MarkN

I'm thinking I could quite happily handle a lower riding possition on my hybrid with a straight bar. It's as low as it'll go so I'll need new bars. Obviously drops would be the way to go but - please humour me on this - I just did a quick sketch of what I really had in mind.




1. is my current setup
3. is my design - perhaps a little exagerated, but roughly that sort of shape. Crucially, it still uses MTB levers and shifters on the horizontal bar, but with a lower, more forward grip. Bar ends in the middle of the bar could add an alternate riding possition.

So - back of the envelope stuff, just throwing it out there.

Does it already exist? If so, what's it called? If not, is there a good reason why not?

barturtle

Looks like some cut-off trekking bars.

AEO

I'm not sure if you can get the barends past the bends on a trekking bar.

what you can try are some riser bars with two sets of barends

Chop61

or moustache bars

JohnDThompson 

Milan city bars, from the 1950s-70s:

I had them on a bike for many years.

noglider 

You're a good sketch artist!

Booger1

You got some kind of drawing talent my friend!

Looks like treking bars with the ends cut off and 2 sets of bars ends added.

Asi

Nice drawing!

As for the bars.. the third one can be replaced with a normal flat bar and a greater angle stem (pointed downward), and a very long stem (200mm? provided that you already have a long stem like 120mm, just add that U turn from the middle of the bars of your third sketch and put a flatbar with barends wherever you like)
A very long stem might be hard to find, but in terms of stress/resistance is actually the exact same thing with your original 3rd sketch. The torque applied to the mounting stem-steerer tube is the same, since the length between the grips and the steerer tube is the same (if you find that insanely long stem)

If now you have 30mm DH stem, then a 120-140mm stem will clearly make a difference.

or as someone pointed, a trekking bar.

MarkN

I do see what you are saying. My current stem is 110mm so yeah, a longer more angled stem would achieve much the same effect as my drawing. Cheers, I hadn't thought of that!

Ahahhh, it sort of does! Those ends look a bit much though.

Chop61 - I've been looking all over the place for a set of Moustache bars that would work but not having much luck.

Aeo - cheers for the tip

The other option I'm considering is changing the whole lot out for some bullhorns.


Also - cheers for the drawing comments, I've had some practice

NightShift

Personally I can only think of two situations when I find myself wanting a hand position higher than my bar: aero, where my elbows are at bar level an my arms are forward and above the bar; and climbing, where wider spacing and a more vertical higher wrist position is helpful.

If your design appeals to you, try it. It shouldn't be overly complicated or expensive. For myself, I don't think I would use the bar ends closer to the center.

I've been considering playing around wide a set of drop bar ends (Origin8 makes some, I'm not sure if there are any other models still available). I would like to keep my forward/upward facing bar ends at the end of the bar, and place the drops a little closer together. The width I want for the drops will interfere with the grips for the flat bar position, but depending on the clamp on the drops I should be able to work something out. The Origin8 drop bar ends seem a little shallow, and they're flat side to side when I would rather have them angle out to give a more neutral wrist position.

NightShift

Personally I can only think of two situations when I find myself wanting a hand position higher than my bar: aero, where my elbows are at bar level an my arms are forward and above the bar; and climbing, where wider spacing and a more vertical higher wrist position is helpful.

If your design appeals to you, try it. It shouldn't be overly complicated or expensive. For myself, I don't think I would use the bar ends closer to the center.

I've been considering playing around wide a set of drop bar ends (Origin8 makes some, I'm not sure if there are any other models still available). I would like to keep my forward/upward facing bar ends at the end of the bar, and place the drops a little closer together. The width I want for the drops will interfere with the grips for the flat bar position, but depending on the clamp on the drops I should be able to work something out. The Origin8 drop bar ends seem a little shallow, and they're flat side to side when I would rather have them angle out to give a more neutral wrist position.

fuzz2050

I think a pair of trekking bars, with these added on. Cut off the ends if you wish

NightShift

Still not sure how much I like trekking bars, but those Spinaci have my attention. Anyone know where I can get a good deal on a set?

