Flat bars on a racing bike?

lee170

Hi,
Can you fit flat bars onto a racing bike? Just thinking that there are not that many commuter bikes up for sale and the ones that are are going for silly money!!!!

Cheers

Lee

alfablue

Possible,

You need mtb shifters, and probably an mtb front mech, new cables, new bars, grips. If buying new, it would cost more than the difference to buy the bike you want. Also, consider if the donor bike will take mudguards, the size tyres you want, and rack, if you want one.

There may be an issue with the reach, road bikes assume about 15cm of the reach is made up with the length of the bars to the hoods, fitting a flat bar will mean the reach is 15cm less. Bar ends, and possibly a longer stem (though too long and steering gets very slow) may reclaim some of this reach.

Why not get a drop bar bike for commuting, or something like a Carrera Subway - good quality, good value flat bar commuter.

sally65

yes you can do this easily. Ive buillt up 2 bikes with flat bars. 0ne a specialised dulce with shimano 105 double, the other a ribble with a tigra triple.
9 speed is cheaper to do than 10 [ the only 10spd shifters I could find were over £100, 9 spd are a third of that]
ive used deore shifters and they work a treat. Deore brake levers the same.
As the last post said. the reach will be shorter so just change the stem.
I love my flat bar and the pal I built the ribble for loves his too. so if thats what you want go for it.

sally65

sorry forgot to say, I never changed front or rear mechs and they work fine with flat bar shifters too.

UndercoverElephant

Or, just buy the racing bike and get used to drop bars. It's easier than you think, and is far easier in a headwind.

sally65

add bar ends if you want to tuck down.