mikeybikes

Seeing as Jarelj beat me to the punch with the drop bar conversion... I figured I better get on mine.

Ordered the parts about 1 month ago and just now got around to converting.

I used:

• 42mm Profile Drop Bars
• 100mm +/- 7deg Stem
• Shimano 8 speed bar end shifters
• Tektro RL520 brake levers (for linear pull brakes)
• Some blue synthetic cork bar tape

Mines different from Jarelj's, instead of using brifters I used bar ends and instead of converting to cantilevers, I kept the linear pull V-brakes and used the RL520s which are designed for them.

Overall, I love the ride much better.

Before:


After:


(The fenders and rack are going back on soon. Took them off to make the conversion easier)

More pictures to come once I find my memory card.

agc1976

Total cost?

mikeybikes

~$180. I had a brake cable and housing kit lying around and the shifters came with cables, so that saved. Doesn't count the cost for the cable cutters I had to buy.

Sirrus Rider

The main problem I have with drops is I knee myself in the gut when riding on them. They're for fit racers and skinny Europeans, not for short fat Americans of Italian peasant ancestry.. It is with some irony that they are a natural fit on the Sirrus, a tribute to it's racing heritage. On the '07 I'm of the opinon that drops would make it into a decent touring bike as well.

gary245

I've been contemplating a cross bike for the past year, but never considered modifying my Sirrus. What a simple solution - thanks for the suggestion, I'm converting mine soon! Your's looks great!

Sirrus Rider

Yeah It'd do cross pretty well too!

Dahon.Steve

I think your hybrid conversion makes more sense. I don't know why someone just doesn't make a handlebar that allows hybrid shifters and brakes? The hybrid makes perfect sense since it allows you to run thicker tires, rear rack, fenders with very low gearing. I consider all of these quite desirable but the flat handlebar is just out of the question. Maybe the manufacturers think if they made a drop handlbar for the inexpensive hybrid, it would cut into road bike sales.

Regardless, I still want to see someone make a handlbar the breaks in two piece allowing you to slip on mountain bike brakes.

NormanF

For the cost of the conversion, I'd have gotten a comfort road bike from Specialized. People buy flat bar road bikes to get away from road bikes with their hunched over on the drops racing position.

mikeybikes

Perhaps, however I already had purchased the bike. Any comfort road bike from Specialized is minimum $800.

I paid $350 for the bicycle brand new + $180 for the conversion. Still well below $800.

Saddle Up

And you end up with a bike similar to a Sequoia. Nicely done. It looks really good.

norwood

Your post makes no sense. The flatbar controls simply are not designed to be used with a drop bar even if the diameter would allow it. The "manufacturers" make the bars, not the bikes, they probably couldn't care less what bike their bars are mounted on or whose sales were cut into.
If you must have brake levers mounted on the dropbar tops, look into cyclocross style interrupter levers.
Also, a "trekking" or "butterfly" handlebar will allow use of the flatbar controls.

Sixty Fiver

Nice... was wondering what a drop bar on a Sirrus would be like and 180.00 was pretty cost effective.

Jerry in So IL

Nice job!

I actually liked the drop bars on my old OCR2, but they needed to be wider to match my shoulder width. The multi hand position is a plus and worth the pirces IMHO.

Jerry

mikeybikes

Took an 18 mile ride on them today. I love the drop position for bombing down hills.

Mucho better than the flat bars. Took a little bit to get used to the bar end shifters. Its a bit of a reach.

nymtber

looks nice...

But I still find flat bars to be more responsive in handling. To each there own. Now ya just gotta get rid of the rear derailleur for a Shimano Deore or Tiagra long cage, or even LX.

Looks like different tires, too?

mikeybikes

To each their own definitely. I feel its easier to control my bicycle with the drop bars...

Tires are Armadillos. Got too many flats with the stock ones. Haven't had a flat in over 300 miles on these armadillos. Before it was an average of one every 50 miles.

I'm holding off on upgrading components, but my future upgrade plans include new wheels, a front derailleur that doesn't sit so far behind the seat tube, and a not so wide range cassette.

Sirrus Rider

+1 on the Front Der. Once you do that you'll be able to put a new Planet bike fender without carving hunks out of it. Bad show on Specialized for cheaping out with bulkier less expensive front derailleurs post '07 .

nymtber

I have a Tiagra front derailleur that looks to be showing up tomorrow in the mail. Then I can put my Planet Bike road fenders on! I plan on sending Specialized a letter explaining their lack of planning on components on the sirrus. As a commuter/fitness bike, I should NOT need to upgrade parts just to get fenders to fit. Not sure much bigger tires would fit with stock derailleur, either. A slimmer front derailleur probably would not have cost much more at all for them to install, if not been the same price. Also the seatstay bridge has the hole drilled 90 degrees from where it SHOULD be for fenders??? Very odd.

I also plan on upgrading tires someday. Maybe armadillo, but want something that is still light. Ill wear these tires out or until they give me flats...for now.

Sirrus Rider

Well knowing that the mentality of most Americans (which is the predominant market of the Sirrus) is the have the lightest bike they can buy and ride for fitness and not utility/commuting. Consequently, I would guess that most Sirrus (Sirri?) would spend their service life without them. I'd bet post '07 Specialized was banking that a very very small minority would attempt to fender one an no one would notice that a fat front derailleur mechanism was residing in fender/tire space.

mikeybikes

Some better pictures of the conversion...

The bicycle in commuting mode. Added fenders, rack, and Nashbar Daytrekkers back on. Commute tomorrow may include rain with some slushy stuff that resembles snow!


Close up of the drop bars and brakes:


Nytimber: Let me know if that Tiagra derailleur gives you more room.

nymtber

mikeshoup: I will post some pics once I do the conversion. I have a good idea (from the Allez I had with sora fd) that it will free up a LOT of room. I do like how the sirrus looks with drop bars. I LOVED the look of my red 2006 Allez, drop bars just arnt for me! Is your sirrus a medium (54cm) frame, as well?

And, on the flat handlebar handling, I mountain biked through what most would call freeride, with a hardtail, for many years while at college. That is probably why I will always be most comfortable on a Flat bar. Im gonna remove my grips, and clean the inside of the grips and clean up the bar and then try a different method of installing them. Never had grips slip back in my mountain bike days...Might put on some cheap bar ends I have just laying around, too. If I like them I might invest in nicer ones if the grips will stay put. Or, pony up for Ergon's

nymtber

I received the Tiagra front derailleur today in the mail, got it on. The cable was just long enough with 1" left, perfect! There is ALL SORTS of room now! It does rub a bit more, due to the Tiagra being meant for slimmer 9speed chains, but its not that bad. Mostly in gears that you shouldn't spend a lot of time in anyways. I am going to take cable off and undo the barrel adjuster a little so I have room to tune the FD more, and help get rid of some of the chain rub. The Tiagra also looks a LOT nicer than the Altus it is replacing, should work better, too. Also took the grips off, cleaned bar, shook some alcohol around inside the grips, and reinstalled, Hopefully this locks them on a little better...

If I get a chance to take pictures of it, I will post them sometime. I have yet to put rear fender on, I had to hurry off to work...Tomorrow calls for rain, I should have time to finish up

KShep

That looks badazz. Nice job with the tape.

ioanniz

well...here is my converted sirrus

giantcfr1

Very nicely put together!