BobbyG

I'm 57. I bought a new 1997 Nishiki Blazer when I was 35. I had been bike commuting for 5 years on a Schwinn Cruiser Supreme and had an old Schwinn drop-bar Continental as a project bike. I decided the straight-bar mountain bike was the way to go. And it worked beautifully for me for years.

For the last dozen or so years I have been having increasing discomfort with my "straight-ish" bar MTB-based comuter. In 2009 I acquired a 1984 Nishiki International road bike and found it more comfortable than the straight bars.

I added inboard bar ends to the straight bar to approximate riding on the hoods and that worked for a while, but then I added clamp-on aero bars to give me even more hand positions. This worked very well for a few more years.

Four years ago I bought a new semi-touring/adventure bike with drop bars to be my main commuter, relegating my old MTB with it's rack and folding baskets to winter snow & ice and utility duty. But snow aside, I still like to ride it to work and on weekends occasionally for variety.

For the last three years I have been considering either a drop-bar conversion or buying a new bike.

Last weekend I tweaked the current franken bar positions and rode it to work a couple of times this week. It was better, but it is not going to cut it anymore.

Meanwhile I can ride my drop-bar bikes day after day and for hours on the weekends without hand issues (as long as I pad the bars).

So I measured the bar to seat-post dimensions on those two bikes. Priced some parts at the "recycled" bike store/co-op and brought my bike in today to find a bar and stem that fit my old MTB and replicate the dimensions on my other two bikes.

A very patient and helpful tech helped me pore over giant bins of bars and stems and then let me put the bars and stem on my bike and sit in the saddle to check the fit.

Bingo!

$15 later and my bikes transformation is underway.

I have linear-pull V-brakes and will either order compatible brifters, or brake levers and bar-end shifters, unless I can find some cheaper used units which may necessitate use of brake cable "travel agent" converters". Those may be a kludge, but not as kludgey as my outgoing handlebar jungle-gym arrangement.

My goal is to have this ready to go by the first snowfall this year.

jideta

The weight savings alone is gonna make you a rock star!

BobbyG

I will also replace the cast iron rack that I kept from the 1987 bike with a new aluminum one.

rodgeman

I know you said drop bars but you might want to consider Velo Orange Crazy Bars . I have problems with straight bars myself. It does give a similar fell to riding on the hoods and still takes mtn bike shifters.

Here is my bike with them. I have since switched the seat.



2012 Specialized Sirrus with Velo Orange Crazy Bars