I hate being stuck with only one grip position. I put extensions on the Ritchey flat bars on my mountain bike, giving me bullhorn flexibility. I ride mainly on the extensions, always when climbing. My 4-finger motorcycle-style brake levers let me apply brakes from the extensions for routine slowing and stopping. My road bikes all have drops, which I don't plan to change, even as a "senior citizen."
Awesome and very informative video, thank you! I’ve been wanting to change the drop bars on my 2017 specialized allez e5 for a while. I just ordered the velo orange curvy bar in black and a pair of black leather grips, thank you again! I was almost talked out of doing this but I’m glad I decided to make the modification/customization. Can’t wait!
I was dead set against drop handlebars until someone gave me a bicycle that has them. For me, flat handlebars stop being comfortable after 30 minutes because there's only one way to grip them. For any longer ride, I need to change my hand position fairly often to avoid getting numb hands. Your mileage may vary!
you can always change your hand position, normal mode, upward hand mode, grip on the edges, 1 hand, no hand mode,etc....the problem with dropbar is your timing for sudden braking and gear switching hand's position...its hard to reach, we need more time to do it...
I agree. I discovered drop bars in 1990 after much prejudice against them. I did 1300 miles in 15 days on a bike with flat bars. It's so much better with drops. .
Most cyclists don't know this, but a properly dimensional flat-bar and saddle height alleviates the need to change hand positions due to pain, fatigue and numbness. Unfortunately, it won't work for unicyclists.
@@TenFalconsMusic Does that proper position include a lot of backsweep or compromise on aesthetics..? (Genuine question, couldnt find any literature relating to what you're talking about here)
My comfortable commuter set-up is a size 48 Cannondale CAAD Synapse with a 69cm saddle height and a 130 -17 Stem. Use it more for races to be honest but it's nice and comfortable for long rides and commuting as well.
Lovely video, thank you for being a clear presenter. The way that I feel about that stem however, reaffirms that I am not a classic bikes guy................
I need flat bars on my road bike...i know it may sound ultra crazy, but I am considering buying the velo orange crazy bar and flipping it upside down to accept my shimano 105 road bike grips and brakes on the horn downturns. If I kept the bar as it is, it upturns and that will not work. That along with a short stem and a higher stem also. Trek 2200 Carbon.
The perfect setup would be if Velo welded on the bull horns upside down to accept all 105 componentry. The shifters need that downturn to keep them aligned correctly.
Hi Duane, If you're changing your bars, I'd look at getting new flatbar shifters or bar end shifters and brake levers. We've tried mounting drop bar shifters to the crazy bars and it isn't very ergonomic.
@@eccentricvelo yes, i saw the new crazy bars and actually liked that the horns are shorter. I do see what you mean on the rise degre. It would drop them even lower if flipped. Thanks for replies. I like your company.
seems unlikely that that very long bar stem is the correct length for plat bars. you chawed it, or still have it, or have moved on from this theme entirely?
It is normal to spend nearly all the time on the hoods. The wrist position on the hoods is the most natural and comfortable! The drops really only make sense for when you need the extra bit of aero--when you are going really fast or facing a headwind. Depending where you live, this might not happen much. And the tops? Maybe when you are turning around to look over your shoulder? Or going up a mighty hill and need to sit up straighter? Other than that I'm not sure. Anyway I hope you find a comfortable position on your bike!
Spending most of the time on the hoods has only been a thing since sti shifters were invented. Just look at old photos and film if you don't believe me. @@alexlewin
Great video and explanation what size of parts to be aware. I am about to change my 1990 road racing bike that was hand maded Bob Townsend. I am considering changing to flatbar. Thanks fo the content!
It's been a while since you've posted this video but here's a question from a newbie. At 3:20 you mention that mountain style and road style cables aren't interchangeable. Do you mean normal, regular breaks by "mountain style"? The ones for flat bar? I'm going to convert a Cube Nulane from flat bar to drop bar and although many shops confirmed my shift and break lever choice to be compatible (Shimano SL-RS700 is the shifter and Shimano BL-RS600 is the break system that I've on my bike, and Shimano GRX ST-RX600 is the one I'm going to buy), your video made me curious to know if those people considered those cables that you show here. Thanks for such detailed insight!
