right kind of brake levers.
Drop bar levers need to sit on the outside face of a fairly sharp bend to work, and not many flat bars fit that description.
Shifters can be tricky or dead simple.
Finding integrated shifters/brake levers to match the current drivetrain - which you don't say what you have - can be tricky.
Stem or downtube shifters are easy.

If the bike is old enough to have down-tube shifters or stem-shifters, then all you need to change along with the bars is the brake levers. Just make sure you get short-pull levers to go with your brakes. Most flatbar brake levers are long-pull for v-brakes, but those are likely not an option with your frame (needs mounting posts). They have short-pull flatbar levers, and they even have switchable short/long-pull, if you look carefully.

You possibly have stem shoplifters so the only thing you will need other than the new straight handle bar will be brake levers to match your brakes, almost certainly need to shorten the brake cables as well. & of course new handlebar grips.

If you have not looked into it there are a considerable amount of slight variations of a few degrees in the various types of straight handlebars, so it will be worth having a good look around at the variations in design, these type of handlebars also come in a selection of different widths, so you need to think about that, to which will be more comfortable, yes some can be cut down but not too much as handlebars maybe tapered towards the clamp area, & you then cannot slide the brake levers on to where you require them.

Downhill bike handle bars tend to be of a heavier gauge & much wider which you may not want.

There are also two main diameters of handle bars so you need to measure the clamp area on your to make sure you buy the same.

Hi,

Many thanks for all your replies they have been really helpful. The bike does have stem shifters. Once again thanks so much. Looking forward to being able to take it in to a bike shop soon

My guess to have a bike shop do the work around $115.

Bars $30
Brake levers $25
Grips $10
Brake Cables $20
labour $30

This is just a rough estimate, your bike shop can you give you the real cost. Some parts can be more expensive and some could be cheaper.

Sorry, just one last question. I was looking at this bike (link below) and was curious about the brakes used. One of the reasons I wanted to change to a flat bar was that I have heard people advising against using the levers on the top as you can't get as much braking power as with the levers located on the drop. I was wondering what the brake setup is on this bike as it only seems to have one set which is on the top.

velobros.de/stahl-rennraeder-berlin/peugeot-monaco-·-single-speed-·-carbolite-103-·-58cm-cc/

*Sorry for the lack of correct terminology I know very little about this

This type of lever as shown on the link, is normally fitted in-line with racing type handle-bar brake levers, often to be found on touring bikes it allow you to keep your hands up / change position rather than always being on the drops.

To install the brake cable passes through this type of lever as well, to fit them the inner cable is pulled out, the outer cable cut, then the inner cable goes back in again.

Many years ago the older type of touring levers worked off from the normal brake levers but had an extended arm that came back up to the same place as shown on your link, this type as shown is a more modern version.

I've not personally seen the type on the link used on their own before ? I could not comment if you have the full braking leverage if the type on your link is used on their own ?

The correct term for those levers is "interrupter" or "cross" levers. I found them to be quite adequate (and I am fussy about brakes) and very convenient when in traffic. I could keep my head up high for visibility and hands on the brakes for quick reaction. They have essentially no impact on the primary brakes when used as secondary levers. When used on their own as primary levers you need to ensure that the inner wire does not flex at the molded head lest it break there; I put a short length of outer housing on so that the lever bears on the housing and not the head.

That depends on what you mean by "on top" and what kind of levers you have.

Riding with your hands on top of a road bike's brake levers, "on the hoods" of the levers, is pretty much the standard hand position on a road bike. (A Google image search for "on the hoods" will give you plenty of examples.) Modern levers are designed to be grasped and pulled from that position. It works well and is comfortable with pretty much any lever made in the last few decades.

On the other hand, if "on top" means from the flat part of the handlebar near the stem... The old-style lever extensions that let you brake from there generally did provide poor braking performance. Those lever extensions earned some derisive nicknames like "suicide levers" or "turkey levers". There could be play in the pivot and the extensions were flexy, leading to weak braking and a mushy lever feel.

The modern equivalent to those "turkey levers" are interrupter levers, which are a lot like the levers in the link you posted above. Unlike the old turkey levers, interrupter levers work really well. You can install them in addition to regular road bike brake levers, so you can brake from the hoods, the drops, or the flats. The one catch is that your regular levers have to be 'aero', meaning the cables get routed under the handlebar tape. If your old levers are non-aero, you'd need to replace them to use them with interrupter levers.

Interrupter levers like Tektro RL720 levers sell for about $20-25 per pair. If you need to buy a set of aero levers to pair them with, a set of comfy Tektro RL340 levers costs about the same. Beyond the levers, you'd just need brake cable, housing, and handlebar tape.

Many thanks for all your replies. I am looking at different handlebars and was wondering if anyone can advise on what is the difference between the 'riser' handle bars and the completely straight handle bars. I was wondering what the pros/cons are why you would use one and not the other...

the only difference is comfort and appearance.

Completely straight has a more aggressive/cooler look (in my opinion) and since it does not rise, your body is down that little bit lower and out of the wind a tiny bit.

Riser bars can look kinda dorky (again, in my opinion), but a lot of people wont' care. They will be a little easier to reach.

Various people will find either of those options more or less comfortable.

