modifying my Secteur

haymapp
haymapp Posts: 6
edited November 2010 in Road beginners
I have just bought a Specialized Secteur Sport through the Cycle to Work scheme and find that I am unlikely to use the racing handlebars.
I also have an older Sirrus.
Will there be a problem swapping the forks between the 2 bikes.

I know the Sirrus forks are about 2 inches longer so the front will be raised, but the steerer is the same length and the straight bars will be more comfortable for me.
Also then I would have a V brake on the front and calipers on the back.

I am a novice and whilst this sounds simple to me, I would not know of any potential problems.

Any advice appreciated.

Comments

  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    I am honestly puzzled as to why you have just spend a large chunk of cash (albeit through the C2W scheme) and want to make such drastic changes straight away???

    What are trying to achieve and why (I am not trying to be funny, btw)?
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Just leave the drop handlebars on and save all the frigging about. Drop handlebars offer three basic grips and flats only the one.

    I can never understand this preference for flats over drops that some people seem to have for bikes that will be ridden on roads.

    I'm not trying to be funny either!
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
    Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143173475@N05/
  • haymapp
    haymapp Posts: 6
    Maybe I should give it a bit more time. However I found of the 3 basic grips 99% of the time I used the middle one (where my thumb and first finger straddled the top of the brake lever).

    What I find strange is that if you use the lower grip you are in the best position for the brakes, but the gear change is awkward / near impossible. The top grip which I trust is using the bit next to the stem does not give you access to brakes or gear levers.
  • Berk Bonebonce
    Berk Bonebonce Posts: 1,245
    Whoever invented drop handlebars was on to a loser.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    So riding on the hoods as you are 99% of the time lets you brake and change gear too ? So thats good for you. Its not a million miles away from riding as if you were on flats either. Persevere with that - god knows how many roadies cant all be wrong.
  • Flasheart
    Flasheart Posts: 1,278
    I would normally have ridden the New Forest Gridiron 100 a few weeks back on my road bike. Because I was riding with my GF and another female friend on theirs, I opted to ride my MTB.
    I REALLY missed the multiple hand position options that my drop bars offered.
    Keep the drops :wink:
    The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle. ...Stapp’s Ironical Paradox Law
    FCN3
    http://img87.yfrog.com/img87/336/mycubeb.jpg
    http://lonelymiddlesomethingguy.blogspot.com/
  • geordiefella
    geordiefella Posts: 302
    fella.

    i ride with flat and drops. started on flats with my commuter. I'd have no hesitation is suggesting that you stick with it, change bartape perhaps, even change the drop bars to a wider more comfy version before you go changing the forks or any such thing.
    worst case scenario and you find that you hate the narrow drop bar shape, then try these....
    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/3t-ergonova-pro ... andlebars/
    Seriously, stick with it, you need to get into the 'road ninja feel' of the bike.
    Cannondale BadBoy Rohloff
    Cannondale SuperSix / 11sp Chorus
    Ridley Excalibur / 10sp Centaur
    Steel Marin Bear Valley SE
    Twitter @roadbikedave
  • geordiefella
    geordiefella Posts: 302
    in a nutshell.... It's a mindset... Feel the force young haymapp.
    Cannondale BadBoy Rohloff
    Cannondale SuperSix / 11sp Chorus
    Ridley Excalibur / 10sp Centaur
    Steel Marin Bear Valley SE
    Twitter @roadbikedave
  • haymapp
    haymapp Posts: 6
    Appreciate the feedback from everyone, I think perseverance is the answer. I plan to keep the Sirrus anyway, so if I really want to change I can do it later.
    The more interesting question is the dynamics of the frame, fixing a fork that is a couple of inches longer, it means the crossbar will rise at the front and change many of the angles. Even if I keep the drops I could change the forks to give me a slightly more upright position.
  • JackPozzi
    JackPozzi Posts: 1,191
    If you just want a more upright position you'd be better off fitting a more angled stem or packing some spacers under the existing stem (assuming there's enough steerer there to do so). Would have thought that fitting longer forks would have a big impact on the handling, most likely in a bad way....
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    You would not need to change the forks. Just the bars, stem and shifters. Still would not do it though. Drops are more versatile.
    My Fleet.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Flip the stem if wanting to raise the bars. I would leave as is with everything else - you must realise that there is a reason why most people use drop bars on the road?
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • ris
    ris Posts: 392
    +1 to keeping drops - all those extra hand positions are worth it.

    also, +1 to flipping the stem if you are finding the bike a bit uncomfortable to start with. it's a fairly easy job and you can return it to its original position when you are more used to it. i did exactly the same thing with my allez.

    there's lots to get used to riding road for the first time (or the first time in ages). take your time.

Categories