Flat bar road bikes.

[SpokeyDokey]

Have I got this right please?

Planet X have a Dirty Disco Cross bike with drops and a Dirty Disco Flat Bar.

They have the same frame so am I right in assuming that any road bike with drops could be converted to a flat bar without any drastic impact on riding position?

I assume that the riding position would be a tad more upright as there is no 'on hoods' option.

 

[simon.r]

You'd need to look at stem reach and rise and obviously shifters / brake levers, but basically - yes.

 

[cyberknight]

Flat bar bikes tend to have a different length top tube and drop brakes have a different cable pull so u will need to fettle it to get it sweet.

 

[cyberknight]

Flat bar bikes tend to have a different length top tube and drop brakes have a different cable pull so u will need to fettle it to get it sweet.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Thanks fellas.

Was thinking about approaching Ribble or Dolan etc to build it flat bar from the get-go. Shimano have the SL-R770 shifters for 2x10 or 3x10 plus BL-R770 levers - Ultegra level so they should be fine. They are compatible with latest 105/Ulterga front and rear mech's from what I can find out (Rose catalogue - very handy!).

Not sure if Ribble/Dolan do this sort of thing - anyone have any experience of this? Or anyone else to ask?

 

[Globalti]

Ask Paul Hewitt in Leyland, you'll get good advice from him.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Truly the very best of British endeavour - no wonder the Koreans etc have made so much inroad into our manufacturing industry...

Email to Ribble produced answer of:

"We cannot build a bike to flat bar spec' as we don't have the parts".

Ok; if I had purchased it would only have been £1200-1500 sale but clearly there is no recession (or whatever it is we are in these days) up here in the North.

Blinding stuff!

 

[simon.r]

Truly the very best of British endeavour - no wonder the Koreans etc have made so much inroad into our manufacturing industry...

Email to Ribble produced answer of:

"We cannot build a bike to flat bar spec' as we don't have the parts".

Ok; if I had purchased it would only have been £1200-1500 sale but clearly there is no recession (or whatever it is we are in these days) up here in the North.

Blinding stuff!

Dear me A £1500 sale turned away for the sake of, what, a 2 minute call to one of their suppliers and 30 minutes labour for a competent mechanic? I assume you'll be taking your business elsewhere?!

 

[Peteaud]

Truly the very best of British endeavour - no wonder the Koreans etc have made so much inroad into our manufacturing industry...

Email to Ribble produced answer of:

"We cannot build a bike to flat bar spec' as we don't have the parts".

Ok; if I had purchased it would only have been £1200-1500 sale but clearly there is no recession (or whatever it is we are in these days) up here in the North.

Blinding stuff!

Sums up british business really

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I assume you'll be taking your business elsewhere?!

Without a doubt.

 

[Alun]

Ribble don't make flat barred bikes, go to someone who does, what's the problem?

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Ribble don't make flat barred bikes, go to someone who does, what's the problem?

Well, obviously I can go elsewhere.

My comment was on what I see as the inflexibility of a business which imo is indicative of the state of many businesses in this country ie the inability to respond to a simple request to deviate slightly from the norm and thus secure a sale.

Truly, is it beyond the realms of the possible to order in a bar, shifters, levers for a bike building business to secure a sale?

Wasn't like I was asking them to build hang-glider or something else equally outside their usual remit.

 

[rollinstok]

I thought Ribble Cycles had a retail premises that stock flat bars/shifters etc.. at least they used to have one near the docks in Preston
Even if they dont anymore its still such an easy job to get the parts in
I would guess the message is from a pillock in the office who started flapping at your request for something slightly different

 

[rollinstok]

In fact, come to think of it they even have an mtb section on their website

 

[Cyclist33]

Talk to Planet X, they were very good when I nearly bought one of their carbon flatbar bikes. Only didn't coz of money but even so their bike was very well specced for a grand.

Stu