Do they make drop handlebars with a very short drop?

Posted this in r.b.r. as well so I apologize if you see this twice, but
after posting it I realized it might be more appropriate here. So here
goes.

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I know, odd question. Let me clarify. My wife is a triathlete who
usually rides a time trial bike. She's taking some time off, though,
and doing some recreational cycling on her old road bike. One things
she's encountering, though, is that even with a new fit her knees seem
to bump the drops sometimes.

Now obviously one solution would be to go with straight bars. Another
solution would be a totally different bike. But she loves the brake
levers on a road bike (the hand positioning feels more ergonomic), even
if she never gets into the drops. So my question, before we go the
route of trying to find her a new bike or something like that, is if
they make handlebars with a very short drop. Basically enough to grip
and attach a brake lever. I'm envisioning handlebars where the drop
ends shortly after the bottom of the brake/shifter lever.

Anyone ever seen anything like this before?

Preston

Below is a link to a bad photoshop of what I'm envisioning.

http://static.flickr.com/65/20049257...df8204.jpg?v=0

On 28 Jul 2006 13:01:11 -0700, wrote:

So my question, before we go the
route of trying to find her a new bike or something like that, is if
they make handlebars with a very short drop. Basically enough to grip
and attach a brake lever. I'm envisioning handlebars where the drop
ends shortly after the bottom of the brake/shifter lever.

Anyone ever seen anything like this before?

Preston

Below is a link to a bad photoshop of what I'm envisioning.

http://static.flickr.com/65/20049257...df8204.jpg?v=0

It's easier to do that with a hacksaw or tubing cutter than it is to
do it with Photoshop.

I usually see these hacked bars inverted with the brake levers
mounted at the ends. They were popular with couriers for awhile.
--
zk

wrote:

Now obviously one solution would be to go with straight bars. Another
solution would be a totally different bike. But she loves the brake
levers on a road bike (the hand positioning feels more ergonomic), even
if she never gets into the drops. So my question, before we go the
route of trying to find her a new bike or something like that, is if
they make handlebars with a very short drop. Basically enough to grip
and attach a brake lever. I'm envisioning handlebars where the drop
ends shortly after the bottom of the brake/shifter lever.

Anyone ever seen anything like this before?

Preston

Below is a link to a bad photoshop of what I'm envisioning.

http://static.flickr.com/65/20049257...df8204.jpg?v=0

Ritchey Biomax Comps have a drop of about 13cm in the 42cm model which
is pretty shallow. You might also want to get some spacers or a longer
stem (if it's quill) to get the bars up a bit.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Posted this in r.b.r. as well so I apologize if you see this twice, but
after posting it I realized it might be more appropriate here. So here
goes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know, odd question. Let me clarify. My wife is a triathlete who
usually rides a time trial bike. She's taking some time off, though,
and doing some recreational cycling on her old road bike. One things
she's encountering, though, is that even with a new fit her knees seem
to bump the drops sometimes.

Rotate the bars away from her knees, and reposition the levers to wherever
she needs them.

RichC

"landotter" wrote:


wrote:

Now obviously one solution would be to go with straight bars. Another
solution would be a totally different bike. But she loves the brake
levers on a road bike (the hand positioning feels more ergonomic), even
if she never gets into the drops. So my question, before we go the
route of trying to find her a new bike or something like that, is if
they make handlebars with a very short drop. Basically enough to grip
and attach a brake lever. I'm envisioning handlebars where the drop
ends shortly after the bottom of the brake/shifter lever.

Anyone ever seen anything like this before?

Preston

Below is a link to a bad photoshop of what I'm envisioning.

http://static.flickr.com/65/20049257...df8204.jpg?v=0

Ritchey Biomax Comps have a drop of about 13cm in the 42cm model which
is pretty shallow. You might also want to get some spacers or a longer
stem (if it's quill) to get the bars up a bit.

There is also the FSA Wing Pro Shallow Drop at 125mm, the Kalloy
HB-300 (traditional bars with no grooves) at 115mm, and the Salsa
Estrada at 121 (with a mere 65mm reach).

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

Mark Hickey wrote:

[snip]
the Kalloy
HB-300 (traditional bars with no grooves) at 115mm...

!!
Dang, that's shallow! Am I being a putz and not measuring properly?
It's still a c to c measure from the c of the tops to the c of the
drops right?

"landotter" wrote:

Mark Hickey wrote:

[snip]
the Kalloy
HB-300 (traditional bars with no grooves) at 115mm...

!!
Dang, that's shallow! Am I being a putz and not measuring properly?
It's still a c to c measure from the c of the tops to the c of the
drops right?

Yep - and you're right, that IS a very shallow drop.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame