Convert flat bars to dropped. How Much?

[Mark Mitchell]

I'm riding a late 90's Trek 6000 MTB.

After my knee injury, I struggle with pedalling while standing, which
makes off-road riding pretty problematic. Also, being in the saddle so
much, I have hand problems after about 1.5 hrs.

So, after pricing road bikes (wow!), I'm wondering what it'd cost
(roughly) to convert to road bars. I've got 3 chainrings and 8 cogs, I
don't know the derailler or brake model names, but I could find out if
it's important. And I'm completely neutral on STI or bar-end, having
never really ridden either.

Mark

[Earl Bollinger]

"Mark Mitchell" > wrote in message
...
> I'm riding a late 90's Trek 6000 MTB.
> After my knee injury, I struggle with pedalling while standing, which
> makes off-road riding pretty problematic. Also, being in the saddle so
> much, I have hand problems after about 1.5 hrs.
> So, after pricing road bikes (wow!), I'm wondering what it'd cost
> (roughly) to convert to road bars. I've got 3 chainrings and 8 cogs, I
> don't know the derailler or brake model names, but I could find out if
> it's important. And I'm completely neutral on STI or bar-end, having
> never really ridden either.
> Mark

Well, one would need to change out the shifters and brakes and handlebar.
There are a lot of drop bars to choose from, so you could have a lot of fun
there.
So you would at least, need new STI type brifters, new drop bar, cables and
bar tape too.
So STI type shifters would go for around $125 to $600 depending on what is
available new or used and what you want.
So you could figure on something like $350 for the better shifters new. But
sometimes a LBS has a set they took off a new bike
that they can let you have for much less, so it does pay to check around.
The LBS labor charge to do the conversion shouldn't be all that bad either.
Usually MTB's are geared lower than road bikes, so you might later want to
put on a different crankset with higher gearing or change out the chainrings
for a higher gearing. The large chainring on a MTB is typically 44, a hybrid
would run 48, and a road bike 52. You would probably want the 48 size
chainring, as the 52 size is probably overly optimistic with the wider 26
inch tires. The cost for that depends on whether slightly used, new or how
fancy you want to get, say from $25.00 to over $400.
So your best bet is to go in to a LBS, when they aren;t busy, and show them
your bike and see what kind of a deal they can make for you to do this.
But then compare that cost to what if you bought a entry level road bike
instead. I have seen these bikes go for $500 to $800, which would be about
in this conversion cost range too.

[Paul R]

"Mark Mitchell" > wrote in message
...
> I'm riding a late 90's Trek 6000 MTB.
>
> After my knee injury, I struggle with pedalling while standing, which
> makes off-road riding pretty problematic. Also, being in the saddle so
> much, I have hand problems after about 1.5 hrs.
>
> So, after pricing road bikes (wow!), I'm wondering what it'd cost
> (roughly) to convert to road bars. I've got 3 chainrings and 8 cogs, I
> don't know the derailler or brake model names, but I could find out if
> it's important. And I'm completely neutral on STI or bar-end, having
> never really ridden either.
>

If you're concerned about riding position, just attach a pair of bar ends to
your straight bars. They may look dorky and uncool nowadays, but they work.

Great for climbing too.

Paul

[OnTwoWheels]

It'll be expensive if you go STI. Barcons will be a lot less. I would go
barcons.
I do these things myself and use mail order, the following prices reflect
that based on new items, If you go to a shop It'll be way more.

You'll need:
A handlebar $25 - $70 (if you get a 25.4 you could probably use it with
your existing stem, but you may want to swap out a different length stem
anyway for fit reasons)
Bar tape ($8 to $17 for cork)
Shifters ($60-$70 for barcons, $120-$250 for STI) (they should come with
cables, if not add in another $25)
You may need:
A Stem ($25-$70)
A brake cable stop (mounted by your headset) ($5)



"Mark Mitchell" > wrote in message
...
> I'm riding a late 90's Trek 6000 MTB.
>
> After my knee injury, I struggle with pedalling while standing, which
> makes off-road riding pretty problematic. Also, being in the saddle so
> much, I have hand problems after about 1.5 hrs.
>
> So, after pricing road bikes (wow!), I'm wondering what it'd cost
> (roughly) to convert to road bars. I've got 3 chainrings and 8 cogs, I
> don't know the derailler or brake model names, but I could find out if
> it's important. And I'm completely neutral on STI or bar-end, having
> never really ridden either.
>
> Mark

[Mark Mitchell]

On Thu, 12 May 2005 10:40:11 -0400, Paul R wrote:

>
> "Mark Mitchell" > wrote in message
> ...
<trimmed>
>>
>> So, after pricing road bikes (wow!), I'm wondering what it'd cost
>> (roughly) to convert to road bars. I've got 3 chainrings and 8 cogs, I
>> don't know the derailler or brake model names, but I could find out if
>> it's important. And I'm completely neutral on STI or bar-end, having
>> never really ridden either.
>>
>>
> If you're concerned about riding position, just attach a pair of bar ends
> to your straight bars. They may look dorky and uncool nowadays, but they
> work.
>
I have a set, and they are helpful, but the hand position on the ends is
too similar to the normal position to be a complete solution. Hence my
thinking about dropped bars.

