Flat bar on road bike - possible?

[Me]

My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible? If so, is there anything I
should be aware of before attempting this? What about shifters - will MTB
shifters work on road derailleur? Thanks.

Steve

[Sheldon Brown]

A shy person asked:

> My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
> flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible?

Absolutely, this is a very common modification.

> If so, is there anything I
> should be aware of before attempting this? What about shifters - will MTB
> shifters work on road derailleur? Thanks.

She will need new brake levers (and shifters, if they're mounted on the
handlebars.)

She'll need brake levers for traditional cantilevers/calipers, not the
brake levers designed for "direct pull" cantilevers.

If the bike has two chainrings, and Shimano shift components, MTB
shifters will work just fine. If she's got Campagnolo stuff, she'll
need a new rear derailer too.

If it has three chainrings, it gets more complicated...let me know.

Some drop handlebars are a larger diameter where they fit through the
stem, so she may need to add a spacer shim, or she might want to replace
the stem with one that is higher or shorter.

If you had provided more information about her bike, I would have been
able to give you more specific advice.

Sheldon "Educated Guesses" Brown
+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions |
| from insufficient premises. --Samuel Butler |
+-----------------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

[Sheldon Brown]

A shy person asked:

> My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
> flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible?

Absolutely, this is a very common modification.

> If so, is there anything I
> should be aware of before attempting this? What about shifters - will MTB
> shifters work on road derailleur? Thanks.

She will need new brake levers (and shifters, if they're mounted on the
handlebars.)

She'll need brake levers for traditional cantilevers/calipers, not the
brake levers designed for "direct pull" cantilevers.

If the bike has two chainrings, and Shimano shift components, MTB
shifters will work just fine. If she's got Campagnolo stuff, she'll
need a new rear derailer too.

If it has three chainrings, it gets more complicated...let me know.

Some drop handlebars are a larger diameter where they fit through the
stem, so she may need to add a spacer shim, or she might want to replace
the stem with one that is higher or shorter.

If you had provided more information about her bike, I would have been
able to give you more specific advice.

Sheldon "Educated Guesses" Brown
+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions |
| from insufficient premises. --Samuel Butler |
+-----------------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

[Werehatrack]

On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 18:39:41 -0400, Me > may have said:

>My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
>flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible?

Often almost painless, always possible. The complexity depends on the
equipment present.

>If so, is there anything I
>should be aware of before attempting this? What about shifters - will MTB
>shifters work on road derailleur?

If you have Shimano ders, and they're relatively recent (say, less
than about 10 years old), the chances are good that they'll work with
mtb shifters. Brake levers may be more of a problem; show the guys at
the lbs what you're trying to do, and they can fix you up with the
right kind of levers. You may have to replace the cables to get the
ends to match what the levers need. There is a *small* chance that
you'll need to shim the bar to make it fit in the road quill. Don't
forget to buy grips.



--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

[Werehatrack]

On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 18:39:41 -0400, Me > may have said:

>My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
>flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible?

Often almost painless, always possible. The complexity depends on the
equipment present.

>If so, is there anything I
>should be aware of before attempting this? What about shifters - will MTB
>shifters work on road derailleur?

If you have Shimano ders, and they're relatively recent (say, less
than about 10 years old), the chances are good that they'll work with
mtb shifters. Brake levers may be more of a problem; show the guys at
the lbs what you're trying to do, and they can fix you up with the
right kind of levers. You may have to replace the cables to get the
ends to match what the levers need. There is a *small* chance that
you'll need to shim the bar to make it fit in the road quill. Don't
forget to buy grips.



--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

[Me]

> A shy person asked:
>
>> My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
>> flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible?
>
> Absolutely, this is a very common modification.
>
>> If so, is there anything I
>> should be aware of before attempting this? What about shifters - will MTB
>> shifters work on road derailleur? Thanks.
>
> She will need new brake levers (and shifters, if they're mounted on the
> handlebars.)
>
> She'll need brake levers for traditional cantilevers/calipers, not the
> brake levers designed for "direct pull" cantilevers.
>
> If the bike has two chainrings, and Shimano shift components, MTB
> shifters will work just fine. If she's got Campagnolo stuff, she'll
> need a new rear derailer too.
>
> If it has three chainrings, it gets more complicated...let me know.
>
> Some drop handlebars are a larger diameter where they fit through the
> stem, so she may need to add a spacer shim, or she might want to replace
> the stem with one that is higher or shorter.
>
> If you had provided more information about her bike, I would have been
> able to give you more specific advice.
>
> Sheldon "Educated Guesses" Brown
> +-----------------------------------------------------+
>| Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions |
>| from insufficient premises. --Samuel Butler |
> +-----------------------------------------------------+
> Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
> Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
> http://harriscyclery.com
> Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
> http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

