cutting drop bars?!
#5
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,257
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From: A Coffin Called Earth. or Toronto, ON
Bikes: Bianchi, Miyata, Dahon, Rossin
hacksaw or a pipe cutter.
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Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
#6
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 118
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hah awesome
well here are dropbars similar to mine
https://fatcyclist.com/blogphotos/Ask...5C/dropbar.jpg
here are the types of dropbars i like
https://www.pedalconsumption.com/file...ong_grips3.jpg
not a big difference but id rather have bullhorns than the dropbars that go straight out then drop straight down
im gonna go find me a hacksaw now
well here are dropbars similar to mine
https://fatcyclist.com/blogphotos/Ask...5C/dropbar.jpg
here are the types of dropbars i like
https://www.pedalconsumption.com/file...ong_grips3.jpg
not a big difference but id rather have bullhorns than the dropbars that go straight out then drop straight down
im gonna go find me a hacksaw now
#7
Low car diet
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,407
Likes: 4
From: Corvallis, OR, USA
Bikes: 2006 Windsor Dover w/105, 2007 GT Avalanche w/XT, 1995 Trek 820 setup for touring, 201? Yeah single-speed folder, 199? Huffy tandem.
What's your shifter and brake levers situation? Should make sure they'll still work (to your liking) after flopping and chopping.
#8
Senior Member


Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 39,897
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From: New Rochelle, NY
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
The tool of choice is a hacksaw with 24-32 teeth per inch. If you're lousy at straight cuts you can use a pair of hose clamps on either side to make a guide on a fairly straight section. On curves use the hose clamp on the good side only as a safety so you don't accidentally cut too short.
Use a half mill file to clean up the ends and round the outer edge off a bit for safety. If your cut is really bad use a mill bastard (fairly coarse file) to get close to the line then finish with a half mill file.
Tubing cutters may be OK in on straight sections, but the rollers can't negotiate the inside of a curve, so they're probably unsuited to the task.
Use a half mill file to clean up the ends and round the outer edge off a bit for safety. If your cut is really bad use a mill bastard (fairly coarse file) to get close to the line then finish with a half mill file.
Tubing cutters may be OK in on straight sections, but the rollers can't negotiate the inside of a curve, so they're probably unsuited to the task.
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FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
#10
Low car diet
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,407
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From: Corvallis, OR, USA
Bikes: 2006 Windsor Dover w/105, 2007 GT Avalanche w/XT, 1995 Trek 820 setup for touring, 201? Yeah single-speed folder, 199? Huffy tandem.
You won't be able to use a bullhorn/TT lever at the end because it requires a short straight section, which your bars won't have.
A cross/interrupter lever near the stem will work fine.
Personally, I messed with a couple flop-and-chops and various brakes. Eventually, I went with a proper bullhorn bars and TT lever, which has been much better.
#11
Guest

