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How To - Drop Bar Conversion

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How To - Drop Bar Conversion

Old 09-14-18, 08:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Bad Lag

Is it okay too run the ALFINE hub as a single speed (no cable, just let it fall into a gear and stay there for the duration of one ride)?
If you use the hub "as is", no cable, it will stay in either lowest (most Alfines) or highest (some new models) gear. Riding like that will be no fun at all.
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Old 09-15-18, 02:07 AM
  #27  
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I was considering converting my Univega Via Carisma to drop bars.

A friend talked me into trying albatross or North Roads bars, upright or flipped, instead. I borrowed a set of Nitto albatross bars from him. Going on two weeks now, experimenting with flipped and upright.

I'm sold. No need to convert to drop bars. The albatross does what I wanted, with fewer parts replacements. More hand positions than the flat and riser bars I'd been using. Much more comfortable on my shoulder (broken and dislocated after I was hit by a car a few months ago). More natural hand/wrist/forearm alignment, very comparable to riding the hoods and drops of drop bars.

My original brake levers work fine. Unfortunately both sets of the old Shimano STI thumb shifters broke, but I had a set of cheap SunRace friction thumbies in a box, and they work. I mounted 'em close to the stem. Eventually I'll replace 'em with bar end shifters -- more natural leverage, no need to shift my hands, and I can wrap the rest of the albatross bar with tape for more comfortable hand positions.

After my shoulder heals I may try flipping the albatross bar again. For now it's upright. But I'll probably switch from the original up-angled quill stem with built-in cantilever brake cable hanger to a road bike stem and separate cable hanger a bit lower on the stem or head tube to get the brake cable loop out of the way.
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Old 09-15-18, 10:05 AM
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I started with upright North Roads bars. I tried flipping them but did not like them that way but, yes, it was easy to do.

I know I like drop bars on my road bike, so, I thought I'd just "give them a whirl". Pfft!, The size incompatibilities stymied me and I've made no progress.

If the drop bars don't work out, I will consider other upright styles because I find the North Roads bars to be too narrow, too confining.
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Old 09-15-18, 05:04 PM
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The bars were dropped off just a few minutes ago.

They do not have smooth curves down to the drops, they seem to be more "faceted" than smooth. It's not what I wanted but it will have to do.

This is what I most dislike about internet commerce. You cannot see and touch what they are offering in any detail before buying. Most sellers do not offer any reasonable or complete description.

Last edited by Bad Lag; 09-15-18 at 07:13 PM.
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Old 09-15-18, 07:05 PM
  #30  
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In keeping with the "How To" title of the thread, let me add some info and a few thoughts for anyone considering doing this. I am a little bit frustrated right now because of the complexity I've found in what seems like a simple operation. Heck, I even bought new bars and this is still not easy or simple. Really, to make this conversion fast and simple, just replace everything. It costs a lot of money* but you have to pick any two - fast, cheap or simple.

I don't think it would work for someone who did not have access to the tools and box of spare parts and general resources I have and especially the additional time I've spent pretending to be,... umm, ... err,... I mean to say, ... the additional experience I have wrenching on my bikes.

When you change bars, have to be prepared for every interface to change. You also may find a need for a lot of parts and materials which you may or may not have.

1. Interfaces you need to evaluate and/or modify, a short list follows.
  • Stem-to-steering tube
  • Stem-to-bars
  • Bars-to-shifter - diameter, type and clearance to access and operate the paddles
  • Bars-to-brake levers - diameter and type
  • Brake cable-to-lever (type of swaged end)
  • Brake cable-to- brake caliper - length, need for a barrel adjuster
2. Parts and supplies you are likely going to need
  • Handlebar tape
  • Bar end plugs
  • Brake cables (2)
  • Shifter cable
  • Brake cable housing (2)
  • Barrel adjusters for brake cables (2)
  • Brake cable hanger, clamp-on type** (for front brake)
  • Brake levers (2)
  • Gear shifter
  • Rear view mirror (if bar or lever mounted)
* Honestly, you can buy an inexpensive, complete donor bike for less than the cost of new parts. Just strip off the stem, handlebars, cables and hanger.

** If you need a front brake cable hanger like I did (cantilever or center-pull brakes, consider a clamp-on type. Inserting a thick hanger bracket into the stack height of the threaded head set is most likely not going to work, as the brackets tend to be about 1/8" thick. That extra height may exceed what's available for properly threading the lock nut onto the top of the head set stack.

Last edited by Bad Lag; 09-15-18 at 11:30 PM.
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Old 09-16-18, 05:40 PM
  #31  
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Well, I did finally get to ride the thing. The drop bars are great. I knew they would be, as they are the type I have used for almost all my riding. During the ride I realized I forgot one very important "interface" in the list above - the human interface,... both of them.

On the one hand, I need to tweak the lever position on the bars or rotate the bars upward a tiny bit to better suit my preferred hand positions but that's not a big deal.

On the other hand, I mean, ... on the other end, the seat did not seem to be appropriate for the riding position. The bike currently has a Brooks B67 (a leather saddle with chromed springs beneath). It is really comfortable when you ride with upright bars. 25 miles is about as far as I have gone with it but it was painless, perfect, comfortable all the way. With the forward position of drop bars, it was different. It didn't hurt, it just seemed off. Luckily, I have several others to chose from. A black road saddle may be the final change I make.

We'll see. First, I have to get it completely road worthy.