Mark

[Booker C. Bense]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article >,
Mark Mitchell > wrote:
>On Thu, 12 May 2005 10:40:11 -0400, Paul R wrote:
>
>>
>> "Mark Mitchell" > wrote in message
>> ...
><trimmed>
>>>
>>> So, after pricing road bikes (wow!), I'm wondering what it'd cost
>>> (roughly) to convert to road bars. I've got 3 chainrings and 8 cogs, I
>>> don't know the derailler or brake model names, but I could find out if
>>> it's important. And I'm completely neutral on STI or bar-end, having
>>> never really ridden either.
>>>
>>>
>> If you're concerned about riding position, just attach a pair of bar ends
>> to your straight bars. They may look dorky and uncool nowadays, but they
>> work.
>>
>I have a set, and they are helpful, but the hand position on the ends is
>too similar to the normal position to be a complete solution. Hence my
>thinking about dropped bars.
>

_ You might try NashBar trekking bars. Dirt cheap and lot's of
hand/body positions[1] and you don't need to buy anything else.

http://tinyurl.com/yq6eq

_ Converting to drop bar gets expensive and complicated depending
on whether you have v-brakes or not and if you want indexed
shifting. Even with optimistic assumptions, you can spend more
than the price of an entry level road bike. You can get an
pretty nice bike for $500 these days.

_ Booker C. Bense

[1]_ Bar ends help, but all they give you is an alternate hand
position, drop bars allow you to vary both hand and body
position.

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[Geezer Boy]

On Thu, 12 May 2005 22:39:09 +0000 (UTC), Booker C. Bense
tanford.edu> wrote:

>-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
>
>In article >,
>Mark Mitchell > wrote:
>>On Thu, 12 May 2005 10:40:11 -0400, Paul R wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> "Mark Mitchell" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>><trimmed>
>>>>
>>>> So, after pricing road bikes (wow!), I'm wondering what it'd cost
>>>> (roughly) to convert to road bars. I've got 3 chainrings and 8 cogs, I
>>>> don't know the derailler or brake model names, but I could find out if
>>>> it's important. And I'm completely neutral on STI or bar-end, having
>>>> never really ridden either.
>>>>
>>>>
>>> If you're concerned about riding position, just attach a pair of bar ends
>>> to your straight bars. They may look dorky and uncool nowadays, but they
>>> work.
>>>
>>I have a set, and they are helpful, but the hand position on the ends is
>>too similar to the normal position to be a complete solution. Hence my
>>thinking about dropped bars.
>>
>
>_ You might try NashBar trekking bars. Dirt cheap and lot's of
>hand/body positions[1] and you don't need to buy anything else.
>
>http://tinyurl.com/yq6eq

Ditto this suggestion. (Scott used to make 25.4 drop bars but no
more.) I currently use large bar-ends, set about horizontal, with
thin rubber grips, and pointed toward me. Gives great wrist and
forearm support too. But after seeing this Nashbar trek bar, I just
ordered one to try it out. It's the best thing I've seen since the
Scott one was discontinued.

Why would you otherwise want to get new shifters? The MTB ones you
have are less expensive and otherwise more reliable, IMO, anyway than
brifters. Bar cons are a nuisance even though they do the job.

>_ Converting to drop bar gets expensive and complicated depending
>on whether you have v-brakes or not and if you want indexed
>shifting. Even with optimistic assumptions, you can spend more
>than the price of an entry level road bike. You can get an
>pretty nice bike for $500 these days.

Yes indeed.

>_ Booker C. Bense
>
>[1]_ Bar ends help, but all they give you is an alternate hand
>position, drop bars allow you to vary both hand and body
>position.
>

[Mark Mitchell]

On Thu, 12 May 2005 22:39:09 +0000, Booker C. Bense wrote:

<trimmed>

> _ Converting to drop bar gets expensive and complicated depending on
> whether you have v-brakes or not and if you want indexed shifting. Even
> with optimistic assumptions, you can spend more than the price of an entry
> level road bike. You can get an pretty nice bike for $500 these days.
>
$500, I could deal with, someday (not soon). But, to do what I want,
(commuting, primarily) I need at minimum rear rack, fender room, and a
triple (for my bad knee). If I can't do this, there's no point in my
buying it.

With that in mind, I haven't seen anything new that'd work for for less
than about $800.

Mark

[Booker C. Bense]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article >,
Geezer Boy > wrote:
>
>Why would you otherwise want to get new shifters? The MTB ones you
>have are less expensive and otherwise more reliable, IMO, anyway than
>brifters. Bar cons are a nuisance even though they do the job.
>

_ The bar diameter that MTB shifter expects is different than
what Road shifters/brake levers expect ( 22.2 vs 23.8 mm ).
Depending on the design of the shifter this difference can
be meaningless or totally incompatible.

_ Booker C. Bense



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[William McHale]

Geezer Boy > wrote:

> Why would you otherwise want to get new shifters? The MTB ones you
> have are less expensive and otherwise more reliable, IMO, anyway than
> brifters. Bar cons are a nuisance even though they do the job.


You know some of us actually like Bar cons :). I love their simplicity;
having shifting and brakes in two different units make both much more
easier to service without a trip to the bicycle shop.

--
Bill