The first step is a misstep 🤣 just pull the old handlebar setup off as a whole so you can reuse that cockpit in the future if you change your mind. Why go through the lengths of unwrapping the bar tape, especially on a setup that looks super clean 👌 to start.
It seems that the stem is modern so that the bars can be removed from the stem without removing tape or levers. That seems an unusual combination: quill stem with 31.8 mm bars and four bolt fitting.
Can I covert an old Puegeot 10 speed racer bike with drop bars to Cruiser type handle bars that me you to sit up straight or Townie handlebars that still me you to situp straight as well? I'm a little to old to ride bent over on my bike trips as I am simply trying to ride or cruise but the bike happens to be the older racer style bike.
According to others, shifters can be the difficult part of a conversion and some mtb or hybrid index shifters won't match up with the derailleurs to shift through the gears right.
I want to upgrade my Trek OCLV with the same bars and set up you have here. It’s a nine speed. Can you provide a parts list so I can order parts from you?
Really well produced vid! Maybe this is in another one, but you didn't address changing the bar end shifters to mountain bike shifters, which is what I'm curious about. Anyone have a good instructional video for that? thanks!!!
I have a 90s cannondale that I converted to flat bar and grip shifts back in the 90s. Now they have some age and I wanted to replace them. It has 105 derailleurs front and back. However, now the new components seem to be off. I am not sure if we replace the rear freewheel. It is the 2 sproket front main model
My Stealth Urban Electric Bike KBO Hurricane came with very heavy alloy flat bars and was very uncomfortable after a short 22 mile ride. The Pavement vibration that flowed through the alloy fork and mib handle bar was horrible. I now have a carbon Fiber fork, and alloy drop bar (until carbon bars arrive), I have the original mtb brakes affixed to the hoods (eBike will not work without tripwire power cutoff connected). I move my hands about to much for mtb flat bars, moustache bars might work, but mtb bars have only one hand position something not good for short rides.
Good video and I couldn't agree more. I've had my old 10 speed since new in 1987, never really used the drops too much so I put in bullhorns and changed to stem shifters. It's a big framed bike, so there's plenty of reach. About 8 years ago I changed it again to similar bars to you, but with thumb shifters and it became a 12 speed. I also now have nice leather bar grips. But I miss my stem friction shifters. My other bike, a 1997 GT MTB is relatively unchanged, but I moved from a flat bar to a wider downhill riser bar. I'm 62 now, my rule of thumb is the handlebars and the saddle are about the same height. Is it just me, or do horizontal top tubes just look more pleasing to the eye?
Thanks. Nice mod. I have a Genesis Croix de fer. I’d like to keep the Tiagra 4600 gearing, but the shifters on the drop bars won’t work with a flat bar. What could I use as shifters instead? Sora? And I have mechanical disc brakes, can I use any levers to operate these?
Good question! You'll need Tiagra 4600 Flat bar shifters. If I recall, I think those are the same shifters I'm using on it build. Either way, that's what you need. And for the brake levers, you'll want to make sure you get road/short pull levers, not V-brake/MTB. These are a good option: velo-orange.com/collections/brake-levers/products/grand-cru-brake-levers?variant=51429653575
I’ve never got on with drop bars and I’ve noticed a lot of people ride with hands “ in the hood”. My solution was to flip over the drop bars and take a hacksaw to them. I worked out my hand position, added a bit to mount the original levers and then cut the loop back. It made it more comfortable and could fly through city traffic because you had full brake control. Cheap alternative to new bars and levers and looks individual.
@@alexlewinnot really. The wrist is oriented the same when using the drops and the drops provide more support. Hoods are for people whose bars are at the wrong height
I have a real nice Rocky Mountain Prestige 10CR Carbon Fiber Road bike. I'm now disabled with nerve damage in my back and can't ride the bike with the drop bars. What would you suggest for parts to change to flats. I need then to ride high enough for me though. I'm 5'7".
I'd start with the VO Granola Bars and a riser stem (something that has a +17 degree rise). That will put you in a much more upright position. You'll need new brake levers, shifters, and cables/housing to make sure everything works together.
I have an '81 Lotus road bike I plan to change the bars on. The rear derailleur is a SunTour Cyclone with friction shifters. What thumb shifters would you reccommend? Thanks.
am i right to say that i only need to replace the brake levers & shifters (together with its cables), and still able to go with the existing road brake calipers & both D's? my main concern is the gear shifting, btw..