Last edited by Bad Lag; 09-16-18 at 05:47 PM.
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Old 09-17-18, 10:57 PM
  #32  
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I thought I would come back to make another comment.

Changing the bars and saddle has completely changed the character, the aesthetic, of the bike. It went from looking like a comfortable, old 3 speed bike with a Brooks saddle bag to looking like a ten speed with fat tires.

It doesn't look like what it originally was, a mountain bike, not at all.

I'm not sure I like it with the drop bars and may put the North Roads bars back on.

Last edited by Bad Lag; 09-18-18 at 05:46 PM.
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Old 09-20-18, 01:04 PM
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Well, it was a little frustrating but a fun exercise to do this. I learned a lot doing it.

The thing is, I am putting the flat bars back on.
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Old 09-20-18, 07:49 PM
  #34  
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There are as many variations in swept back bars as in drop bars. If you found one set a bit too narrow and confining or awkward in handling, a different set might resolve the problem.

My friend prefers narrower swept bars, usually flipped. From behind his arms are in roughly the same alignment as a cyclist on the hoods of a drop bar bike. But my friend's arms are farther back toward his body, slightly behind the stem/head tube or even with the stem. Very different handling compared with riding the hoods on a drop bar bike, with the hands well ahead of the stem/head tube. He finds it more comfortable and more aero than typical flat or riser bars. For him it's the right compromise.

After three weeks with the Nitto albatross bars I borrowed from him, I can understand his enthusiasm. Swept back bars aren't merely a return to tradition. It's actually pretty sensible for my casual rides.

The Nitto albatross bar is much wider than some North Roads type bars. A bit wider than my original flat bar, a bit narrower than the riser bar I used for a couple of years. Good compromise.

And because my bike's top tube is fairly long (58cm) there's no interference from the swept back bar even in slow speed tight turns -- however shorter folks with shorter top tubes may need to trim a bit off the ends of the bars to get the right balance of handling and comfort without the grips banging into the knees or top tube during normal bike riding (normal, for some folks, may include very slow speed maneuvers with tight turns).

My arms are definitely wider apart than with my drop bars. But it's very comfortable, especially on my injured shoulder which is healing very slowly after five months. I was actually aggravating my shoulder by riding my drop bar bike so much, including on the indoor trainer.

I can slide my hands forward to rest over the brake lever pivot housing, for a little more aero position and efficiency on fast climbs of short, steep hills, while still keeping my hands within reach of the brakes. Or I can slide my hands all the way forward into the forward swept arch, a position very comparable to riding the top of the bar on drop bars, such as for longer climbs with headwinds.

It's a remarkably versatile handlebar, much more so than I'd expected. No wrist pain, numbness in the base of the palm, the usual stuff I'd get from 30-50 mile rides with the same bike using flat or riser bars.

I like 'em well enough that my next step will be bar end shifters. That will keep my hand in a balanced position within reach of the brakes. Right now I'm using cheap SunRace friction thumb shifters mounted in the center of the bar, on either side of the stem. It's functional but not ideal. I have to anticipate shifts well in advance of the optimal shift moment, so I'm often losing momentum. But this bike isn't for fast rides, just for relaxing rides with friends, commutes and errands. And in traffic it's difficult to juggle quick gear shifts and maintaining control of the bar and brakes. So often I'll compromise and continue in a less than ideal gear for safety-first riding, then shift when it's appropriate to do so. Bar end shifters would ease this process a bit.

No other major changes are needed, although I plan to make a few other changes over time. Eventually, as my shoulder heals, I'll swap out the original stem for a road bike stem with a bit longer reach and lower position, and a separate brake cable housing hanger mounted lower on the stem, head tube or fork. This will also get the cable loops out of the way.

I'm recycling the original Shimano combo mount for the canti brake levers and shifter modules. The thumb shifter modules both broke (the early 1990s Shimano thumbies were known to fail and mine lasted longer than most). There's still a now-unused mounting plate for bolting on the thumb shifter modules. I'm trying to figure out how to repurpose those as mounts for lights, a video camera or other accessories.
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Old 09-21-18, 11:09 AM
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The idea behind the conversion was to try ballloon-ish tires with drop bars. I've seen a lot of people doing 650B conversions on their drop bar bikes and thought this might simulate/emulate that. While the tires were interesting, they are not compelling enough for me to tolerate otherwise poor ergonomics. The ergonomics is why I plan to switch back.

I am long-waisted and have long arms. The frame has a relatively short top tube that works with an upright riding position. The bars are close-in to my body and my arms are relaxed (not reaching out or carrying any weight). The saddle is also ill-suited to drop bars. Once I have to reach forward, I might as well just ride my road bike.

I've considered other upright bars but don't have plans to buy yet another set of bars.

Yesterday's ride was on my road bike.

Last edited by Bad Lag; 09-21-18 at 11:12 AM.
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Old 09-21-18, 11:15 AM
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Germany, for Rohloff grip shifters, some custom level bike builders have made split apart,
in the center,
22.2 tube drop bars, so grip shifters go on near the stem....
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Old 09-21-18, 05:58 PM
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
Germany, for Rohloff grip shifters, some custom level bike builders have made split apart,
in the center,
22.2 tube drop bars, so grip shifters go on near the stem....
I'm not sure I understand your point(s) in this post.

Last edited by Bad Lag; 09-21-18 at 06:43 PM.
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