Did you change from Hybrid to Drop Bar Bike

[DCBassman]

I've tried both now, and come to the realisation that drops are not for me. But the lovely light frame...so I'll turn it into a hybrid. There's no money tied up in it, so...

 

[JhnBssll]

How long does it take to adapt to drop bars? I ask because I've been using them for about 15 months now and I'm still having to move things around... I've been gradually lowering the bars over the months and rotating them forwards. I'm hoping I'm nearly there now, I tweaked things mid ride and spent the last 10 miles or so on the drops this afternoon and it felt super comfy. The thing is I'm worried im getting deja-vu as im sure i thought that last time i adjusted them

 

[MrPorridge]

Really stupid question.... How much work is involved in converting a drop bar bike to a flat bar?

I guess you'd have to change the brakes/gear-shifters and this might be a problem because of incompatible systems. So you might possibly have to change the brakes and "geary bits" (I think I'm showing how thick I am here) too.

I'm only asking as I'm considering getting a "drop bar do-it-all" gravel-ish style bike, along the lines of the Px Kaffenback, Pinnacle Pyrolyte or Arkose, Genesis Croix De Fer etc.

My last drop bar bike was a Puch Cavalier in about ...err.. 1980, so I've no way of guessing how I'll get along with "a racer" (our term for anything with drop bars) in my significantly older, less flexible and more knackered-out state, beyond putting time and miles on the bike.
It would therefore be reassuring to know that if I didn't cope with drop bars, I could swap them for flat bars without having to buy a whole new push-iron.

I've noticed that the Kaff comes in a flat bar version so I'm guessing there's nothing inherently incompatible in the frame design that would prevent this. Is this true of most "gravel bike" style frames? (I read somewhere that proper road frames don't make sense with flat bars but am assuming, if true, this is due to the more agressive geometry.)

Sorry if the above is something I should know already.

 

[ADarkDraconis]

Really stupid question.... How much work is involved in converting a drop bar bike to a flat bar?

I guess you'd have to change the brakes/gear-shifters and this might be a problem because of incompatible systems. So you might possibly have to change the brakes and "geary bits" (I think I'm showing how thick I am here) too.

I'm only asking as I'm considering getting a "drop bar do-it-all" gravel-ish style bike, along the lines of the Px Kaffenback, Pinnacle Pyrolyte or Arkose, Genesis Croix De Fer etc.

My last drop bar bike was a Puch Cavalier in about ...err.. 1980, so I've no way of guessing how I'll get along with "a racer" (our term for anything with drop bars) in my significantly older, less flexible and more knackered-out state, beyond putting time and miles on the bike.
It would therefore be reassuring to know that if I didn't cope with drop bars, I could swap them for flat bars without having to buy a whole new push-iron.

I've noticed that the Kaff comes in a flat bar version so I'm guessing there's nothing inherently incompatible in the frame design that would prevent this. Is this true of most "gravel bike" style frames? (I read somewhere that proper road frames don't make sense with flat bars but am assuming, if true, this is due to the more agressive geometry.)

Sorry if the above is something I should know already.

I am hanging out with my brother this evening (he works in our LBS) so I can ask him for you. His buddy just converted a flat bar fat bike (Surly) to drops and didn't act like it was super involved but I am not sure. He has a gravel bike, a Trek Crossrip, and enjoys it for its versatility.

 

[DCBassman]

@MrPorridge just about to start doing this very thing. I'll be posting endlessly about it, just you watch!

 

[mjr]

How long does it take to adapt to drop bars?

I've been riding them 30 years or more and I'm still moving things around. Bodies change.

 

[mjr]

Really stupid question.... How much work is involved in converting a drop bar bike to a flat bar?

Less than going the other way, I think. Worst case, you can pad controls intended for 23.8mm diameter drop bars to grab 22.2mm flat bars more easily than forcing flat bar controls to grab a fatter drop bar, although STIs will look odd like that.

 

[FlyingCyclist]

Thought to myself last June that I would buy a new bike because my old one - BSA WestCoast was heavy.
Now I have a carbon fiber CX bike.

Pics and back story on my blog below.

 

[dantheman]

It's been years since I came on this site to actually post on it, and felt bad about that, finally reset my password and can post rather than just the rare reading..

I joined here and asked about free sizes and what model of bike I should buy (I'd already decided on a hybrid/flat-packed type) and I bought one I was/am very happy with.. I'm always on a tight budget and cycling can never be top of my spending list, the only drop barbie I had ridden was as a child (and someone elses) and I remember not feeling stable on it..

2 or 3 years ago (after much lengthy flexibly searching) I got a secondhand proper Road bike with drop bars.. My commute is now only a couple of miles to work and I tend to use the hybrid for that, and the roadie for other trips at weekends in good weathers.. I still enjoy riding both (which is good as I don't drive) and although I've never really managed to lose weight through cycling, I do enjoy being "the fat guy in shorts/t-shirt" overtaking the part time cyclists with all the loca on...

(I do enjoy riding the roadie more of course, it's a better bike and accelerates so much easier etc)

 

[Dbt]

I’ve recently started cycling, until February this year my last bike had stabilisers. I’m currently riding a flat bar, but hopefully in the next 10 days will be picking up my new adventure bike with drop bars. I think they look cool, not sure if I’ll be able to ride with them tho! I should know by the end of my 20 mile cycle home from the shop

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Drop bars are fine so long as you set them at a sensible height for good visibility, so you can ride on the tops of the bars with a similar riding position to a flat-bar bike. You don't cripple yourself that way either. They are better than flats for offering more hand positions to prevent numbness. The main problem with drops comes with the current idiotic fashion for having them set as low as physically possible and riding around like a hunchback. Even pro riders a generation ago did not generally have such aggressive bar to saddle height set-ups as a lot of amateurs do these days.

 

[Dbt]

Yeah, it’s the variety of hand positions that is quite appealing. Not going to be having them silly low, my back wouldn’t take it.

 

[Dbt]

So glad I made the change. I do use the tops most of the time, but am gradually using the drops more and more as my confidence increases.

My beautiful shiny bike

• Dbt
• 24 Jun 2018

I love my new bike. Shame about the finish that trek have done, paint is coming off around the dropouts all ready. I’m taking that up with my supplier to see if they can sort it through trek for me. If not I’ll be harassing trek until I get at least new forks.

 

[Sjw]

Getting a road bike with drops this week! So excited! Got a flatbar hybrid on a trainer but always hankered after dropbars

 

[Dbt]

Getting a road bike with drops this week! So excited! Got a flatbar hybrid on a trainer but always hankered after dropbars

It took a bit of getting used to and I spent a while just using the tops, but I love my drop bars. Enjoy your new ride.