Converting from Drop to Trekking bars
#1
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Converting from Drop to Trekking bars
I am researching changing my drop bars on my surly long haul trucker to butterfly/ trekking bars. In understand to mount the bar end shifters I will need a Paul Thumbie mount. The bar end shifters on the bike are BSM10 10 speed, my question is do they pull apart so they can be successfully attached to the Paul Thumbie?. I am assuming that you only use the handle part of the mechanism?. I do not want to jump in and then find out I am up for a new set of shifters as the Paul Thumbies are expensive as it is. Appreciate any help thanks.
#2
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From: NW,Oregon Coast
Bikes: 8
Its like converting to flat bars, different brake levers, shift levers ('Thumbies' with your bar end shifters)
and re cabling, maybe a new stem too.
VO has a cheaper thumbie (TW-China sourced)
the square interface is actually a carry over from Italian downtube shifter bosses.
....
and re cabling, maybe a new stem too.
VO has a cheaper thumbie (TW-China sourced)
the square interface is actually a carry over from Italian downtube shifter bosses.
....
#3
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 2,179
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From: QC Canada
Bikes: Custom built LHT & Troll
I have butterfly handlebars on an LHT. Since I've built on a frame and settled for Shimano XT, I haven't had any issue with shifters and brake levers.
I am fairly happy but would like to draw your attention to the bike's geometry. Even with a longer stem (Thomson elite 135mm), I often wish that the handlebars be further away, by 30mm or so.
I am fairly happy but would like to draw your attention to the bike's geometry. Even with a longer stem (Thomson elite 135mm), I often wish that the handlebars be further away, by 30mm or so.
#4
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2006
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You can buy Microshift 10-speed thumb shifters for the price of the Paul Thumbies.
Then you can sell your bar-ends.
Microshift SL-M10 Shimano 10-Speed MTB Thumb Shifters | eBay
Then you can sell your bar-ends.
Microshift SL-M10 Shimano 10-Speed MTB Thumb Shifters | eBay
#5
Don from Austin Texas
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 1
From: Austin, Texas
Bikes: Schwinn S25 "department store crap" FS MTB, home-made CF 26" hybrid, CF road bike with straight bar, various wierd frankenbikes
I am researching changing my drop bars on my surly long haul trucker to butterfly/ trekking bars. In understand to mount the bar end shifters I will need a Paul Thumbie mount. The bar end shifters on the bike are BSM10 10 speed, my question is do they pull apart so they can be successfully attached to the Paul Thumbie?. I am assuming that you only use the handle part of the mechanism?. I do not want to jump in and then find out I am up for a new set of shifters as the Paul Thumbies are expensive as it is. Appreciate any help thanks.
Don in Austin
#6
Senior Member


Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,288
Likes: 1,033
From: Chicago area
Bikes: Airborne "Carpe Diem", Motobecane "Mirage", Trek 6000, Strida 2, Dahon "Helios XL", Dahon "Mu XL", Tern "Verge S11i"
I put trekking bars on my mountain bike after I developed arthritis in one of my wrists. I was able to use the same brake levers and shifters. There are many more positions to put my hands, which suits the arthritis just fine.
I also bought a set for my road bike which has drop bars. I've assembled the other things I need for the conversion: 9-speed XTR trigger shifters (to replace the Ultegra STI shifters) and Paul brake levers. I haven't made the switch yet because the drop bars don't bother my wrist as much as I thought they would. Maybe I'll build up an old steel bike and use them.
Steve
I also bought a set for my road bike which has drop bars. I've assembled the other things I need for the conversion: 9-speed XTR trigger shifters (to replace the Ultegra STI shifters) and Paul brake levers. I haven't made the switch yet because the drop bars don't bother my wrist as much as I thought they would. Maybe I'll build up an old steel bike and use them.
Steve
#7
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Joined: Oct 2015
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From: San Diego, California
Bikes: Velo Orange Piolet
#8
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Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Roswell, GA
Bikes: '93 Trek 750, '92 Schwinn Crisscross, '93 Mongoose Alta
#9
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Joined: Jun 2017
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Its like converting to flat bars, different brake levers, shift levers ('Thumbies' with your bar end shifters)
and re cabling, maybe a new stem too.
VO has a cheaper thumbie (TW-China sourced)
the square interface is actually a carry over from Italian downtube shifter bosses.
....
and re cabling, maybe a new stem too.
VO has a cheaper thumbie (TW-China sourced)
the square interface is actually a carry over from Italian downtube shifter bosses.
....
#10
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
I have butterfly handlebars on an LHT. Since I've built on a frame and settled for Shimano XT, I haven't had any issue with shifters and brake levers.
I am fairly happy but would like to draw your attention to the bike's geometry. Even with a longer stem (Thomson elite 135mm), I often wish that the handlebars be further away, by 30mm or so.
I am fairly happy but would like to draw your attention to the bike's geometry. Even with a longer stem (Thomson elite 135mm), I often wish that the handlebars be further away, by 30mm or so.
#11
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Joined: Jun 2017
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#13
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#14
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: New Hampshire
Bikes: Niner RLT 9 RDO, Niner RLT9 Alloy
Just eyeballing the pictures of the VO Thumbies, it looks like the boss where the barrel adjuster mounts sits very close to the body of the friction shifter (i.e. the round part that the cable winds on to as you move the lever). It's possible that there's not enough clearance to mount certain brands depending on how they're designed. This could especially be a problem for any 11s road or 10/11s Dyna-Sys compatible shifters. These usually require a larger diameter "barrel" in order to pull more cable per click of the lever (this is actually one of the good things about Dyna-Sys and 11s road standards). I have the equivalent of BS-M10's (10 speed Dyna-Sys compatible) on my Gevenalle shift/brake levers, and the round barrel part is noticeably fatter than both my old 9 speed Shimano barcons, as well as some 9 speed Microshifts I recently acquired. It's plausible that they would not fit on those thumbies without modification. Or maybe they'll fit, but the cable exit angle will be weird or something. You could try filing them down a bit but there's not much metal on that cable stop, and for the price they're charging, I wouldn't risk it.
Last edited by Metaluna; 06-05-17 at 07:41 AM.
#16
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Joined: Jun 2010
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From: NW,Oregon Coast
Bikes: 8
Sweeks build looks backwards to my eye, I've set up the open end and controls to the back, neared me.
The forward bend, is used when I confront a headwind, bending my elbows a bit gets me, bent over as if in the drops.
One of my 2 trekking bar fitted bikes.. https://www.cyclofiend.com/working/20...clark1008.html
[Other one a Bike Friday Pocket Llama...]
.....
The forward bend, is used when I confront a headwind, bending my elbows a bit gets me, bent over as if in the drops.
One of my 2 trekking bar fitted bikes.. https://www.cyclofiend.com/working/20...clark1008.html
[Other one a Bike Friday Pocket Llama...]
.....
Last edited by fietsbob; 06-05-17 at 10:26 AM.
#17
Senior Member


Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,288
Likes: 1,033
From: Chicago area
Bikes: Airborne "Carpe Diem", Motobecane "Mirage", Trek 6000, Strida 2, Dahon "Helios XL", Dahon "Mu XL", Tern "Verge S11i"
#18
The space coyote lied.



Joined: Sep 2008
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From: dusk 'til dawn.
Bikes: everywhere
That's the way I'd put them. Controls out front for riding flats and downhills. Then grab the back, controlless section for climbing, since there's probably less need for brakes while climbing.
#19
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43,586
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From: NW,Oregon Coast
Bikes: 8
I have some streets in town... with -weight shifted, butt low behind the saddle - steep down hills, here,
so brakes , on the nearside, are actually further away when I'm nearly fully straightening my arms.
Get off and push, steep to get up, hill, to visit, friends.. the town built over.
.....
so brakes , on the nearside, are actually further away when I'm nearly fully straightening my arms.
Get off and push, steep to get up, hill, to visit, friends.. the town built over.
.....
#20
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2017
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Just eyeballing the pictures of the VO Thumbies, it looks like the boss where the barrel adjuster mounts sits very close to the body of the friction shifter (i.e. the round part that the cable winds on to as you move the lever). It's possible that there's not enough clearance to mount certain brands depending on how they're designed. This could especially be a problem for any 11s road or 10/11s Dyna-Sys compatible shifters. These usually require a larger diameter "barrel" in order to pull more cable per click of the lever (this is actually one of the good things about Dyna-Sys and 11s road standards). I have the equivalent of BS-M10's (10 speed Dyna-Sys compatible) on my Gevenalle shift/brake levers, and the round barrel part is noticeably fatter than both my old 9 speed Shimano barcons, as well as some 9 speed Microshifts I recently acquired. It's plausible that they would not fit on those thumbies without modification. Or maybe they'll fit, but the cable exit angle will be weird or something. You could try filing them down a bit but there's not much metal on that cable stop, and for the price they're charging, I wouldn't risk it.
#21
short WIDE Clyde
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: Oil City,PA USA
Bikes: 2014 Nashbar flatbar roadbike
VO is Velo Orange they have nice stuff
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