My question is how important is it to have the new mtb shifters be compatible with the road derailleur? Can you just use any mtb shifters without replacing the rear derailleur to be compatible with each other?
You definitely need to make sure your shifters and derailleur have matching cable pull, otherwise the shifting won't work correctly. You'll want to do a bit of research or reach out the manufacturer of the derailleurs to find out which flat bar shifter would work for the derailleurs.
Q: with those wider bars on a road frame geometry did it make the steering too quick? I have a 2009 Co-Motion Nor'wester Tour (basically Sport Road geo from the 80's), and I was thinking of flats or using an old Nitto Albatross bar that I have.
I can't speak for the conversion on the video, but I converted a drop bar bike to a flat handlebar, and yup the steering was too twitchy with the wide bar. So I got a 600mm wide handlebar and now it's perfect!
It depends. For Shimano you might be able to change the hoses and keep the brakes, but you might want to take the bike to your local shop for a definitive answer. Cable actuated brakes makes component changes a lot simpler.
I need to do this for my wife's bike, but she's got a Campognolo setup (triple in front and 2007 era 9 speed) in the rear. Any recommendations for brake levers and indexed shifters that are compatible with the campy's?
My special order bike from Spain (because of Covid-19) took 6 mos to get, had so many unknowns and one of those was drop bars. I was told that any modifications could all be made.and one of those was converting the drop bars to straight bars, but then they told me that it would cost me about $700 to convert it to straight bars because of the hydraulic disk brakes. How can that be so much?
It's a 9sp Dura-Ace rear derailleur. Indexes very well with the 9sp shifters I used. The front Derailleur is a Claris. I don't like it. The pull ratio isn't quite traditional, so the shifting is alright, but not as good as if I used a more regular derailleur.
I'm interested in converting my Shimano 105 2x11 drop bar to a flat bar bike. Which flat bar/MTB shifters are compatible with my existing 2x11 Shimano 105 deralleurs? Thanks!
105 11 speed is not compatible with Shimano mtb 11 speed flat bar shifter. The cable ratio is different between them. If I remember correctly a company called Jtek makes a device called a shift mate that allows mtb shifters to be used with road derailleurs.
@@markowsley4954 - actually Shimano makes a 105 flat bar shifter. I discovered it on the Shimano web site. Bought a set and completed the conversion. Love the finished product and haven’t lost any speed but have gained comfort & control.
It really depends on what you need. I'd say for a moderate build, maybe around 100-200 usd. Bars, cables, housing, shifters, brake levers, grips. A lot of that can be had for pretty cheap, but the indexed shifters compatible with your derailleurs and your choice of bars is probably the highest cost. If your bike currently has hydraulic brakes or electronic shifting, it will be way more $$$.
Cool vid and very informative but I can't imagine why anyone unless very stiffened with arthritis or back pain would want to give up the option of dropping down into a drop bar.
The vast majority of road brake levers use short pull, so you would want to make sure you get flat bar brake levers that have short pull as well. MTBs usually use long/linear/V-Brake pull which is a different pull ratio, so it's important not to mix and match.
You've hit a limitation of these conversions. People go to flat bars "for a more comfortable ride" but are stuck with high-pressure narrow tires due to tight spacing between the chain stays, and sometimes seat stays too.
I tired to do the same with my Trek Marlin 6 swap out the flat bar to the drop bar but five local bike shop discourage me not to do the swap because it will be more costly and buy new rode bike instead.
I have a question. Why? Drop bars give you lots of options for hand positioning, including the most comfortable and natural one: on the hoods. If you want to ride it like a flat bar bike, you can--that hand position is available. You can even put interrupter brake levers if you must. I know this is not my bike, and this isn't meant as judgment, but TBH it makes me a little sad to see this done to this nice bike.
Flat bars are fun! Tbh, this bike is a bit big for me and handling with a short stem isn't very good with this racing geometry, so i wanted to change it up. Some people can only do flat bars because of previous injuries. We have done numerous touring builds with Crazy Bars because of that.
@@velo_orange Thanks for the response. I can see it for rough terrain...flat bars give more leverage. I'm not picturing the injury angle but I believe you. Ooh, Crazy Bars look interesting. They are sort of like weird TT bars. I'd put those on a flat bar bike that I wanted to get more aero on.