Thanks for the quick and informative reply. My wife's bike is an old Trek -
my guess is around 10 years old. Has Suntour Superbe single pivot brakes
and Shimano 400 rear der - 7 speed, I think. Double up front. On a related
topic, her reason for switching is that with the current brakes, she is not
getting enough leverage to brake properly. Without going to STI, will
replacing the brake levers and brakes to dual pivot give her more leverage?
Thanks again.

Steve

[Me]

> A shy person asked:
>
>> My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
>> flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible?
>
> Absolutely, this is a very common modification.
>
>> If so, is there anything I
>> should be aware of before attempting this? What about shifters - will MTB
>> shifters work on road derailleur? Thanks.
>
> She will need new brake levers (and shifters, if they're mounted on the
> handlebars.)
>
> She'll need brake levers for traditional cantilevers/calipers, not the
> brake levers designed for "direct pull" cantilevers.
>
> If the bike has two chainrings, and Shimano shift components, MTB
> shifters will work just fine. If she's got Campagnolo stuff, she'll
> need a new rear derailer too.
>
> If it has three chainrings, it gets more complicated...let me know.
>
> Some drop handlebars are a larger diameter where they fit through the
> stem, so she may need to add a spacer shim, or she might want to replace
> the stem with one that is higher or shorter.
>
> If you had provided more information about her bike, I would have been
> able to give you more specific advice.
>
> Sheldon "Educated Guesses" Brown
> +-----------------------------------------------------+
>| Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions |
>| from insufficient premises. --Samuel Butler |
> +-----------------------------------------------------+
> Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
> Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
> http://harriscyclery.com
> Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
> http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

Thanks for the quick and informative reply. My wife's bike is an old Trek -
my guess is around 10 years old. Has Suntour Superbe single pivot brakes
and Shimano 400 rear der - 7 speed, I think. Double up front. On a related
topic, her reason for switching is that with the current brakes, she is not
getting enough leverage to brake properly. Without going to STI, will
replacing the brake levers and brakes to dual pivot give her more leverage?
Thanks again.

Steve

[Chris Zacho The Wheelman]

Yes, yes, yes and yes. Go for it!

- -

"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

[Chris Zacho The Wheelman]

Yes, yes, yes and yes. Go for it!

- -

"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

[William Holiday]

On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 21:09:14 -0400, Me > wrote:


<
<Thanks for the quick and informative reply. My wife's bike is an old Trek -
<my guess is around 10 years old. Has Suntour Superbe single pivot brakes
<and Shimano 400 rear der - 7 speed, I think. Double up front. On a related
<topic, her reason for switching is that with the current brakes, she is not
<getting enough leverage to brake properly. Without going to STI, will
<replacing the brake levers and brakes to dual pivot give her more leverage?

Just the calipers, no need to swap change levers..... and Koolstop salmon pads.

[William Holiday]

On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 21:09:14 -0400, Me > wrote:


<
<Thanks for the quick and informative reply. My wife's bike is an old Trek -
<my guess is around 10 years old. Has Suntour Superbe single pivot brakes
<and Shimano 400 rear der - 7 speed, I think. Double up front. On a related
<topic, her reason for switching is that with the current brakes, she is not
<getting enough leverage to brake properly. Without going to STI, will
<replacing the brake levers and brakes to dual pivot give her more leverage?

Just the calipers, no need to swap change levers..... and Koolstop salmon pads.

[Dan Daniel]

On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 21:09:14 -0400, Me > wrote:


>
>Thanks for the quick and informative reply. My wife's bike is an old Trek -
>my guess is around 10 years old. Has Suntour Superbe single pivot brakes
>and Shimano 400 rear der - 7 speed, I think. Double up front. On a related
>topic, her reason for switching is that with the current brakes, she is not
>getting enough leverage to brake properly. Without going to STI, will
>replacing the brake levers and brakes to dual pivot give her more leverage?
>Thanks again.
>
>Steve

I'd try the dual pivot and aero brake levers first. And maybe a
shorter stem if a shorter reach would help her get more leverage.

