Guidance on shifters when switching bars

[cgolvin]

I want to try a narrower set of bars but have been holding off doing the job because it took a bit getting everything set up and it's working great. Background: build is Campy 11.

What approach do you take with the shifters when switching bars?

I'd prefer to leave everything cabled up, possibly releasing tension if necessary on derailleurs and brakes, and simply move the shifters to the new bars. Does anyone do the swap with cables taut, or is that a bad idea (and what are the pitfalls)?

I really don't want to completely uncable the bike if I don't have to.

Thanks for the guidance.

[batman1425]

I want to try a narrower set of bars but have been holding off doing the job because it took a bit getting everything set up and it's working great. Background: build is Campy 11.

What approach do you take with the shifters when switching bars?

I'd prefer to leave everything cabled up, possibly releasing tension if necessary on derailleurs and brakes, and simply move the shifters to the new bars. Does anyone do the swap with cables taut, or is that a bad idea (and what are the pitfalls)?

I really don't want to completely uncable the bike if I don't have to.

Thanks for the guidance.

Should be fine to leave everything attached provided the bar isn't internally routed of course. Undo tape, loosen the bar clamps, slide the shifters off, swap bar, replace shifters, redo tape. No need to mess with the tension anywhere. Easy.

[Jaybee]

If you pull the bars out of the stem first, you can usually release enough tension to get the shifters off without releasing cables at the derailleurs and brakes. Going to narrower bars may mean your housings are aesthetically a bit long, but shifting and braking performance shouldn't be affected - maybe a slight tweak at the barrel adjuster

That said, fresh cables/housing is a relatively cheap and easy thing to do (assumptions 1. you have a decent cable/housing cutter, 2. no crazy aero routing scheme) and I'd be inclined to replace with new.

[benb]

I'd agree.. you can do it without taking cables, etc.. apart.

I would measure things carefully before taking it apart so that you know how to put the shifters back at the same height.

Too ways you could do this would be:

1) Take a tape measure and measure from the end of the drops to the bottom of the lever, record that and use that measurement to locate the hoods on the new handlebar

2) Put the whole bike in a trainer or some other mechanism that holds the bike very firmly while you're working on it and then use a level against the shift lever. Note the angle and then use the level to get the lever at that same angle against the bar.

A lot of handlebar manufacturers have markings on the bars these days that you can use to locate the shifters. You could try those, I don't know what brand you're using.

The problem with that is most of the bars I've owned with markings on them did not have the markings applied precisely enough to rely on. They can be WAY off (centimeters!) from one side of the bar to the other. Same problem I've seen with measurement markings on shoe soles for cleat placement.

At least for me I would be very fastidious/detail oriented about this. You're changing a variable that has a big effect, but to do so you have to do a bunch of things that can introduce changes to other variables which can influence the success of the entire experiment. If you put the bar back together but the hoods get mounted up slightly differently and then it's not comfortable it can be hard to know whether it was the bar changing or the hoods not ending up in the same place.

[Kontact]

It is a good idea to get some measurements to help you get the shifters in a good spot on the new bars, but keep in mind that the new bars are narrower so some of the measurements are going to change. The distance from hood to saddle will get shorter, for instance.

[benb]

It is a good idea to get some measurements to help you get the shifters in a good spot on the new bars, but keep in mind that the new bars are narrower so some of the measurements are going to change. The distance from hood to saddle will get shorter, for instance.

Indeed, although that's such a finicky measurement I don't like to rely on it.

[Kontact]

Indeed, although that's such a finicky measurement I don't like to rely on it.

They are all finicky. But even the sketchy measures will help you figure things out when something seems off, so I like to write them all down.

The clinometer apps you can download to your phone are useful for set up as well, as long as you release that your phone body is not a straightedge.

[benb]

The phone apps seem to suffer from calibration issues too unfortunately.

[cgolvin]

Thanks all. Good advice on being careful to measure everything.

@Jaybe: cables and housing pieces are still pretty fresh, so it would be overkill to replace. Also, unrelated to this, our conversation on Saturday made me notice that the pivot on my front brake is alarmingly close to the fork and may be touching the paint. I'll need to pick up a spacer…

[R3awak3n]

I have moved to different bars, same size but different reach. I just went and did the swap and everything worked out fine. In my case the reach was less so levers were closer to the me but it was by so little that nothing needed to really change.

However even if you have to put or take some tension of the cables it should be minimal and pretty quick/easy to do.

I think the more annoying part of this is actually one of the things I dislike to do when building a bike, making sure the shifters are alined the same (some bars have marks to make this easier but always annoys me since I get super OCD about it.

[Jaybee]

Thanks all. Good advice on being careful to measure everything.

@Jaybe: cables and housing pieces are still pretty fresh, so it would be overkill to replace. Also, unrelated to this, our conversation on Saturday made me notice that the pivot on my front brake is alarmingly close to the fork and may be touching the paint. I'll need to pick up a spacer…

10-4. Good on you for not being wasteful with perfectly good equipment.

[choke]

I'd prefer to leave everything cabled up, possibly releasing tension if necessary on derailleurs and brakes, and simply move the shifters to the new bars. Does anyone do the swap with cables taut, or is that a bad idea (and what are the pitfalls)?I leave everything connected and have never taken pressure off of the cables. It hasn't seemed to be a problem for me.

One thing to note since you are going to narrower bars is that if your cables were the perfect length they will now be a bit long. Whether or not that bothers you is hard to say....but I'd leave them long for a while until you're sure that you like the new bars.

[Kontact]

A good alignment tool is a rod that is long enough to lay across both levers so you can compare that to the bar tops. I'd recommend pulling the hoods forward so you are on something hard.