NightShift

There are some nice swept back bars you may want to look at also.
K2 has some I believe they call Dreamliner bars that I've been looking for.
https://utilitycyclist.blogspot.com/2...shorewood.html

The cross bar is intended to be below the bar, but I don't see any reason they can't be clamped the other way to lower the bars.

MarkN

Cheers for the suggestions, you lot. Loads of cool stuff out there, I especially like those spinachi extenders.

Here's the bottom line though, see; I can only afford new handlebars, not a whole new control set. Road STI shifters are just too expensive. So whatever I do it's probably going to involve my current Deore STI shifters.

Realistically, I'll probably end up hack-sawing about 6cm off each end of my 58cm straight bar and if I can find a reasonably priced 140mm/10 degree stem, I'll try that too.

However, practicality has never kept me away from the drawingboard! What I'd *really* like to try is this;

So, that's my current STI shifters mounted backwards on a set of bullhorn handlebars, with the cables coming out forwards in a complete mess.

The bullhorns would need to be compatible with a 25.4 stem clamp and 22mm clamps on the controls. The upward bend at the end of the bullhorns would have to be long enough for the MTB shifters to clip onto AND to give my hands enough room to brace against them while braking (ie. long).

Where, if such bullhorn bars exist, could I find them? Is it even a good idea?

Or, is there an ecconomical, ergonomic and sensible way to integrate a pair of bar-end brakes and some quick-fire shifters?

fuzz2050

I've done something similar on a beater bike, and I was never really happy wit the results. It was impossible to get the brake and shift levers in good positions. I've had much better luck using an inverse lever and a separate thump shifter.

By the way, your sketches are pretty awesome, can we hire you to illustrate some of the problems of the less eloquent posters? it would raise the quality of posts in this forum immensely.

meanwhile

Very good. But those drops are set up badly wrong - the tops of those hoods should be nearly horizontal, not vertical!

MarkN

fuzz2050 - cheers. What do you have in mind - something like an FAQ?

meanwhile - you got me, I've never used drops

AEO

Unfortunately, it won't work without a lot of filing.

Road bars, including bull horns have 23.8~24.2mm (24mm nominal) at the spot where you would attach the levers.
25.4mm clamp drop bars exist, but the 22.2mm clamp is strictly for flat bars.

what you can try are bar end shifters with clamp on style brake levers.

MarkN

Thanks for the explanation AEO, I was wondering about diameters.

"what you can try are bar end shifters with clamp on style brake levers. "

If I can find a reasonably priced way to do this then I will. [Edit - What about bar end brakes and clamp on shifters?]

It raises another question; are road and MTB shifters interchangeable, can i use bar end shifters with my Deore derailleurs?

AEO

the front is not, but the rear is interchangable between shimano MTB and road.
it doesn't really matter if you use bar end or downtube shifters, as the front is not indexed.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/upgrade-gears.html


I haven't really seen any clamp on shifters, but if you want 9sp, this is about the best price for 9sp shifters
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=13648

MarkN

AEO - Aah, I do see. Cool, ok. What about brakes though?

Say,

Tektro RL520 Aero V Brake Lever �16.99
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-T...lver-14955.htm

?

Looks like others have thought about doing this too

Wanderer

Or, consider a set of bolt on mini drops, from Origin 8. Less than $20 from Niagara.

AEO

V-drops are a good choice for V-brakes.

Raiden

I do suggest avoiding #3. I like having the controls (specifically the brakes) near my fingertips- climbing up and down from the inverted bar-ends to the brake/shifters in an emergency situation is kind of a PITA.

Though I like your ingenuity, I think your problem might be best fixed with a bike that completely suits your needs. I think you've outgrown your hybrid and you're looking for something with a more aggressive posture- a road bike (either flat- or drop-barred). Cost may also be an issue- STI shifters (and all of the rest of the parts needed) from a shop, plus the labor to swap it all over, costs a small fortune in comparison to the price of the hybrid you're riding.