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Swapping to drop bars

StuInTokyo

Maximum Pace
Dec 3, 2010
1,662
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I wish to put up a classified ad asking if anyone has a good used pair of drops they would be willing to part with, can I do that in the classified ad area?

Cheers!
 
I may have an old one lying around. (my wife may have chucked it).
It's about 10 years old, but I love the feel of it. Kind of like a keirin style.
If I don't post back by Friday... remind me again to have a look.
 

Yep, I've read that several times, once even today :)

What I get out of it is as long as the frame size is close, the rest can be compromised into submission. :D

I think if you look at this picture.....

brian_stu.jpg


.... my frame might look big enough, but that old Cannondale has a very tall bottom bracket, I mean, look how high my saddle is compared to Brian's saddle. I might be a little bit taller than him, but not that much.

I wonder if I can make my Cannondale into a bike that would do better on a longer ride like we had yesterday, or if I'm just barking up the wrong tree?
 
I have a pair of 25.4mm drops that I've got from an old bike I bought on Yahoo auctions. I guess they're close to 20 years old. Probably 42mm.

Here they are on the frame (at a rather acute angle):

rimg5133.jpg



I stripped them off the bike to replace with flat bars. Just a personal thing for commuting as I like to be upright in the city.

They're old, and they're heavy. If you're interested let me know.
 
I have a pair of 25.4mm drops that I've got from an old bike I bought on Yahoo auctions. I guess they're close to 20 years old. Probably 42mm.

Here they are on the frame (at a rather acute angle):

rimg5133.jpg



I stripped them off the bike to replace with flat bars. Just a personal thing for commuting as I like to be upright in the city.

They're old, and they're heavy. If you're interested let me know.


Yes, I'd be interested in them, old and heavy is just what my bike needs :D

PM me with the details and maybe I can swing by some time and pick them up?

Cheers!
 
I hope to get over to Wolfman's place and pick up the drop bars, on my way home from the chiropractor today (hurt SO good!) I dropped by a Cycly shop, and got a set of these..........

sora_st-3400.jpg


Sora ST-3400 brakes/shifters they will do three shifts for the front derailer and 9 speeds on the rear, so this should work fine with my bike. The brakes will work well too, as I have cantis on the front and a U-brake on the rear.

Once I get the bars, then tape and maybe new cables too.......? (again!)

Cheers!

PS I paid about 5000 yen for these, I see the same set on auction for 9,800 yen, so I'm happy! :D
 
The old Cannondale with some old drop bars I'm getting from Wolfman:cool:

I am not a Shimano guy but I think the pull ratios on road levers is lower than the MTB levers. Canti brakes and U brakes will be pretty weak unless you get some travel adjusters. watch the diameter of the bars at the stem as well. might be different.
 
I am not a Shimano guy but I think the pull ratios on road levers is lower than the MTB levers. Canti brakes and U brakes will be pretty weak unless you get some travel adjusters. watch the diameter of the bars at the stem as well. might be different.

Domo!

I discussed this with the guys at the shop, they told me that they would NOT work on a MTB because the pull ratio on the V-brakes is very different, I pointed out that my old Cannondale has a canti brake up front and a U-brake in the rear, they were a bit surprised but then said that they should work just fine, as the pull ratio on the canti and the U-brake would be OK for these levers.

I'd like to put one of them interrupter levers on the front brake near the stem, I think that is a brilliant idea! :D

Cheers!
 
I just got back from meeting up with Wolfman and getting the bars, they look to be 42cm even though there was concern they were not :D

42cm_drops.jpg


Wolfman was even kind enough to toss in a set of brake cables!!

dropscables.jpg

I hope to get these on soon, and see if I can conform my body to the new position!
 
I stayed up WAY past my bedtime last night but I got the conversion done.....

cannondale_drops_1.jpg


cannondale_drops_2.jpg


cannondale_drops_3.jpg


cannondale_drops_4.jpg


It has been a very long time since I taped a set of drop bars, I know I suck at it, but at least the tape is not falling off :rolleyes:

The position is much less upright, I still have some tweaking to do, but that will come with some time in the saddle :)

We shall see how this works out!
 
After riding the bike for only about 10 minutes or so, on a quick errand, I think that I need to move my seat forward some and maybe tilt the stem up more and lower it at the same time, to bring the bars a big closer to me. They are a bit of a reach at the moment, but, that may be fine, just feels strange compared to the much more upright position I had before.

The other embarrassing problem is when I'm on the drops, I'm bent over enough that my legs kind of run into my gut :eek: Yeah, I've got some more weight to lose....Is this a problem for anyone else?
 
I think your shifters are too low. Move them up higher.

I am wondering, mainly, why did you decide to put drops on this bike?
 
I think your shifters are too low. Move them up higher.

I am wondering, mainly, why did you decide to put drops on this bike?

Thanks Owen, I don't know exactly where they should go, I was going by the marks on the bars from before.

I wanted a less upright position.
 
Stu, congrats on the birth of a truly great looking Frankenbike. MTBs have longer TTs than roadies cause they have straight handlebars, the drops require you to stretch out another 8 to 10 cms beyond straight bars hence the more acute angle between thighs and spine (tummy slap). Looking at the red devil you have spawned I would rotate the handlebars until the tops are parallel to the ground, this will bring the shifters higher and closer and give you a more comfy place to rest your hands. If you really still feel too long between seat and bars take of the seat spin the post 180 degrees and put the seat back on it looks like it will take a reverse mounting. After you've done this and feel like you have learned the lessons of frame sizing and the effects of controls on comfort: come back to us with some suggestions for a road bike. You now have bars, brifters and a heap of other stuff, just need the right sized frame now. Good luck.
 
Stu, congrats on the birth of a truly great looking Frankenbike. MTBs have longer TTs than roadies cause they have straight handlebars, the drops require you to stretch out another 8 to 10 cms beyond straight bars hence the more acute angle between thighs and spine (tummy slap). Looking at the red devil you have spawned I would rotate the handlebars until the tops are parallel to the ground, this will bring the shifters higher and closer and give you a more comfy place to rest your hands. If you really still feel too long between seat and bars take of the seat spin the post 180 degrees and put the seat back on it looks like it will take a reverse mounting. After you've done this and feel like you have learned the lessons of frame sizing and the effects of controls on comfort: come back to us with some suggestions for a road bike. You now have bars, brifters and a heap of other stuff, just need the right sized frame now. Good luck.

Thanks Simon, I think I will be looking for a decent road bike at some point, or at least a frame:D
 
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