straight bar conversion options
 

I started going through the second 24" road bike for the kids,
Im really enjoying servicing it and started noticing the excelent handwork in the lug work.

Im upgrading it to campagnolo gs brakes to match everything else GS on the bike.


As some of you know my Nelli is already riding 30kms with me.

My boy is another situation.

He has a nice aluminum TREK MTB I built up for him, but I want to get him on the roadbike.

He is not so agile and could never let go of the bars to shift the DT shifters


my idea

I think if i could figure out how to put straight bars or something that looks and works good on it, and can some shifters on the bars then it might just work for him.

he can "just" straddle the top tube.

my LBS has a box of nos vintage weinmann straight brake levers.

what to do about shifters?

mike

Are building him a road bike or making the Trek more road-ish? If you converting the Trek, why not drop bars with all the controls on the top like a straight bar.

That's a great idea. It worked for me, I toured the coastline of Maine from Arcadia to Campabello with flats one summer. But sitting up on flats may not do justice to a tricked out road bike, and I've discovered drops aren't half bad - as long as you're not trying to mountain bike with a racing frame, like we were - back when StumpJumpers were new. Here's the most recent incarnation of that concept - flat bar tourer.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...h/f4285df3.jpg

Why not just go with some mtb thumb shifters like Deore? Mine work great in friction mode. I don't mind straight bars for short jaunts, but after an hour or so my wrists start to yearn for another position. ymmv.
http://velobase.com/CompImages/Shift...CE87263D9.jpeg
http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.as...=104&AbsPos=23

My favorite flat bar shifters continue to be the Tourney SL-TX 30 shifters. Here in the US, you can find them new for under $15, including all cables and housings. Front is friction (my preference), rear is indexed. Come in a six and seven speed versions.

+1 Check out the drop bar MTB conversion thread I started recently. Install thumb shifters on the tops, and you have something he can grow into. As he gains experience and confidence, he can start migrating to using the drops.

those deore shifters will do nicely,

I will start looking for a set unless someone can give me a hint on where to find for 15 dollars!

I've done a few flat bar conversions. Most of them, including my wife's favourite bike, with the Shimano ST-EF50 brifters. They are adjustable to V-brakes or regular calipers, are available in 7 and 8 speed, and come in black and silver. I usually pay about € 28 for them.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...6&d=1299542050

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/GroteFoto-DOTJIRHJ.jpg

I have 5 speed friction shifter in back and campy deraileur in front-
I do not have indexed shifter options

The Tourney shifters look like a nice bargain but I can't tell whether they have a friction option for the rear. And what does that blue button do?

Have you considered stem shifters?

Do they have any co-ops in your part of the world? Both thumb and stem shifters would be fairly inexpensive items at stateside co-ops I believe.

The blue button looks to be the downshift trigger for the rear. The price, along with the recommendation from wrk101, is an interesting concept... although another project is the last thing that I need.