Road "flat" bar and shifter recommendation?

[brockd15]

My wife has a Surly Straggler built with a compact road crankset, 5700 front derailleur, XT rear derailleur (9 speed), 10 speed cassette, and 5700 shifters on Hwy 1 bars.

This is an around-town kind of bike primarily so we might swap bars for something with sweep so she can be more upright. Any recommendation on townie-type bars in silver? A 31.8 clamp area would be nice to avoid swapping stems.

How about shifters to go along with it? Are there options besides the Tiagra/Sora flat bar shifters that would work with this drivetrain?

[thirdgenbird]

I'm not sure I would consider anything but a set of thumbies for road flat bar.
Shimano on Paul mounts or microshift.

[vqdriver]

why not just an 10sp shimano mtb shifter? slx, zee, xt, etc..

[guido]

Bar ends.

[thirdgenbird]

why not just an 10sp shimano mtb shifter? slx, zee, xt, etc..

This is fine if you get a 10spd mtb RD.

I like the zee stuff on my mountain bike. Functionally, I don't see it providing benefit on pavement. thumbies keep you road derailleur compatible, allow you to grab multiple gears and just look right on a flat bar roadie.

[cp43]

Check out the bars at Rivendell and Velo-Orange. They have a bunch of choices for townie bars. I haven't used any of them though, so I can't give you a specific recommendation.

[HillDancer]

As mentioned already, thumbies for shifting, Rivbike & Velo-Orange for handlebars (economical), and web search for alternatives. Adapter shims will make a 22.2, 25.4, or 26mm handlebar fit the size clamp you want. I'm here just to show an image of my conversion.:) Ti Cycles (http://ticycles.com/TCF/hardware.html#doublesbar) will bend you a custom lightweight handlebar to cherish.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wLbLNE9T4OI/VWlCXAfqC8I/AAAAAAAAByM/HQ-qF9szz4U/s400/P1030340.JPG

[montag]

Check out the bars at Rivendell and Velo-Orange. They have a bunch of choices for townie bars. I haven't used any of them though, so I can't give you a specific recommendation.

I had the Velo Orange Postino (http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/vo-postino-handlebar-22-2mm.html) bars on my town bike for a while and really liked them. In general I've been pleased with the stuff I've ordered from them.

The Ahearne/Map (http://www.ahearnecycles.com/shop/ahearnemap-handlebar) bars are similar with more sweep back.

[brockd15]

Great suggestions so far, thanks.

I was actually looking at the VO Postino thinking it might work. And I had overlooked thumbies, but that's probably what we'll go with. I'm liking these (http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/sh5.htm) from Riv.

[scrubadub]

I really like the Jitensha bars I have. I also have a set of the Ahearne/Map which are very similar. Haven't had a chance to mount those yet.

[rodcad]

I really like the Jitensha bars I have. I also have a set of the Ahearne/Map which are very similar. Haven't had a chance to mount those yet.

I have the Jitensha's too and they are nice. Would really like to try some Groovy Luv bars...............

[mistermo]

Ive had and used the FSA Metropolis flat bars and like them. They have a little sweep to them, which I find more comfortable than straight bars.

[oldpotatoe]

My wife has a Surly Straggler built with a compact road crankset, 5700 front derailleur, XT rear derailleur (9 speed), 10 speed cassette, and 5700 shifters on Hwy 1 bars.

This is an around-town kind of bike primarily so we might swap bars for something with sweep so she can be more upright. Any recommendation on townie-type bars in silver? A 31.8 clamp area would be nice to avoid swapping stems.

How about shifters to go along with it? Are there options besides the Tiagra/Sora flat bar shifters that would work with this drivetrain?

Those are fine but ya gotta get a compatible front der. Also a front der with the mentioned MTB stuff as well. BUT with 10s MTB shifters, need a 10s rear der also(shimano).

[Schmed]

I just bought a Jones H-Bar for my cross/gravel bike, and am in the process of choosing shifters/brakes as well.

It's not cheap, but it has a 31.8 clamp diameter, and if she ends up doing longer rides, it gives a lot of options for hand positions, computers, lights, etc.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5082/5248295551_4f3e694e14_z.jpg

[adampaiva]

10 speed is a little annoying for this. You might consider swapping in a 9 speed cassette and then you can just pick up a used set of 9speed mtb thumb shifters that will work fine and should be easy and cheap to find all of it.

If sticking with 10 speed, as said above, the 10 speed mtb shifters only work with the matching rear derailleur. You can however get the 10 speed road flat bar shifters and use that with one of the typical shimano rear derailleurs. But I think those have a weird incompatibility with the front derailleur so you need either the matching front derailleur, or you need the road flat bar rear shifter and the mtb front shifter and then you can use your existing derailleurs. See, annoying. I hadn't known that and bought the mtb shifters, then figured out the problem with the rear derailleur, but got lucky and found the front road flat bar shifter new on ebay for pretty cheap.

& here's that setup

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5614/15356184988_408a96290f_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/poYsN9)20141015-DSC00124.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/poYsN9) by Adam Paiva (https://www.flickr.com/photos/adampaiva/), on Flickr


for bars, the Velo Orange Milano are also a nice option.

[Doug Fattic]

If your wife is mainly using this bike as an around towner then I suggest M shaped handlebars like what used to be found on 3 speed “English racers”. J&B Importers (many LBSs have access to this distributor) sells both steel and aluminum versions in their Sunlite brand called “Northroad Touring”. The aluminum model part # is 3306. Americans are heavily influenced by mountain bike designs and most often think a straight bar or similar with a slight bend is the right choice. Well it might be for some but I’ve found that the Europeans that commute daily on bicycles prefer M shaped handlebars. It puts the hands in a more natural position without as much weight on them. In reality a straight bar is the same as being on the top of drop bars. Most beach cruisers handlebars don’t have the forward bend and curve straight back. I find they put me way too upright. Nitto makes several versions of M shaped handlebars. Of course most of these models have a 25.4 center. Nitto makes a moustache model (QBP part # HB1012) in a 26.0 clamp diameter.