First, you should measure the diameter of the current handlebar using calipers. Or it can be stamped on the handlebar.
Your bicycle is from 1989, so the diameter should be standard - 25.4mm or 26mm. It's more likely to be 25.4mm.

The process is pretty simple.
1) Push on the brake levers and unscrew the bolts inside of them and take them out.
2) Use a metric allen wrench to unscrew the bolt at the bottom of the stem. Take out the handlebar.
3) Carefully insert a new handlebar trying not to scratch it and screw in the stem bolt.
4) Screw in the brake levers.
5) You may have to replace the brake cables and housing to match the new lengths.

Get a swept-back handlebar called Nitto North Road, it's more comfortable.
https://www.google.com/shopping/prod...HWyWBigQ2SsIGA

There are other similar handlebars.
Category: - Ironweed Bicycle Products

Try mustache bars. Super comfy and more hand positions than a flat bar. Nitto makes nice lightweight alloy ones but they are narrow. I use them for women's bikes, I like the cheapo steel Nashbar mustache bar myself.

Changing an older steel drop bar bike to flat bar is a nice project for someone who can do the work themselves. Your average LBS will kill you in labor and parts charges. It will not be a practical proposition. A bike co-op, or bike mechanic friend is a much more financially sound alternative. I don't know of any drop-bars and flat bars that fit the same stems. I don't know of any drop-bar brake levers and flat-bar brake levers that fit the same bars. These conversions are done all the time but some are understating the degree of difficulty. In many cases the stem length that was fine with the drop bar needs to be increased by as much as 20mm or more when going to flat-bar.

Buy all the parts yourself on line. Then either pay a bike shop mechanic a flat pre-negotiated sum to install or, do it yourself. In order to do it right you need 1) new handlebars, 2) stem, 3) grips, 4) brake levers, 5) brake lever cables, And, depending on if the bike has stem shifters (down tube shifters don't work well with upright bars) you might need some thumb shifters & shifter cables. It's about $125 worth of stuff. Bike shop might charge $75 - $80 to install.

I checked my 3 handlebars from Japanese 80s bikes Nishikis and Bridgestone. They are all 25.4mm - the standard size for most flat bars. It's also easy to add shims to 26.0mm stems, even made from tin cans.

Many old mixtes have too aggressive geometries, so going with the same stems and swept-back handle bars will allow to lean less and sit more comfortably.

Sakae Road Champion 25.4mm drop handle bar.


These Dia Compe brake levers fit any handle bar with any diameters. 2mm more or 2mm less, it doesn't matter.

Only
1) a handle bar is required
...
2) brake cables and housing are nice to change, but the old ones could be reused
3) a handlebar tape can be reused if it's new

The installation process is straight-forward, why would pay somebody to do it?

I know, I've done dozens of conversions. I never re-use drop bar stems or brake levers. They just don't fit. Watch out for crappy little three finger brake levers too. Make sure brake levers are described as four finger. The best grips are the thick black foam ones. They're also about the cheapest grips made too.

You have shown moustache bars with drop bar levers. That is NOT a legitimate flat-bar conversion. FAIL.

I've done this and ran into two problems.
I liked the pull-back feel but be aware of taking up needed space for long-legged knees and the angle of wrist placement can be painful.... test feel several types if you can.

It's not a moustache bar. It's the Nitto North Road.

Why would it fail? It has been working for me for ages.
I like to always keep my right hand fingers on the lever in order to stop in a moment. I don't want levers that are difficult to reach. I never feel safe riding a bicycle with drop bars, drop bar brake levers are extremely difficult to reach.

Do you want to say this less stylish incarnation of the Dia Compe levers are much better?

IMHO you should also consider handlebars that have a certain amount of rise & sweep. Flat straight handlebars can be a little hard to deal with sometimes.

It is a moustache bar. I just Googled that bar and it says "Nitto North Road Moustache Bar". The FAIL, is you using a one off example of an arrangement that possibly works for your unique aesthetic as a best practice. Those are drop bar brake levers, Dia Compe's if I had to guess. Moustache bars have the right external and internal diameters to use things like bar end shifters and drop bar levers. But yours cost $60 now. My Velo Orange 'Tourist' (North Road) bars cost half what the Nitto costs, looks better (classic) but will not allow the use of drop bar levers or bar ends. Fair enough. I didn't expect them to. I also think road stems and flat bars looks dorky. But that's me. Style? I have some very nice full length brake levers, also from Velo Orange on my 'Tourist Bars", no need to use two finger TRP levers which are probably intended for V-Brakes anyway. Seriously, you've done to your bike as is your right to do. I prefer a more classic aesthetic. Your way is 'easier', but it is difficult to argue that it looks better. I'd kind of get it if you were paying less, but you didn't. So.... fail. As in you (utterly) failed to convince me.

The Nitto Moustache bar is the model RM-016.

The Nitto North Road is the model B-352. Mine was $40 or so when I bought it.
HANDLE BARĀ NITTO

A moustache bar is a flattened version of a drop bar with the same geometry. It's for a more aggressive position with the same stem length.



There are cheaper North Roads.
Like this Wald, it's chrome-plated.
https://www.niagaracycle.com/categor...ar-chrome-25-4


Sunlite - Touring North Road
https://www.niagaracycle.com/categor...ycle-handlebar

Velo Orange posts specifications on their handle bars. Some are 25.4mm, some are 26mm.