The routing of this bike is not normal. That is, they are not standard to a road, rim brake bike. The end of the video has some views from the top so you can get a sense of which direction the cable routing goes. Generally speaking, the routing may not match every bike, so it kind of depends on your particular setup.
About what I figured.. too many parts, too much money and for me more labor cost I’d have to figure in. It’d be way cheaper ‘for me’ to buy a mid priced hybrid and keep my road bike.
Totally disagree. That road bike is designed for you to have some weight over the front wheel. You now have a bike that is a cruiser and you need fatter tires and possibly a seat with springs. Why because all your weight with these bars are for upright position. The weight is mostly in the back.
OMG 😱 What will the consequences be????? High speed tank slapper?? Front end wash out? High side?? Wait a minute, aren’t we talking about a push bike with a top speed of a neck breaking 30kph? The horror!!!!!!
I hate being stuck with only one grip position. I put extensions on the Ritchey flat bars on my mountain bike, giving me bullhorn flexibility. I ride mainly on the extensions, always when climbing. My 4-finger motorcycle-style brake levers let me apply brakes from the extensions for routine slowing and stopping. My road bikes all have drops, which I don't plan to change, even as a "senior citizen."
You are a man after my own heart! I did the very same thing. I never really liked the drops, but I love my flat bar.
Cheers
Great job with the conversion. I love everything you guys make, but that bike is screaming for drop bars! What a sweet ride! Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words! Watch the video in reverse and it's a video about swapping drop bars onto the bike haha
This is my plan at the moment, got hold of a cheap road bike and ditching the dropped bars. Just need to choose my new bars
Awesome and very informative video, thank you! I’ve been wanting to change the drop bars on my 2017 specialized allez e5 for a while. I just ordered the velo orange curvy bar in black and a pair of black leather grips, thank you again! I was almost talked out of doing this but I’m glad I decided to make the modification/customization. Can’t wait!
Would love to get an update on how it worked out for you
I was dead set against drop handlebars until someone gave me a bicycle that has them. For me, flat handlebars stop being comfortable after 30 minutes because there's only one way to grip them. For any longer ride, I need to change my hand position fairly often to avoid getting numb hands. Your mileage may vary!
you can always change your hand position, normal mode, upward hand mode, grip on the edges, 1 hand, no hand mode,etc....the problem with dropbar is your timing for sudden braking and gear switching hand's position...its hard to reach, we need more time to do it...
Try Barend on flat bars. It will give you some extra hand positions.
I agree. I discovered drop bars in 1990 after much prejudice against them. I did 1300 miles in 15 days on a bike with flat bars. It's so much better with drops. .
Most cyclists don't know this, but a properly dimensional flat-bar and saddle height alleviates the need to change hand positions due to pain, fatigue and numbness.
Unfortunately, it won't work for unicyclists.
@@TenFalconsMusic Does that proper position include a lot of backsweep or compromise on aesthetics..? (Genuine question, couldnt find any literature relating to what you're talking about here)
My comfortable commuter set-up is a size 48 Cannondale CAAD Synapse with a 69cm saddle height and a 130 -17 Stem. Use it more for races to be honest but it's nice and comfortable for long rides and commuting as well.
Lovely video, thank you for being a clear presenter. The way that I feel about that stem however, reaffirms that I am not a classic bikes guy................
Very cool video and a beautiful bike!
I did this to my bike as well.
I’m going to do the same soon.
Excellent advice ❤. I am looking for a 20 lb gravel upright bike .
Good video. Parts list please in the description.
real nice looking bike
I need flat bars on my road bike...i know it may sound ultra crazy, but I am considering buying the velo orange crazy bar and flipping it upside down to accept my shimano 105 road bike grips and brakes on the horn downturns. If I kept the bar as it is, it upturns and that will not work. That along with a short stem and a higher stem also. Trek 2200 Carbon.
The perfect setup would be if Velo welded on the bull horns upside down to accept all 105 componentry. The shifters need that downturn to keep them aligned correctly.
Hi Duane,
If you're changing your bars, I'd look at getting new flatbar shifters or bar end shifters and brake levers. We've tried mounting drop bar shifters to the crazy bars and it isn't very ergonomic.
@@eccentricvelo even installing the crazy bars upside down? Thanks for tip about mb shifters.
@@duaneafields never tried that, sorry! The new Crazy Bars have rise, so they definitely won't work.
@@eccentricvelo yes, i saw the new crazy bars and actually liked that the horns are shorter. I do see what you mean on the rise degre. It would drop them even lower if flipped. Thanks for replies. I like your company.
reluctantly swapping out my drop bars and bar end shifters. spending all my time on the hoods. that's the sign for change.
seems unlikely that that very long bar stem is the correct length for plat bars. you chawed it, or still have it, or have moved on from this theme entirely?
It is normal to spend nearly all the time on the hoods. The wrist position on the hoods is the most natural and comfortable! The drops really only make sense for when you need the extra bit of aero--when you are going really fast or facing a headwind. Depending where you live, this might not happen much. And the tops? Maybe when you are turning around to look over your shoulder? Or going up a mighty hill and need to sit up straighter? Other than that I'm not sure.
Anyway I hope you find a comfortable position on your bike!
Spending most of the time on the hoods has only been a thing since sti shifters were invented. Just look at old photos and film if you don't believe me. @@alexlewin
I was curious if mountain bike shifters would work on road bike derailers and cassette
Great video and explanation what size of parts to be aware. I am about to change my 1990 road racing bike that was hand maded Bob Townsend. I am considering changing to flatbar. Thanks fo the content!
Well done video. Nice job!
Thank you!
Nice conversion, I am thinking about converting my 2022 checkpoint to flat bars.
that is one sweet bike!
It's been a while since you've posted this video but here's a question from a newbie. At 3:20 you mention that mountain style and road style cables aren't interchangeable. Do you mean normal, regular breaks by "mountain style"? The ones for flat bar? I'm going to convert a Cube Nulane from flat bar to drop bar and although many shops confirmed my shift and break lever choice to be compatible (Shimano SL-RS700 is the shifter and Shimano BL-RS600 is the break system that I've on my bike, and Shimano GRX ST-RX600 is the one I'm going to buy), your video made me curious to know if those people considered those cables that you show here. Thanks for such detailed insight!
Awesome video awesome handle bars and grips
The first step is a misstep 🤣 just pull the old handlebar setup off as a whole so you can reuse that cockpit in the future if you change your mind. Why go through the lengths of unwrapping the bar tape, especially on a setup that looks super clean 👌 to start.
True
It seems that the stem is modern so that the bars can be removed from the stem without removing tape or levers.
That seems an unusual combination: quill stem with 31.8 mm bars and four bolt fitting.
Good clear vid !
Can I covert an old Puegeot 10 speed racer bike with drop bars to Cruiser type handle bars that me you to sit up straight or Townie handlebars that still me you to situp straight as well? I'm a little to old to ride bent over on my bike trips as I am simply trying to ride or cruise but the bike happens to be the older racer style bike.
did you use same tires and rim? I want to change rims but need to remove one gear on rear cluster.
Looks great!
According to others, shifters can be the difficult part of a conversion and some mtb or hybrid index shifters won't match up with the derailleurs to shift through the gears right.
My thoughts as well.
I’m looking to go the other way, my otherwise nice hybrid bike came equipped with horrible straight flat bars, my least favorite.
How to change the damaged top frame pipe of SLR BSA bicycle?
Really nice ride👍👏😍
I want to upgrade my Trek OCLV with the same bars and set up you have here. It’s a nine speed. Can you provide a parts list so I can order parts from you?
Thank you so much man amazing work
Please help me I need to change drop bar in a Eurobike xd500 to flat bar thank you
total parts cost? what about time and labor?
Really well produced vid! Maybe this is in another one, but you didn't address changing the bar end shifters to mountain bike shifters, which is what I'm curious about. Anyone have a good instructional video for that? thanks!!!
I have a 90s cannondale that I converted to flat bar and grip shifts back in the 90s. Now they have some age and I wanted to replace them. It has 105 derailleurs front and back. However, now the new components seem to be off. I am not sure if we replace the rear freewheel. It is the 2 sproket front main model
I have a r500 Cannondale caad4 w triple chainring I put a flat bar and altus shifters and brake levers on rides quick and comfortable.
