Cycling UK Forum

do you like living dangerously? Holes in handlebars were a daft idea that lead to many handlebar breakages BITD and a set of 25+ year old French handlebars (which didn't exactly have a stellar reputation for not breaking before they started drilling holes in them...) is well past retirement age IMH...

.... Trouble is the levers can't be moved as the break cables are situated inside the bars and enter at a specific point. Quite advanced for that age of bike. Plus I want to keep the original bars but would sacrifice the stem to get them closer to my riding position... do you like living dangerousl...

IMHO you might be better off with new bars and stem. New bars because the ones you have at the moment have a) a very long forward reach and b) a large radius to the bend, and a big angle between the ramps and drops. The former does not suit modern STIs because the total front to back range of hand ...

This is what you need. Just check the diameter of your bars in the centre. 60mm or 80mm length should do the trick. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NOS-KL-QUILL-STEM-25-4-black-polished-silver-60-80-100-fixed-for-1-steerer-fork/380282472345?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item588a9a0799:g:4R8AAOSwWw1a8sSH&a...

I think I might have found the solution! https://youtu.be/vPlp-_do2mM This is what you need. Just check the diameter of your bars in the centre. 60mm or 80mm length should do the trick. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NOS-KL-QUILL-STEM-25-4-black-polished-silver-60-80-100-fixed-for-1-steerer-fork/380282...

I think I might have found the solution!
https://youtu.be/vPlp-_do2mM

Thanks for all the brilliant feedback. This has been really appreciated. On balance, I think I will look for a shorter stem. That will be the least problematic alteration, I hope. Some other good idea, even moving the seat back got me thinking!! I'll let you know how I get on. My mountain bike and t...

Jdsk wrote:How are the hand positions that don't involve the hoods? Is it comfortable on the tops and the drops?

Jonathan

Yeah it's not too bad but stretching to change gears when on top

As has been said above you definitely need to move the levers up on the bars, they are way too low. If that doesn't do the trick then a shorter stem is needed. If you are particularly keen to maintain originality that looks like an SR "aero" stem which were common enough, so you should be...

Might I suggest new bars? Brake/shifter units sit much higher than was common when they were just brakes. Can't see how a different style and use of lever can universally be fitted to an older bar. It may work, it may not. The pic, to me, proves it. Thanks for all the advice I have had. Sound like ...

It sounds like you have had a few years off the bike. Don’t underestimate the changes in your flexibility. I am struggling to find a comfortable position after ten years out. I am still riding my old bikes but with shorter and more upright stems but it’s not enough. The changes you have made to you...

I have a vague idea that in what I think of as the early days of triathlon ie when I first heard about it, some enthusiasts were keen to differentiate that form of the sport from what might be termed mainstream road racing. One of the innovations / gimmicks was extremely steep seat tubes. IIRC the ...

Here is an after photo

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Hi
Apart from changing the levers, I have kept everything original and would love to keep it that way but would gladly change the seat.
Cheers for the idea

I am 5'' 11' with long arms but following a major refurb of my old Peugeot 1988 Triathlon, which involved replacing the old brake levers with new brake + shifter combination, I have been unable to place my hands on the hoods without feeling like I am overstretching. My seat is as far forward as it w...