Flat Bar to drops

bdave262000

With the annoying headwind that I have been battling against over the last couple of days I have been thinking about changing my flat bars for drops. My bike has hydraulic disc brakes (which I want to keep if possible) so new levers, gear shifters and drop bar would be required. Is there anything else required or has anyone who has done this in the past got any advice.

Unfortunately a new bike is out due to financial restraints, which is why I have been avoiding the new Specialized shop in Convent Garden because I know I will walk out with a shiny new bike and more debt!

UndercoverElephant

Not sure that there are any drop-bar brake levers that are compatible with hydraulic disks. I'm willing to be proved wrong, though.

Good luck with the evolution.

nicklouse

hydros can not be kept.

so new BB7 road calipers. new STIs, bars, cables and bar tape. and maybe mechs depending on your current set up.

so that is going to be a few hundred pounds.

you could get a new bike for that.

richVSrich

a much cheaper , but i'm probably going to be shot down for suggesting this...is getting aero bars (if you're stable enough on them...)

or you could drop your handle bar a little bit, and get a good tuck position in...elbows in and crouch down...

cjcp

A while back, C+ reviewed an Orbea with disc brakes. Not sure if it was for commuting.

Here it is:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -08-28049/

bdave262000

nicklouse wrote:

hydros can not be kept.

so new BB7 road calipers. new STIs, bars, cables and bar tape. and maybe mechs depending on your current set up.

so that is going to be a few hundred pounds.

you could get a new bike for that.

Yes, I think if its going to cost that much I may look at a reasonable second hand road bike

bdave262000

richVSrich wrote:

a much cheaper , but i'm probably going to be shot down for suggesting this...is getting aero bars (if you're stable enough on them...)

or you could drop your handle bar a little bit, and get a good tuck position in...elbows in and crouch down...

Going to drop the handle bar and see if this helps.

nicklouse

bdave262000 wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

hydros can not be kept.

so new BB7 road calipers. new STIs, bars, cables and bar tape. and maybe mechs depending on your current set up.

so that is going to be a few hundred pounds.

you could get a new bike for that.

Yes, I think if its going to cost that much I may look at a reasonable second hand road bike

or
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/triban-3-173178017/

with warranty

richVSrich

bdave262000 wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

hydros can not be kept.

so new BB7 road calipers. new STIs, bars, cables and bar tape. and maybe mechs depending on your current set up.

so that is going to be a few hundred pounds.

you could get a new bike for that.

Yes, I think if its going to cost that much I may look at a reasonable second hand road bike

yeah thats what i forgot to mention...its really not cheap converting (thus why i mentioned clip on aero bars)...

(if you have a trimmed handlebar, with bar ends and aero bars - it basically looks like a TT set up :P )

SimonAH

If creative then you can retain your hydraulics.

You're going to have to do a little engineering on the clamps unless (very unlikely) your flat bars are already oversized, but why not fit your brakes in the 'Cross lever position?

OK, you won't be able to grab them from the drops.....hmm......maybe not such a good idea. Would look cool though.

The Rookie

You could drop the stem if you have spacers below it, flip the stem if its angled up and make sure your bars are genuine flats with no rise.....I lowered my bar by 15mm just flipping the stem and could lower by another 25mm if I move the spacers above it....

There is only one hydro disc braked road bike I know of and that was that super expensive datalogging everything one that cost about £40K - they were bespoke lever units for that bike - but it is about time someone did them!

Simon

nicklouse

there have been some "homemade" "kits" where people have made some Hope brake wire operated. the wire inner and outer acted on the brake lever. But you still would need some STIs etc..

ride_whenever

It is possible, but not at all easy to run sti's with hydros. The best thing to do is find a local lbs that is full of insane engineering types, they should be able to essentially run your hydros as interrupters so you'd end up with cable actuated hydraulic disc brakes.

nicklouse

found it.

ride_whenever

nicklouse wrote:

there have been some "homemade" "kits" where people have made some Hope brake wire operated. the wire inner and outer acted on the brake lever. But you still would need some STIs etc..

You can buy the hope kit to do this from the swiss distributor who actually have them listed on their website/catalog. It mounts in place as a headset spacer.

bdave262000

The Beginner wrote:

You could drop the stem if you have spacers below it, flip the stem if its angled up and make sure your bars are genuine flats with no rise.....I lowered my bar by 15mm just flipping the stem and could lower by another 25mm if I move the spacers above it....

There is only one hydro disc braked road bike I know of and that was that super expensive datalogging everything one that cost about £40K - they were bespoke lever units for that bike - but it is about time someone did them!

Simon

Yes, I think with the change in rules in cyclox with regards to discs there should be some hydro brake versions coming onto the market. By the time they come out I may have managed to save some pennies.

Rich158

Stick with the drops and try them in a lower position and maybe try bar ends which pretty much mimic the position you'd be in riding on the hoods on drops. I rarely use the drops on my commute and don't notice that much of a difference between the drops and hoods when carrying a bag etc. The only time I realy notice a difference on the drops is over 20mph when I'm racing and fully lycra'd up

SimonAH

Rich158 wrote:

The only time I realy notice a difference on the drops is over 20mph when I'm racing and fully lycra'd up

In other words commuting right?

SimonAH

An alternative - which is what I've done on my fixie - would be to run bullhorns like the Charge Slice. Same diameter as your flat bars so you can run your existing bar furniture but when you slide forward onto the horns it as almost the same effect as to your body position as going down onto drops....

pangolin

I'm curious about this. I'm building a kaffenback for touring and asked on one if mtb shifter pods and levers would fit on their midge handlebars (http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/HBOOMI/on-one-midge-handlebar) but they said no :?

I can't see why not though, is it just that the pods etc wouldn't be able to slide round the bend in the bar?

SimonAH

Yup. Not without some effort.

However you'd be surprised at how far you can open up the clamps without being in danger of snapping them (disclaimer, try this at home, danger of death, warranty void etc etc). If you then put a thin piece of cotton fabric around the bar beneath the clamp it will slide round the bends more easily and reduce the risk of scratch damage.

Just don't do what I did when I set the fixie up like this and ease the lever into place before noticing it was back to front. :oops:

Rich158

SimonAH wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

The only time I realy notice a difference on the drops is over 20mph when I'm racing and fully lycra'd up

In other words commuting right?

me????? SCR????? :shock: :shock: :shock:

never

I have been known to lay waste to all and sundry on Jamaica Rd on the odd occasion

The Rookie

Avid hydro levers are split clamps anyway, so remove both bolts and plate and fit in the right place!

Simon

Confusedboy

Just looks to me as if the simplest option is a secondhand or cheapo road bike (Carrera TdF?) to use on windy days.

oodboo

I think the cheapest option would be to MTFU