Advice on Switching to Drop Handlebars

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Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on April 28, 2009 at 9:19pm

Ummm. I don't know whether they'd mount on a ram's horn bar, but mostly because I have no idea what that is.

The things in the picture: do you just clip them on like bar ends? Or more to the center of your flat bar? Have you used them?

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Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on April 28, 2009 at 9:53pm

OK. The I have a set of road shifters/brakes that are designed for drop bars. I imagine that once set up, I'd have a complete flat-bar set up (with shifters, brakes and cables intact), and a separate complete drop bar set up (with shifters, brakes and cables intact), and the switch would just involve disconnecting the cables, popping one stem off, popping the other stem on, and hooking up the cables.


h3 said:
Ram's horn bars is what drop bars/road bars are called.

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Permalink Reply by David Travis on April 28, 2009 at 10:05pm

My winter ride is a Bianchi Axis cyclocross bike with drop bars. I have no problem with them in the snow as long as it is not over 3 inches (4 fluffy inches). Just get the drop bars right and leave them on. More wind in the winter anyway.

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Permalink Reply by Leah on April 28, 2009 at 11:35pm

In my opinion, you shouldn't have too much trouble switching. I would get a bike fitting after you do it, though, since the drop bars will naturally change your riding position on the bike. Or you could take the key measurements from your road bike (ie. bottom bracket to top of seat, nose of seat to handlebars, vertical distance from seat nose to top of handlebars, etc.) and recreate them on the other bike.

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Permalink Reply by Gecko on April 29, 2009 at 9:00am

What size is your stem/clamp? You have to make sure you get either bars with the same stem clamp size (25.4mm or 31.8mm) as your current stem, or switch your stem to match your drop bars.

You'll need new brake cables and possibly new shift cables depending on how frayed the ends are. The brake cables are a must because flat bar levers use a barrel end cable and road levers use a mushroom end, and you'll have to remove the cable from the housing and thread it through the inside of the new lever anyway.

Barrell end: O------
Mushroom end: (]=-------

Also, with shift cables, it's very easy to install new ones because they have a small drop of solder on the open end which keeps all the strands together as you thread it into the shifter (same as new brake cables). Sometimes you can remove the cable from the housing and if it's in good enough condition you can reinsert it, but you have to be very careful not to catch a stray strand on something and ruin the cable.

Other than those details, you shouldn't have too much trouble.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on May 13, 2009 at 11:50am

Thanks for all the comments. The switch was fairly painless, although I did have to get a new front derailleur to pair with the new shifters.

I've been riding the new set-up for about two weeks now, and after dialing in my fit settings (you were right on about having the fit checked, Leah), I am kicking myself for not switching sooner. I am just much more efficient with the drop bars, and the wind is much less a factor. I loved the commute before, but love it even more now.

Thanks again.

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