Save yourself some time and money- go to a local bike shop and have
her ride a bike with dual pivot brakes. And a bike with cantilever
brakes and flat bars (if there are any in the shop). Let them know
what you are looking for, and when she decides be sure to buy the
parts at the shop!! Let them do the work if you won't be doing it
yourself.

The difference between single pivot and dual pivot is significant, I
think. And for road riding, road bars are more comfortable for any
distance.

[Dan Daniel]

On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 21:09:14 -0400, Me > wrote:


>
>Thanks for the quick and informative reply. My wife's bike is an old Trek -
>my guess is around 10 years old. Has Suntour Superbe single pivot brakes
>and Shimano 400 rear der - 7 speed, I think. Double up front. On a related
>topic, her reason for switching is that with the current brakes, she is not
>getting enough leverage to brake properly. Without going to STI, will
>replacing the brake levers and brakes to dual pivot give her more leverage?
>Thanks again.
>
>Steve

I'd try the dual pivot and aero brake levers first. And maybe a
shorter stem if a shorter reach would help her get more leverage.

Save yourself some time and money- go to a local bike shop and have
her ride a bike with dual pivot brakes. And a bike with cantilever
brakes and flat bars (if there are any in the shop). Let them know
what you are looking for, and when she decides be sure to buy the
parts at the shop!! Let them do the work if you won't be doing it
yourself.

The difference between single pivot and dual pivot is significant, I
think. And for road riding, road bars are more comfortable for any
distance.

[rocketman58]

Yes it is not only possible, a number of manufacturers are making
bikes set up this way.
I also have my roadbike set up this way. I can not ride with drop
bars due to an old wrist injury.

You will need a MTB stem, flat bar, brake levers with new cables,
shifters, and grips.

Stem - you will most likely need a longer one than your road stem.
Bar - pretty much most flat bars will due, so select your favorite.
Brake levers - I'm using a pair of Dia-Comp PC11 levers. Try to
select some that are designed for cantelever (spelling?) brakes not V
brakes, they will work best. Shifters - I am using a pair of Paul's
Thumbies. They turn a pair of Dura Ace bar end shifters into 8 or 9
spd thumb shifters. Since the front is friction, there is no shifting
problem. The rear shifting works fine. Shimano also makes a Rapid
Fire shifter that is designed just for this purpose as well. I'm not
sure if they have a brake lever/shifter combo or just the shift pods,
and if they are 8 or 9 spd.

Note: I hear standard MTB shifters will not work with Shimano road
front deraileurs. You may be able to use a MTB front deraileur if
your frame has enough clearance. (different design MTB vs Road)

I love the MTB riding position with a sub 20lb bike.



Me > wrote in message >...
> My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
> flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible? If so, is there anything I
> should be aware of before attempting this? What about shifters - will MTB
> shifters work on road derailleur? Thanks.
>
> Steve

[rocketman58]

Yes it is not only possible, a number of manufacturers are making
bikes set up this way.
I also have my roadbike set up this way. I can not ride with drop
bars due to an old wrist injury.

You will need a MTB stem, flat bar, brake levers with new cables,
shifters, and grips.

Stem - you will most likely need a longer one than your road stem.
Bar - pretty much most flat bars will due, so select your favorite.
Brake levers - I'm using a pair of Dia-Comp PC11 levers. Try to
select some that are designed for cantelever (spelling?) brakes not V
brakes, they will work best. Shifters - I am using a pair of Paul's
Thumbies. They turn a pair of Dura Ace bar end shifters into 8 or 9
spd thumb shifters. Since the front is friction, there is no shifting
problem. The rear shifting works fine. Shimano also makes a Rapid
Fire shifter that is designed just for this purpose as well. I'm not
sure if they have a brake lever/shifter combo or just the shift pods,
and if they are 8 or 9 spd.

Note: I hear standard MTB shifters will not work with Shimano road
front deraileurs. You may be able to use a MTB front deraileur if
your frame has enough clearance. (different design MTB vs Road)

I love the MTB riding position with a sub 20lb bike.