My Stealth Urban Electric Bike KBO Hurricane came with very heavy alloy flat bars and was very uncomfortable after a short 22 mile ride. The Pavement vibration that flowed through the alloy fork and mib handle bar was horrible. I now have a carbon Fiber fork, and alloy drop bar (until carbon bars arrive), I have the original mtb brakes affixed to the hoods (eBike will not work without tripwire power cutoff connected). I move my hands about to much for mtb flat bars, moustache bars might work, but mtb bars have only one hand position something not good for short rides.
Good video and I couldn't agree more. I've had my old 10 speed since new in 1987, never really used the drops too much so I put in bullhorns and changed to stem shifters. It's a big framed bike, so there's plenty of reach. About 8 years ago I changed it again to similar bars to you, but with thumb shifters and it became a 12 speed. I also now have nice leather bar grips. But I miss my stem friction shifters. My other bike, a 1997 GT MTB is relatively unchanged, but I moved from a flat bar to a wider downhill riser bar. I'm 62 now, my rule of thumb is the handlebars and the saddle are about the same height. Is it just me, or do horizontal top tubes just look more pleasing to the eye?
horizontal top tubes do objectively look better
Of course, horizontal top tubes are way better, it's the real meaning of a bike.
Thanks. Nice mod. I have a Genesis Croix de fer. I’d like to keep the Tiagra 4600 gearing, but the shifters on the drop bars won’t work with a flat bar. What could I use as shifters instead? Sora?
And I have mechanical disc brakes, can I use any levers to operate these?
Good question! You'll need Tiagra 4600 Flat bar shifters. If I recall, I think those are the same shifters I'm using on it build. Either way, that's what you need. And for the brake levers, you'll want to make sure you get road/short pull levers, not V-brake/MTB. These are a good option: velo-orange.com/collections/brake-levers/products/grand-cru-brake-levers?variant=51429653575
@@velo_orange legend! Thanks, dude. 😅🚀
I’ve never got on with drop bars and I’ve noticed a lot of people ride with hands “ in the hood”.
My solution was to flip over the drop bars and take a hacksaw to them. I worked out my hand position, added a bit to mount the original levers and then cut the loop back. It made it more comfortable and could fly through city traffic because you had full brake control. Cheap alternative to new bars and levers and looks individual.
would you be able to share a photo? I used to ride chopped horns on a fixed gear but never put drop bar shifters on that set up.
"In the hood" is probably the best position for most riding most of the time. It allows the most natural wrist position.
@@alexlewinnot really. The wrist is oriented the same when using the drops and the drops provide more support. Hoods are for people whose bars are at the wrong height
I have a real nice Rocky Mountain Prestige 10CR Carbon Fiber Road bike. I'm now disabled with nerve damage in my back and can't ride the bike with the drop bars. What would you suggest for parts to change to flats. I need then to ride high enough for me though. I'm 5'7".
I'd start with the VO Granola Bars and a riser stem (something that has a +17 degree rise). That will put you in a much more upright position. You'll need new brake levers, shifters, and cables/housing to make sure everything works together.
So I guess it’s easy to convert brake shifters on a drop bar to something different on a flat bar or can I use drop bar brake shifters on a flat bar?
fabulous
My threshold for flat bars is under 40km-50km/day in commuting or touring. Above 50km I would like to have drop bars instantly.
I have an '81 Lotus road bike I plan to change the bars on. The rear derailleur is a SunTour Cyclone with friction shifters. What thumb shifters would you reccommend? Thanks.
VO has thumb mounts and dia-compe shifters (or you might be able to re-use your shifters with the mounts): velo-orange.com/collections/shifters
am i right to say that i only need to replace the brake levers & shifters (together with its cables), and still able to go with the existing road brake calipers & both D's? my main concern is the gear shifting, btw..
That's right. You'll need the right shifters to work with the derailleurs if your system is indexed.
How much does it usually cost to change your drop bars to flat bars if I get it done at a bike 🚲 shop.
FilipinoHeat 805 Don’t ask.
Looking to do this to my road bike as well. It has Ultegra groupset currently. Which Shimano shifters would be compatible? Anybody?
Does my current deraileur work with any shifter
No. They have specific pull ratios and gear requirements to make sure it functions.
How much did this conversion cost?
What touring bars does VO have that will fit a 1970’s UO8, and not cost more than the bike?
