Help a newbie out!!
 

Hi everyone,
I'm a recent college grad who bought a single speed Haro Projekt (not the best one to choose, I know, I didn't know much about bikes when I bought it). Anyways, I bought the bike because I can't yet afford a car and I needed a way to get around my day to day life. I'm looking to customize it with some ways for me to have more fun out of it/more efficiency/more comfort.

My first project is converting to drop bars. Does anyone have any suggestions for bars that will fit for the Projekt? I've attached a link here to it's specs: Haro Bikes - MTB - Projekt

Also, if anyone has any other suggestions to make this bike a better one, please let me know. Thanks for your help!

If you bought the bike new. Return it. Get another. If you bought it used. Sell it. Get another. You cannot make that bike into anything useful (having a front brake would be VERY useful) without spending more money than it is worth.

Most stems today use bars that are 31.8 but the specs for yours say 25.4. Look where the bars go into the stem, if there is a spacer then you can use either 25.4 or 31.8 diameter bars. I would hope it is a spacer because it will be easier to find inexpensive 31.8 bars and you will find a larger selection especially in black to match the bike. Just take out the spacer and install the 31.8. If it is truly a 25.4, then you need to find that size of bar to fit.

Next I would buy a pair of drop brake levers for caliper brakes, Tektro or Shimano are two names that come to mind. Make sure they say this on the box. Then add a front brake. Most of your braking, about 80%, is actually done by the front brake. You will need brake housing and a cable for the front brake. Last buy some bar tape and follow a YouTube video on how this is done.

The upgrade is realistically going to be about $80 and that is if you do the work yourself and find inexpensive parts.

Personally I would leave the bike alone as I love flat bars. The only thing I would do is add a front brake. Enjoy the bike as it is and if you have the itch to buy something, buy a good lock or back pack or courier bag to carry your stuff. Have fun.

I also agree that adding a front brake is the only worthwhile upgrade for this bicycle right now.

When the tires wear out, upgrade to a better set of tires.

As a new cyclist, it is probably best getting use to riding with the flat bar and save the idea of drop bars for your next (better) bicycle buy.

PS - for a first bicycle buy, you did alright.

I ride my single speed with one brake. The FRONT.

Move yours.

You state you want a bike for everyday life. And you are a beginner. Forget the drop bars. Ride what you have. If all you want to do is look kewl and hang out in parking lots......you started with the wrong bike anyway.

Drop bars are not conducive to every day life?

Thanks guys. When I bought the bike the store had already installed front and rear brakes. The only reason why I wanted drop bars is because I've ridden my friends bikes before that have drop bars and they seemed comfortable; I liked allowing my arms to switch up positions. Since I'm not a hardcore biker or anything I'll probably stick with this bad boy because all other fixies in this price range seem to also have mixed reviews anyways (unless you all think otherwise). When I do buy a better bike however, I will be asking you all for some more advice!

I gotta agree on selling it if you can. High-Ten steel is about the worst material I can think of for a frame. I would sell it or maybe use it for a beater bike.

I understand you wanting drop bars. You can put anything you want on there as long as it has a "25.4mm clamp" but potentially your brake levers won't fit on your new bars (unlikely to be a problem, but check it).

I'm hoping this is a misprint.

If there is only one brake:
I ride my Fixed Gear with a brake on the front (as the rear wheel can brake without calipers)
Single speed should have a brake on the back.

You never want to ride a bike without the ability to brake the rear wheel.

If where you live is relatively flat, you don't have a bad bike for getting around. I ride my Miyata 210 which is hi-ten tubing as my beater bike, but on my long commutes I ride my Bridgestone because I live in the foothills and need something lighter with wider gearing. What you don't have are any braze ons for attaching racks or fenders though (as far as I can see), which is unfortunate. I don't know what fender options you have out there, but you should still be able to mount a Wald basket up front.

I will agree with others that a different bike may suit your needs better, but if you aren't unhappy with your current bike I wouldn't worry too much about replacing it anytime soon if it's not economically feasible.

I don't think it was...

I'm hoping this is a misprint.

I wonder why that would be. Braking the rear wheel is nice, not necessary. Braking the front wheel is very necessary. Just because the idiots riding with only rear braking haven't killed themselves yet does nothing to invalidate the fact that 80% of braking force comes from the front wheels. Motorcycles always have the bigger brakes up front. Some run dual disks up front and a puny single disk in the rear. Locking up and skidding a rear wheel is never as serious as locking up and skidding a front wheel but even so the front wheels of any vehicle (cars included) are always supplied with much more braking potential than the rear wheels. BTW, it is being charitable at best to characterize what happens at the rear wheel of a fixie when the rider backpedals, as 'braking'.

Really? First I've heard of that. Front brake is where your stopping power is.

I cannot agree that most bars are 31.8. There is a ton of 26mm drop bars out there. The o.p.'s 25.4 stem can easily fit a 26mm bar if it is a 'pop-off' design. If not, stems are cheap. I got a nice Salsa stem for $17. Salsa is not junk and $17 is cheap, to me. If the o.p. lives in Portland I've got bars lying around that would probably fit her (38mm wide). Tektro levers ($20) are the only way to go. Bar reach should not exceed 80mm.