Me > wrote in message >...
> My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
> flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible? If so, is there anything I
> should be aware of before attempting this? What about shifters - will MTB
> shifters work on road derailleur? Thanks.
>
> Steve

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

me-<< My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible? If so, is there anything I
should be aware of before attempting this? What about shifters - will MTB
shifters work on road derailleur? >><BR><BR>

Yes to rear, no for front. shimano and Campagnolo for 2005, makes road specific
brake/shift levers for flat bars.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

me-<< My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible? If so, is there anything I
should be aware of before attempting this? What about shifters - will MTB
shifters work on road derailleur? >><BR><BR>

Yes to rear, no for front. shimano and Campagnolo for 2005, makes road specific
brake/shift levers for flat bars.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article >, says...
>My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
>flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible?

yes. I'v seen it done many times.

>If so, is there anything I
>should be aware of before attempting this?

You will need to get a stem with the appropriate openeing, 25.4 mm. Most
of the inexpensive stems come in this size, so it should be cheap and
easy to get one.

>What about shifters - will MTB
>shifters work on road derailleur? Thanks.

If they are shimano and not 6,7 or 8sp dura ace, yes the MTB shifters will
work.
---------------
Alex

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article >, says...
>My wife would like to change the aero (drop) bar on her road bike with a
>flat XC bar. First of all, is this possible?

yes. I'v seen it done many times.

>If so, is there anything I
>should be aware of before attempting this?

You will need to get a stem with the appropriate openeing, 25.4 mm. Most
of the inexpensive stems come in this size, so it should be cheap and
easy to get one.

>What about shifters - will MTB
>shifters work on road derailleur? Thanks.

If they are shimano and not 6,7 or 8sp dura ace, yes the MTB shifters will
work.
---------------
Alex

[Ken Ferschweiler]

Me ) wrote:


: Thanks for the quick and informative reply. My wife's bike is an old Trek -
: my guess is around 10 years old. Has Suntour Superbe single pivot brakes
: and Shimano 400 rear der - 7 speed, I think. Double up front. On a related
: topic, her reason for switching is that with the current brakes, she is not
: getting enough leverage to brake properly. Without going to STI, will
: replacing the brake levers and brakes to dual pivot give her more leverage?
: Thanks again.

Hi Steve,

If you're interested in selling the old brakes, I'd be
interested in buying them.

-Ken

[Ken Ferschweiler]

Me ) wrote:


: Thanks for the quick and informative reply. My wife's bike is an old Trek -
: my guess is around 10 years old. Has Suntour Superbe single pivot brakes
: and Shimano 400 rear der - 7 speed, I think. Double up front. On a related
: topic, her reason for switching is that with the current brakes, she is not
: getting enough leverage to brake properly. Without going to STI, will
: replacing the brake levers and brakes to dual pivot give her more leverage?
: Thanks again.

Hi Steve,

If you're interested in selling the old brakes, I'd be
interested in buying them.

-Ken

[Erik Brooks]

> Has Suntour Superbe single pivot brakes
> On a related
> topic, her reason for switching is that with the current brakes, she is not
> getting enough leverage to brake properly. Without going to STI, will
> replacing the brake levers and brakes to dual pivot give her more leverage?
> Thanks again.
>
> Steve

I just got a 20 year old bike with Suntour Sprint (Superbe's little
brother) single pivot brakes, possibly with original pads. I changed
only the levers to the Shimano Aero levers that Sheldon recommends.
The brake feel and function is now really really good. Much lower
hand effort required, especially when braking with your hands on the
hoods, as I usually do.

This cost me $40 for the levers and cables, and $10 for new bar tape.
Money well spent.

Erik

PS, These brake levers come with a little grey plastic bit inside the
lever that rattles. After hearing from others that it has no
function, I took it out of each side and the rattles stopped.

[Erik Brooks]

> Has Suntour Superbe single pivot brakes
> On a related
> topic, her reason for switching is that with the current brakes, she is not
> getting enough leverage to brake properly. Without going to STI, will
> replacing the brake levers and brakes to dual pivot give her more leverage?
> Thanks again.
>
> Steve

I just got a 20 year old bike with Suntour Sprint (Superbe's little
brother) single pivot brakes, possibly with original pads. I changed
only the levers to the Shimano Aero levers that Sheldon recommends.
The brake feel and function is now really really good. Much lower
hand effort required, especially when braking with your hands on the
hoods, as I usually do.

This cost me $40 for the levers and cables, and $10 for new bar tape.
Money well spent.

Erik

PS, These brake levers come with a little grey plastic bit inside the
lever that rattles. After hearing from others that it has no
function, I took it out of each side and the rattles stopped.