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,768
Likes: 6
From: Grid Reference, SK
Bikes: I never learned to ride a bike. It is my deepest shame.
Drop bar brake levers often do not work well if they are not ona bend - the lever will be too close to the bar for effective braking. You may be better off finding a steel mtb lever that you can bent the clamp to fit... of an aluminum mtb lever that you can ream out, but I have never tried this so I don't reccomend it.
#15
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,559
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From: The 'Wack, BC, Canada
Bikes: Norco (2), Miyata, Canondale, Soma, Redline
Better yet if you have aero brake levers set the bars and levers up so the tops and the levers are set up like you'd have with bullhorns. Try it out on a ride before you cut anything. When you've adjusted it to where you like it then hack the drops off just at the base of the aero lever mounts. File off any rough edges and bartape up what's left.
Being a practical person that realized I would not use the drops and that I could easily get as aero as my rotting old body could manage with bullhorn like positioning I did this to a recent build. I'm more than happy with it and it's only slightly less appealing than true bullhorns and TT levers.
If you use the clamp on cross levers on a flop and chop be sure you run with as little free play in the lever as practical. Most cross levers don't have a pivot point and the cable will bend and kink repeatedly at the ball end. This WILL lead to premature cable failure. If you use this style of lever then inspect the cable right by the ball end frequently and keep a couple of spares handy to swap out when you find a broken strand.
There was a thread some months back about someone that had one or both brake cables snap on him right at the ball end thanks to using these levers in a way that was never intended. On the other hand there's at least one brand that has a rolling anchor point which would work well.
Being a practical person that realized I would not use the drops and that I could easily get as aero as my rotting old body could manage with bullhorn like positioning I did this to a recent build. I'm more than happy with it and it's only slightly less appealing than true bullhorns and TT levers.
If you use the clamp on cross levers on a flop and chop be sure you run with as little free play in the lever as practical. Most cross levers don't have a pivot point and the cable will bend and kink repeatedly at the ball end. This WILL lead to premature cable failure. If you use this style of lever then inspect the cable right by the ball end frequently and keep a couple of spares handy to swap out when you find a broken strand.
There was a thread some months back about someone that had one or both brake cables snap on him right at the ball end thanks to using these levers in a way that was never intended. On the other hand there's at least one brand that has a rolling anchor point which would work well.
#16
Lost Again
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 3
From: Columbus, Oh!
Bikes: Soma Saga, 1991 Sirrus, Specialized Secteur Elite, Miele Umbria Elite.
#17
hah awesome
well here are dropbars similar to mine
https://fatcyclist.com/blogphotos/Ask...5C/dropbar.jpg
here are the types of dropbars i like
https://www.pedalconsumption.com/file...ong_grips3.jpg
not a big difference but id rather have bullhorns than the dropbars that go straight out then drop straight down
im gonna go find me a hacksaw now
well here are dropbars similar to mine
https://fatcyclist.com/blogphotos/Ask...5C/dropbar.jpg
here are the types of dropbars i like
https://www.pedalconsumption.com/file...ong_grips3.jpg
not a big difference but id rather have bullhorns than the dropbars that go straight out then drop straight down
im gonna go find me a hacksaw now
#18
Pipe Cutter instead
Even better than a hacksaw is a pipe cutter like this:
https://images.lowes.com/product/017197/017197368776.jpg
Available for about $10. The problem with hacksaws on drop bars is that you can hardly hope to get straight cuts. This tool clamps on to the bar, and rotates a blade in a perfect circle.
https://images.lowes.com/product/017197/017197368776.jpg
Available for about $10. The problem with hacksaws on drop bars is that you can hardly hope to get straight cuts. This tool clamps on to the bar, and rotates a blade in a perfect circle.
#19
Engineer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 591
Likes: 1
From: Bucharest, Romania, Europe
Bikes: 1989 Krapf (with Dura-ace) road bike, 1973 Sputnik (made by XB3) road bike , 1961 Peugeot fixed gear, 2010 Trek 4400
Even better than a hacksaw is a pipe cutter like this:
https://images.lowes.com/product/017197/017197368776.jpg
Available for about $10. The problem with hacksaws on drop bars is that you can hardly hope to get straight cuts. This tool clamps on to the bar, and rotates a blade in a perfect circle.
https://images.lowes.com/product/017197/017197368776.jpg
Available for about $10. The problem with hacksaws on drop bars is that you can hardly hope to get straight cuts. This tool clamps on to the bar, and rotates a blade in a perfect circle.
So hacksaw it is (can be an electric saw if you are precise with it)
#20
Senior Member


Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 39,897
Likes: 3,865
From: New Rochelle, NY
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
You definitely do not want to waste your time on a tubing cutter to cut the curved section of drop bars.
They use a pair of broad rollers as guides which first of all won't track on curves, and secondly, as they bridge across the inside of the curve will jam the cutter into the outside because the effective diameter of the bar will have changed. Not to mentioned that curved bar sections tend to be ovalized anyway.
You cut handlebars with a hacksaw. If you have zero hand skill you can put a hose clamp on the good side as a safety, but IMO anybody that can't make a decent cut with a hacksaw probably shouldn't be working on bikes in the first place.
Save the tube cutter for plumbing.
They use a pair of broad rollers as guides which first of all won't track on curves, and secondly, as they bridge across the inside of the curve will jam the cutter into the outside because the effective diameter of the bar will have changed. Not to mentioned that curved bar sections tend to be ovalized anyway.
You cut handlebars with a hacksaw. If you have zero hand skill you can put a hose clamp on the good side as a safety, but IMO anybody that can't make a decent cut with a hacksaw probably shouldn't be working on bikes in the first place.
Save the tube cutter for plumbing.
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FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.









