Convert from drop to flat bar? Waste of money?

[veloduffer]

I recently purchased a Specialized Tricross cyclocrosser to use as a utility bike with racks (it has eyelets). It is spec'd with Tiagra STI and triple, plus it has in-line brake levers on the flat section of the drop bar.

I was thinking of converting it to a bullhorn or flat bar with friction thumbshifters. Anyone else do a conversion and wish they had not? Am I just wasting my money and just use what I got? I respect the opinions of my forum brethen to tell me if I'm being silly.

[xjoex]

Its fun, you should do it, you should switch out to V-Brakes and use mountain levers. Flat or city bars are great for commuting etc.

-Joe

[Fishbike]

Not quite a conversion but last year I bought a nice condition Litespeed Tuscany and built it with a flat bar, 10-speed trigger shifters, some misc parts from the bin and some new 105 stuff. It has 28 mm tires with some nice used Neuvation wheels.

It is a lot of fun and works and looks great, but truth be told I really don't ride it that much. It is fun for variety's sake, but only for short cruises, usually after I have done a proper ride on a road bike. For hauling stuff (which I don't do very often) I have a drop bar bike with 32 mm tires and a rack. The reality is flat bars are not that appealing for long rides when there are a few drop bars in the stable.

I always think that it would be the perfect bike to take on long weekends when serious riding is not part of the plan, but that hasn't happened yet.

[DRZRM]

My fixed Johnny Cycles is set up with a front brake and flat bars, and I love it. True I would not go out all day on it, but with a weighted bag filled with computers/papers/books and an 8 mile commute each way it is perfect. I'll sometimes throw in an extra loop and go 20 one way and I still like the flats. It a nice change from the road and cx bikes.

[Aaron O]

I probably wouldn't unless I was absolutely in love with the frame. I'd be more likely to sell it and buy something more like what I want...conversions can be pricey and you won't get that cash back out when you resell it.

[Fixed]

If it makes you ride it ,it is not a waste
Cheers :)

[Earl Gray]

Since you are not using road calibers, the conversion could be done very much on the cheap.

I love riding my flatbar MTB's on the road and it inspired me to convert an old Airborne to a flat bar bike.

It looks cool but I honestly don't use it much. The reason I really like my flatbar bikes has little to do with the bars. It's the Fat Ass tires that I really like.

If I were doing another conversion, the firt thing I woudl do is simply cut some drop bars off directly under the brifter and give that a go.

Whatever you do, have fun with it.

[veloduffer]

I probably wouldn't unless I was absolutely in love with the frame. I'd be more likely to sell it and buy something more like what I want...conversions can be pricey and you won't get that cash back out when you resell it.

I forgot to mention that I have several road and cross bikes, plus a mtb. This bike would be for townie and rail trail type stuff - that is rides less than 20 miles. Since it is a cross bike, I would only need shifters, bar and brake levers.

True about the resale, but I got this on Craig's for $550 and it's in very good shape.

[Mike748]

I like having a flat bar road bike. Especially if it fits bigger tires.

[cnighbor1]

If you don't use the drop part of the drop bars than flat is a good option
the biggest disavantage is less hand postions when riding. OK for say 2 to 3 hours than you start looking for more postions which are hard to find and don't last for long. Before you go back to previous postions

[gdw]

Go for it. Flat bars are great for town riding and comfortable for all day adventures especially if you add bar-ends.

[pdmtong]

Go for it. Flat bars are great for town riding and comfortable for all day adventures especially if you add bar-ends.

for what you describe, ergon grips with included bar end on a flat bar....perfect

[Ken Robb]

you might like some of the Rivendell bars like their Albatross, Moustache, etc. because they can allow an upright riding position but still offer multiple places to grip the bars. I have tried a couple of them with success. Albatross bars can be held on the ends like a wheelbarrow or on the flat part near the stem.
Moustache bars can also be grasped like a wheelbarrow, near the stem, or I can really stretch out long and low (for me) when I grab the bars way forward where they curve.

[eddief]

looked cool, but with flat bars and bar ends, I was never really very comfortable on my usual long club rides. never tried other cooler cruiser bars as i mostly don't do cool cruising.

[false_Aest]

This is the bike Giant, Cannondale, SpecialEd and Trek should make more of... at every price point above $450.

[veloduffer]

you might like some of the Rivendell bars like their Albatross, Moustache, etc. because they can allow an upright riding position but still offer multiple places to grip the bars. I have tried a couple of them with success. Albatross bars can be held on the ends like a wheelbarrow or on the flat part near the stem.
Moustache bars can also be grasped like a wheelbarrow, near the stem, or I can really stretch out long and low (for me) when I grab the bars way forward where they curve.

I had moustache bars on my 1993 Bridgestone XO-1 (yep, in pumpkin orange). I never got used to them and ended up putting drop bars on it. I sold it quite a while ago but kind of wish that I kept it.

My preferred riding is on the hoods and drops, and I use the flats for going up hills when I ride my road bikes. I figure the bullhorns would be like having a drop bar without the drops.

I wished the bike had downtube shifter bosses - that would have been nice to use again.

[pakora]

My preferred riding is on the hoods and drops, and I use the flats for going up hills when I ride my road bikes. I figure the bullhorns would be like having a drop bar without the drops.

I don't find this is true for me - I like the hoods so much and I find on the bullhorns it's halfway between hoods and what the previous poster suggested about a wheelbarrow.

I definitely don't find a flat bar to be comfortable ever when compared to hoods on drop bars. That's probably just me though, but are you riding a flat bar on any of your other bikes - the mountain one maybe? Haven't ridden any of the more recent super wide 70+cm bars though.

Maybe I'm thinking of the wrong thing when people say "flat bar"? I'm thinking of a 60cm or so bar with no rise and little or no sweep.

[Earl Gray]

....Maybe I'm thinking of the wrong thing when people say "flat bar"? I'm thinking of a 60cm or so bar with no rise and little or no sweep.

For me, "flat bars" refer to any bars that stay perpendicular to the frame, rise or no rise.

However, typically on a road specific cycling forum I think it often means anything other than drop bars.

[palincss]

looked cool, but with flat bars and bar ends, I was never really very comfortable on my usual long club rides.


No, bars of that type are generally not good for long rides. Short rides in town are where they shine, in my opinion.

[Spin71]

I tried it, was fun for a while, eventually swapped back. Like others said. Fun for around town rides.
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2977/img0931u.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/515/img0931u.jpg/)

[Fishbike]

I tried it, was fun for a while, eventually swapped back. Like others said. Fun for around town rides.
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2977/img0931u.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/515/img0931u.jpg/)

Spin -- I am glad you corrected that crime against nature. :no: :)

[Nelson99]

I put Titec H-Bars on my short distance, SS, utility bike after I retired that fame from road service. Great bars for a frankenbike. Very comfy, great control, lots of hand positions. They are also very wide, adding to comfort and especially leverage (important when I hit steep hills with only one gear). Would not switch to a straight bar for these.