Yo Spiff

Do we have any converted tandems in the thread yet? If not, there is now. '94 Yokota Grizzly Peak. For anyone interested, I posted some details of the conversion work over in the tandem forum. The Yokota Project

frantik

^ nice.. i considerered converting my tandem but i needs wide handlebars to control it well.

here's my girlfriend's newly converted 1988 Rockhopper Comp

OTS 

Please what stem is that?
that is seriously up there.

likebike23

frantik: nice job on that rockhopper! Definitely a signature Frantik build, one thing though, is the nose of that saddle a bit high?

frantik

thanks.. i think the saddle looks ok.. on the short test ride we did the seat post binder bolt wasn't tight enough so the seat was rotating, so i didn't get much feedback on the position. that is just a junk saddle anyways, the one from her other bike will probably be brought over soon enough

OTS i don't know what stem it is... it came on my tandem and is branded with GT. It's got a removable faceplate, that combined with the ultra rise and not much reach i was like "this is a perfect dirt drop stem!"

Chitown_Mike

Very nice build indeed! And what handlebars are those? I can't recall seeing any with the hooks splayed out like that before.

frantik

my favorite, Origin8 Gary bar

due ruote 

Anyone in the Joliet IL area? If this was either a) my size or b) not so far away, I'd be all over it. Nice Panasonic lugged frame, full Deore, and really clean.

I know there's a CL thread, but thought this might get more interest here.

https://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/bik/4073178519.html

[h=2]Panasonic MC 4500, Tange frame, Deore - $100 (Frankfort)[/h]

WNG

Nice work! This soon should be renamed "Frantik's thread on drop bars"

I've seen that stem used on current Giant Sedona and Cypress hybrids. (I have one saved up) So, they are in production. Search QBP.

Yo Spiff

The generic term for this style of bars is "dirt drops". I tried the Gary bars and found the bend was too far out for me. I think Frantik is the one I sold them to, but he's a lot taller than I am so they suit him better. I now have some Salsa woodchippers on one of my bikes and love them. My favorite aspect is the way the hoods tilt in slightly. It gives me a very natural and comfortable hand postion. I think there are quite a few bikes further back in this thread with dirt drops on them.


Easter Hill Country Tour 2013 by Yo Spiff, on Flickr

TimmyT 

Can you give a little more info on riding on the hoods on the Woodchippers? I'm thinking about putting mine back on the bike, but riding the hoods was a bit of a pita, and reaching the brakes was difficult. Have you had any problems from the drops?

cyclotoine

Why exactly did you not like riding on the hood. I am going to purchase some woodchippers in the near future. I tired some WTB dirt drops but found the hoods unusable, they really were meant as a drop bar only bar, which did not make them a good touring bar (which is what I thought they would be good for). The woodchippers appeal to me because they are wide at the hoods and don't flare till after the hood, so the tops to hoods are like a regular bar, but the drops are wide and shallow. To me this makes sense, a wide hand position on the hoods, useable shoulders and wider drops for control. I had broad shoulders and am 6'3" so I like wide bars. the narrow hood position on other off road drop bars doesn't do it for me.

Chitown_Mike

I live a short drive north, but unfortunately don't have money to throw around on a new project. Looks like a great catch too!

Yo Spiff

Not sure exactly what info you want to know. I have Tektro RL-340 levers on it, which are wide and comfortable. I recently tried some RL-520 levers, which are made for v-brakes and I hated them. They worked better with my brakes, but not nearly and comfortable on long rides. I may change the bike to cantilevers. My photo above shows how the hoods are oriented. It may be a personal preferences kind of thing. I don't ride on the drops much, usually just when fighting a stiff headwind. I'm a hood rider and I tend to keep my levers fairly high and not in the most friendly position for actuating from the drops. I probably use a shorter stem than many other do. I think the one I have on this bike now is 80mm extension. I have found they are more reachable than other bars, however. The shallower splayed out drops are also fairly comfortable when I do ride on the drops.

Here's a side view that shows how I have them oriented:

Crosscut by Yo Spiff, on Flickr

due ruote 

I haven't tried either of those bars but for reference in case anyone's interested, here's a shot of my Midge bars. I also find the hoods very comfortable (I'm using DC Gran Compe aero levers). It's kind of funny because a lot of the reading I did on dirt drop bars said forget about riding the hoods, it's so uncomfortable. I guess it's a case of mileage varying, or maybe it's the levers or how they're positioned on the bar.

Yo Spiff

I think it is a personal preferences thing. These make for my most comfortable cockpit. If I run across some Woodchippers again at a decent price, I'm snagging them for some of my other bikes.

frantik

wrk101

Late to this, but awesome job on that Rockhopper Frank!

And I need to get someone to facilitate on that Panasonic. Oops, false alarm, 22 is too big.

wintermute

Lot's of goodness on this page:
- Drop bar conversion tandem
- Another awesomely well integrated conversion by Frantik (man I wish you knew what stem that is)
- A nice discussion on Dirt Drop bars
- Board members helping out other members by showing an awesome CL deal on an awesome Panasonic (wish I had money and lived nearby)

Chitown_Mike

If you ever see anything in the Chicago area I'd be happy to lend some aide on shipping things.

neo_pop_71

Agreed, I'm with due ruote, I find riding on the hoods very comfortable on my On One Midge bars. Thankfully my friends are part junkies so I have tried all the bars... Gary, Gary II, Woodchipper, and new WTB (I'd like to try a vintage bar to see if there is a difference as I bet there is a significant one)... for me the Midge wins hands down. The cool part is the Midge bars are half the price of the Woodchipper, usually on sale for $29.99, and come with free domestic US shipping. Here is the front and back view of the cockpit set up:

due ruote 

As far as I can tell, the only drawback to the Midge bars is the mouse gets covered up by the stem clamp.

Oldpeddaller

>>>>>>>>>>>>>> And here's "The Ammaco Project" - nothing like as classy as yours - love your rear stem/bars set-up by the way, but I only spent about £36 on the whole thing, plus a lot of spare parts I already had. Yes, it was a winter project!





And don't ask me which is the drive side!

Yo Spiff

That was for my wife who prefers (needs?) to sit almost bolt upright. The horizontal extension was appropriated from my Diamondback tandem and I added an adjustable stoker stem to it in order to get them upright enough for her and be able to offer the benefits of hand postions that drops offer. If that hadn't worked for her, then I would have changed the rear to riser bars and the bike would just have to look weird.

Nice winter project, especially for a spares box conversion!

striknein

I think that ammaco is VERY classy.