is this possible?

[Toby_2009]

Hi,

If I bought a racing bike and took the gears of the frame and changed the handlebars for flat handlebars (with the gears on the handlebars) then would it all work alright?

Before people say 'just buy a bike with those things on' I should outline that I want to buy a cheap old racer to do the above mods to, not buy a new racer.

Cheers,

Toby

 

[Ben M]

what's wrong with drop bars? I'm sure that you could fit gear shifters to the existing drop bars.

 

[Toby_2009]

what's wrong with drop bars? I'm sure that you could fit gear shifters to the existing drop bars.

i dont particuary fancy being quite so low or not having access to the brakes when I was holding the tops of the drops

 

[Riverman]

I've always felt the same about drop bars, although I imagine (seeing how so many people use them) that you get used to it.

 

[marinyork]

You get used to them after about 5 minutes. That said I'm not one of these people that say flat bars are horrificly uncomfortable. They're all right.

 

[Ben M]

i dont particuary fancy being quite so low or not having access to the brakes when I was holding the tops of the drops

Fit brake/gear shifters with hoods and you can have your hands on top of them and still be able to brake.

 

[RedBike]

It is sort of possible.
Have a look at the conversion Joe24 did for about £7 in the photo section.

However, there are a number of complications. Changing to fixed wheel / single speed could well require a new back wheel or the existing back wheel re-built to get the rear sprocket to correctly line up with the chainrings.
Unless you realy want singlespeed/fixed your best bet for the gear will be something with frame mounted shifters.

A set of V-brake levers will sort of work with road bike calipers. I say sort of because the levers are actually pulling too much cable so your brake will alway be weaker than they should be. Although there are flat bar brake levers available that work with caliper brake they're not as common,
http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/publish..._handlebar0/product.-code-BL-R550.-type-.html

Canti-lever brakes will work just as well with V-brake levers or drop bar brakes.

Although it is perfectly possible to make all these changes on a budget it's also very easy to spend a fortune. If you've got to pay anybody else to start making these changes then you'll probably be better off paying a bit more and getting the right sort of bike in the first place.

 

[Sittingduck]

Not sure if I'm reading it wrong and at first I thought the same thing - that the OP wanted a SS conversion... Actually I think he wants to keep the bike geared but move the downtube shifters to flat bar mounted levers...?

Toby - can you clarify please?

 

[Ben M]

took the gears of the frame and changed the handlebars for flat handlebars (with the gears on the handlebars)

I think that he almost certainly means that he has a bike with tube shifters and drop bars, and wants to have flat bars and handlebar shifters.

 

[ianrauk]

then why not just buy a flat bar road bike?
GT do them also Bianchi and a quick check would probrably dig out a few more

 

[Toby_2009]

I think that he almost certainly means that he has a bike with tube shifters and drop bars, and wants to have flat bars and handlebar shifters.

Don't have one yet but that is the potential situation, yes

Yes, thats exactly what I want to do

 

[Toby_2009]

Not sure if I'm reading it wrong and at first I thought the same thing - that the OP wanted a SS conversion... Actually I think he wants to keep the bike geared but move the downtube shifters to flat bar mounted levers...?

Toby - can you clarify please?

yes, sorry i now realise it wasn't very clear! but yes you are correct!

 

[Sittingduck]

In that case I echo Ianrauk... get a flat bar road bike instead

 

[Ben M]

this might help:
http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=34673

 

[mickle]

Fitting a flat or riser bar to a drop bar bike is pretty straight forward but there are a couple of potential pitfalls and there will be costs involved.

The diameter of a flat bar may not match that of your existing stem so you might need to replace the stem. One inch quill stems are few and far between these days but they are available.

You'll need to replace the brake levers, drop bar levers wont fit on flats. Ensure that you fit non 'V' levers.

Finding compatible shifters may be a hurdle, you'll need to convert the down tube lever mounts to cable stops for a start (Shi**no do them). You'll need to source shifters which are compatible with your rear mech and number of sprockets or fit friction shifters if you can find them.

When I did a similar conversion a few years ago I used a thumb shifter on the bars for the rear mech but left the front mech lever on the down tube since I rarely used it.

You'll need longer cables but these usually come with the shifter.

Let me know how many sprockets you have and if it's friction or indexed, I may have some suitable shifters knocking about the workshop.