Flat Bar Consideration On Road Bike
03-05-15, 12:02 PM
#26
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Originally Posted by redlude97
how is your hybrid any faster than a road bike on hills unless you are improperly geared for your fitness level?
03-05-15, 12:35 PM
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So a hybrid has gearing which allows spinning a higher cadence over steeper hills. That's not the same as being 'much faster' - unless the same rider would have to walk the roadie.
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03-06-15, 03:02 PM
#28
Advocatus Diaboli
Any reason you couldn't mount flat-bar designed brakes and shifters on the top bar of dropped handlebars? Of course.. you lose having breaks if you use the drops.. could be a minor inconvenience.
03-06-15, 03:23 PM
#29
Jedi Master
or you could just get drop bar ends
03-06-15, 03:46 PM
#30
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OP, save your money. The reason your friend smokes you on his road bike is the superior aerodynamic position from the drop bars, reduced rolling resistance from the tires, and to a lesser degree a bit of weight savings.
If you're not going to get the aerodynamic benefit, just get a second set of wheels for your MTB, put slicks on them, and lock out the suspension.
That will pretty much accomplish the same effect of a flat bar road bike, and will be much cheaper.
If you're not going to get the aerodynamic benefit, just get a second set of wheels for your MTB, put slicks on them, and lock out the suspension.
That will pretty much accomplish the same effect of a flat bar road bike, and will be much cheaper.
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03-06-15, 04:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Any reason you couldn't mount flat-bar designed brakes and shifters on the top bar of dropped handlebars? Of course.. you lose having breaks if you use the drops.. could be a minor inconvenience.
03-06-15, 05:25 PM
#32
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Originally Posted by CliffordK
If you're going to do that, then just install interrupter style brake levers.
03-06-15, 05:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
How do you shift though?
03-06-15, 06:03 PM
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When I bought my first road bike (Trek 1.1) in 2013, I thought about converting it to flat bar too. I did all the research and almost pull the trigger. But trust me, you will soon get used to drop bar and you will fall in love with it.
However, at the end I did convert the Trek 1.1 to flat bar.... but only because I gave it to my wife! She can't ride drop.....
The conversion is actually pretty cheap nowadays because Shimano has released a few flat bar shifter for road group. The Shimano Claris flat bar shifter + brake only cost me $50US from crc. Even those 9 or 10 speed shifter are only around $100 - 150 US. Back in the old days, I saw people also have to get new front derailleur because those mtb flat bar shifter is not compatible with road front derailleur.
If you are going to buy a road bike and convert it to flat bar, you will need to buy a frame that's usually 2 sizes bigger than your usual size because the reach for drop bar is different from flat bar.
However, at the end I did convert the Trek 1.1 to flat bar.... but only because I gave it to my wife! She can't ride drop.....
The conversion is actually pretty cheap nowadays because Shimano has released a few flat bar shifter for road group. The Shimano Claris flat bar shifter + brake only cost me $50US from crc. Even those 9 or 10 speed shifter are only around $100 - 150 US. Back in the old days, I saw people also have to get new front derailleur because those mtb flat bar shifter is not compatible with road front derailleur.
If you are going to buy a road bike and convert it to flat bar, you will need to buy a frame that's usually 2 sizes bigger than your usual size because the reach for drop bar is different from flat bar.
03-08-15, 08:07 AM
#35
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Originally Posted by kingston
or you could just get drop bar ends
03-09-15, 06:32 AM
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Originally Posted by obed7
specialized and trek already make a carbon bike with flat bars on it...
the trek fx7.7 is the domane 4 series frame with a flat bar on it.
I forget what spec calls theirs... sirrus or something like that.
They would both be less than buying a road bike and converting to flat bars, the advantage to buying a road bike and changing to flat bars is that you would have the stuff to put it back if you did not think the flat bar thing was working for you.
the trek fx7.7 is the domane 4 series frame with a flat bar on it.
I forget what spec calls theirs... sirrus or something like that.
They would both be less than buying a road bike and converting to flat bars, the advantage to buying a road bike and changing to flat bars is that you would have the stuff to put it back if you did not think the flat bar thing was working for you.
The only downside I can see is that this bike has an aluminum fork, and that, combined with the flat bar position is making my hands get tingly starting to numb during rides of more than an hour.