Love the Rustines grips....will you be carrying them again?
My question is how important is it to have the new mtb shifters be compatible with the road derailleur? Can you just use any mtb shifters without replacing the rear derailleur to be compatible with each other?
You definitely need to make sure your shifters and derailleur have matching cable pull, otherwise the shifting won't work correctly. You'll want to do a bit of research or reach out the manufacturer of the derailleurs to find out which flat bar shifter would work for the derailleurs.
Bro thankyou... thaankyou... thaaankyou.... needed this video and found this video.
Love it!
Q: with those wider bars on a road frame geometry did it make the steering too quick? I have a 2009 Co-Motion Nor'wester Tour (basically Sport Road geo from the 80's), and I was thinking of flats or using an old Nitto Albatross bar that I have.
I can't speak for the conversion on the video, but I converted a drop bar bike to a flat handlebar, and yup the steering was too twitchy with the wide bar. So I got a 600mm wide handlebar and now it's perfect!
Hi. I have hydraulic disc brakes on my road bike. Is it also possible just to replace the break bars or do I need completely new brakes?
It depends. For Shimano you might be able to change the hoses and keep the brakes, but you might want to take the bike to your local shop for a definitive answer. Cable actuated brakes makes component changes a lot simpler.
I need to do this for my wife's bike, but she's got a Campognolo setup (triple in front and 2007 era 9 speed) in the rear. Any recommendations for brake levers and indexed shifters that are compatible with the campy's?
My special order bike from Spain (because of Covid-19) took 6 mos to get, had so many unknowns and one of those was drop bars. I was told that any modifications could all be made.and one of those was converting the drop bars to straight bars, but then they told me that it would cost me about $700 to convert it to straight bars because of the hydraulic disk brakes. How can that be so much?
That bike is sexy! Team Mack is local to me and I’ve always loved seeing those Waterfords
no bar end plugs?
how long is the reach on that stem?
It is 100mm
What sort of rear derailleur are you using? Does it index with Road bar end shifters and flat bar 9 speed shifters? Love the bike!
It's a 9sp Dura-Ace rear derailleur. Indexes very well with the 9sp shifters I used. The front Derailleur is a Claris. I don't like it. The pull ratio isn't quite traditional, so the shifting is alright, but not as good as if I used a more regular derailleur.
I'm interested in converting my Shimano 105 2x11 drop bar to a flat bar bike. Which flat bar/MTB shifters are compatible with my existing 2x11 Shimano 105 deralleurs? Thanks!
105 11 speed is not compatible with Shimano mtb 11 speed flat bar shifter. The cable ratio is different between them. If I remember correctly a company called Jtek makes a device called a shift mate that allows mtb shifters to be used with road derailleurs.
@@markowsley4954 - actually Shimano makes a 105 flat bar shifter. I discovered it on the Shimano web site. Bought a set and completed the conversion. Love the finished product and haven’t lost any speed but have gained comfort & control.
What is the typical cost for converting to flat bars using Velo Orange components?
It really depends on what you need. I'd say for a moderate build, maybe around 100-200 usd. Bars, cables, housing, shifters, brake levers, grips. A lot of that can be had for pretty cheap, but the indexed shifters compatible with your derailleurs and your choice of bars is probably the highest cost. If your bike currently has hydraulic brakes or electronic shifting, it will be way more $$$.
@@velo_orange Thanks for the info.
Bro ....is sram s-700 flat bar road trigger shifter compatible with shimano 105 group set?... thanks
No they are not compatible. Shimano makes a flat-bar shifter set that should be compatible with your generation of 105.
Great vid
you are a monster bro thanks!!
9:11 when yo girl home alone lol the time is 911
the grips really fit the clown bar lol
Cool vid and very informative but I can't imagine why anyone unless very stiffened with arthritis or back pain would want to give up the option of dropping down into a drop bar.
It really depends on the rider. For a stiffened back or arthritis, consult a doctor and bike fitter for suggestions.
I only like drop bars if tjey have that front brake
How do you choose the correct pull for the brake levers? Aren't they different between a drop and flat setup?
The vast majority of road brake levers use short pull, so you would want to make sure you get flat bar brake levers that have short pull as well. MTBs usually use long/linear/V-Brake pull which is a different pull ratio, so it's important not to mix and match.
