Drop bars or Bar Ends?

[AndyPeace]

ahhh I get it now, cheers. lol I'll just put bar ends on I think keep it simple. Still it was worth thinking through the other options. Thanks for the advice everyone

 

[HovR]

It's looking less of an option. If your saying the spacing between the chainrings on road bikes are different to the spacing on mountain bikes am I gonna need a new crank too?
Perphaps a rethink? Anyone any experince of butterfly bars? or maybe bullhorn bars?

It's not the spacing between the chain rings that is the issue, but the pull ratio between the shifter and derailleur.

For example imagine the front derailleur needs to move 10mm to shift up, and a road front derailleur has a 1:2 pull ratio. When you move the road shifter one "click" to change up a gear, the cable moves 5mm and the derailleur translates this in to a 10mm movement due to the pull ratio, causing it to shift up a gear.

Now imagine a MTB front derailleur. It still has to travel 10mm to shift gears, but it has a 1:1 pull ratio, so the shifter has to move 10mm to make the derailleur move 10mm - So if you put a road shifter on which only moves the cable 5mm with one "click", the derailleur won't move enough and it won't shift gears as the 1:1 ratio means it will only move 5mm.

(Note that the figures in my example are probably completely wrong, I just made some up to convey the point.)

Edit: Cross posted with RAFN. His explanation was far simpler (and better) than mine.

 

[amaferanga]

Since you seem to be determined to have drops then how about some of these?

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/origin8-...rop-bar-bar-ends-black-prod18606/?src=froogle

I'll add that I've never used them and probably never would and have no idea how well they work, but it'd be a cheap experiment compared to converting your bike.

 

[AndyPeace]

they look, interesting, but I'm probobly with you on I'd never try that.

 

[Davidc]

Good decision.

If you want drops get a bike designed and equipped for/with them.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

ahhh I get it now, cheers.

No worries. Just for completeness mtb chainline is usually greater than road bike chainline, which is another potential issue for conversion.

Edit: Cross posted with RAFN. His explanation was far simpler (and better) than mine.

If I were a novice I would prefer yours!

 

[AndyPeace]

No worries. Just for completeness mtb chainline is usually greater than road bike chainline, which is another potential issue for conversion.

Just trying to get to grips with this, Chainline refers to how straight a chain runs from the front to the rear gears, this right? There are standards for usable chainlines, which are defined by a measurement from the center of the bottom bracket to the middle of the chainset. So you are saying that if I run a road front derailier, It won't work corectly with my mtb chainset, as it will not adjust to suit the spectrum of potential chainlines?

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

For flat to drop bar conversion or vice versa the issue of chainline is not merely how "straight" (i.e. parallel to the frame) the chain is, since chain is nearly never "straight" for derailleur systems anyway, but that different front mechs can be designed for different front chainline (chainset offset from the centreline of the frame). For issues that can arise and comments this might help.

 

[Licramite]

I pondered this , my old hybrid would new everything to put drop handlebars on it , so I went for bar ends, the end grips are good to
- see picture left-
for a proper attack position I need to move the handle bars forward about 3inches but the bar ends drop your shoulders , straighten your armds and tuck your ekbows in and lift your bum.
only cost me £5 for bar ends, £8 for bar tape (to cover the rust on me handlebars) £12 for end grips

I love this bike, break my heart to change it.

 

[AndyPeace]

I'm trying short bar ends (80mm) at the moment...

They have only been on a couple of days and I am enjoying them. What I feel so far... They give a much more stable platform when out of the saddle. Breathing seems easier on hills. Bike control seems better, more potent. I have definatley taken corners faster on the bar ends than before, though perphaps this is because brake reach is limited

Although the hand position feels really comftable and the control is inspiring, my upper back/ shoulder blades feels a little grumpy. The bar is 600mm long. I suspect this is setting the bar ends too far apart to use the the position for a prolonged period causing my chest to be streched and my shoulder blades pinched.

 

[andrew_s]

You could always try moving the bar ends in a bit

 

[AndyPeace]

Yeah mate, I will be trying to move them in, with the intention of cutting the bar shorter. I figure I'll move all the furniture on the bar inward, 5mm at a time to see where they best sit. I don't want to loose the flat bar position, the point of my meddling was to gain an extra hand position. How do you find the controls on your steup?