One size up or two on the wheel rubber would also have made for a more comfortable ride. Still a great looking bike.
You've hit a limitation of these conversions. People go to flat bars "for a more comfortable ride" but are stuck with high-pressure narrow tires due to tight spacing between the chain stays, and sometimes seat stays too.
I tired to do the same with my Trek Marlin 6 swap out the flat bar to the drop bar but five local bike shop discourage me not to do the swap because it will be more costly and buy new rode bike instead.
I have a question. Why? Drop bars give you lots of options for hand positioning, including the most comfortable and natural one: on the hoods. If you want to ride it like a flat bar bike, you can--that hand position is available. You can even put interrupter brake levers if you must.
I know this is not my bike, and this isn't meant as judgment, but TBH it makes me a little sad to see this done to this nice bike.
Flat bars are fun! Tbh, this bike is a bit big for me and handling with a short stem isn't very good with this racing geometry, so i wanted to change it up. Some people can only do flat bars because of previous injuries. We have done numerous touring builds with Crazy Bars because of that.
@@velo_orange Thanks for the response. I can see it for rough terrain...flat bars give more leverage. I'm not picturing the injury angle but I believe you. Ooh, Crazy Bars look interesting. They are sort of like weird TT bars. I'd put those on a flat bar bike that I wanted to get more aero on.
You didn't really showed how did you installed the breaks and the wiring of it?
If you can in different video - that will be great 🙏
The routing of this bike is not normal. That is, they are not standard to a road, rim brake bike. The end of the video has some views from the top so you can get a sense of which direction the cable routing goes. Generally speaking, the routing may not match every bike, so it kind of depends on your particular setup.
Who knew Kevin Spacey was a bike mechanic
Acting gigs probably dried up
Compreendo, mas passa de 3 possíveis posições para apenas 1, podendo ser ainda mais incómodo.
Great video but looks like a lot of work and you really need to know what you're doing. But, bike looks great!!
Shouldn't they go with drop bars for bicycle touring? Why flat bars?
Life doesn’t always have to be “practical”
I guess I do not understand the advantage here as the bars were not raised and many roadies ride on the top, so this is not more upright , just wider.
and that is totally fine, too! Some people just don't like the drop bars, so they opt for flats.
About what I figured.. too many parts, too much money and for me more labor cost I’d have to figure in. It’d be way cheaper ‘for me’ to buy a mid priced hybrid and keep my road bike.
I prefer bicycle straight handlebar.
I use alcohol to slide the grips on. It dries faster.
Anybody remember how great Waterford bikes used to be? Putting a flat bar on it makes it look like some of those homeless bikes we have around here.
This is still not the best handlebar, i use way more narrow handlebar, upright
Awesome video....BUT PLEASE ..... Get rid of the annoying music
I watch this in reversed , since I want to convert my bike from flat bar to drop bar xd
ugh... I understand the point, but it was such a beautiful bike with drops, to my eye, it is now broken.
Can u give me bike? Pleasee
Back-swept handlebars are great for destroying your radiocarpal joints.
Orthopaedic surgeons love 'em because mansions & Ferraris aren't cheap.
NO NO NO FLAT BARS ARE CRAP ONE POSITION AND THATS IT SAVE IT FOR THE GRANNIES
Totally disagree. That road bike is designed for you to have some weight over the front wheel. You now have a bike that is a cruiser and you need fatter tires and possibly a seat with springs. Why because all your weight with these bars are for upright position. The weight is mostly in the back.
OMG 😱
What will the consequences be?????
High speed tank slapper??
Front end wash out?
High side??
Wait a minute, aren’t we talking about a push bike with a top speed of a neck breaking 30kph?
The horror!!!!!!
why making unnecessary work for yourself ! just turn the original handle bar upright.
That would have been a very quick video.
What an utterly evil thing to do
The music is an obstacle. It is too loud. Too annoying.
Those grips are one of the ugliest I've ever seen.
Do away with that annoying racket,, couldn't stand it so I want elsewhere
Better off with black grips to match the seat and black handle bars
I don't see how this helped the possition of the rider? no drop bar, but the centre of handdle bar did not change position?
Just a change of pace! The Curvy bar is a common bar for going from drops to flats but keeping the racy feel of the bike.