Changing drops to bullhorn or straight

[gasman118]

Morning everyone.

I have this bike but want to put new bars on it to try and make it a bit more of an urban bike, I'm planning on getting a baby seat for it so hoping new bars will make it a bit more stable/nibble.

I was think along the lines of this with these type/look of brakes.

Will bars fit my stem? Will my end shifters fit? And what brakes will fit my cable disc brakes.

If anyone has any other suggestion too.

[Brucey]

fifteen links later....



Brakes: Avid BB-7 mechanical disc brake with Shimano 160mm rotors and Tektro RL340 road brake levers

Bars: Jamis Ergo, 6061 aluminum, 31.8 x 380mm (47), 400mm (50/53), 420mm (55), 440mm (57/59/62)

which I think means that you need brake levers with a short cable pull (for cantis or caliper brakes, NOT V-brakes, if as I suspect the brake calipers are marked 'R' rather than 'M' or 'MTN' ) and either a bar with a 31.8mm centre section (to fit your present stem) or a new bar and stem that match one another. You may need a new stem anyway if the present one is the wrong length.

Your bar end shifters won't fit most flat bars because the bars are smaller internally (bars vary in wall thickness/ID but flat bars are 22.2mm and drops are usually ~24mm OD). Since this internal bar dimension and the matching OD on the shifter varies, you need to measure it to be sure anyway. Sometimes you can fit a bar end shifter onto a 'climbing peg' on your new bars; again you will need to measure it to be sure.

In any event, running a bar end shifter in the end of a flat bar is potentially a recipe for disaster if the shifter is the first bit that will hit the deck, or get trashed when you lean the bike against a wall.

The frame you have is quite 'sporty' for a touring bike, and has quite short chainstays. For child lugging duties, I'd suggest getting another (hybrid?) bike of some kind; by the time you have bought all the bits to convert your present bike you may have spent a fair wadge only to wind up with a bike that isn't 100% suitable for what you have in mind anyway. Likewise check the Jamis spec for rear load; you may find that you exceed it with even a small child on board, which means no more frame warranty etc etc.

BTW in the real world, does this bike really weigh 27lbs as in the specs, or is this a fairy story?

cheers

[andrewjoseph]

gasman, I think 'stable' and 'nimble ' are pretty much mutually exclusive. For carrying a child I'd want stable .

[531colin]

gasman, I think 'stable' and 'nimble ' are pretty much mutually exclusive. For carrying a child I'd want stable .

+1 to that. In addition, these bikes appear to vary the steering geometry according to the size......

http://www.myjamis.com/SSP%20Applications/JamisBikes/MyJamis/consumer/bike.html?year=2013&model=Aurora%20Elite&cat_grp=road_9....click "geometry"

If you want these brakes...



unless you have a stem a mile long, your hands on the new brakes will be much further back and also closer together than your hands are now on the brake hoods....this alone might make the steering feel "lighter" than it does now....add a child wriggling in a seat, and you may not like the outcome.
I would be a bit wary of fitting flat bars to any of those bikes, with the possible exception of the smallest.
What is it that you dislike about the bike handling at the moment?

[uphillbothways]

Just fit wider drop bars and raise them a bit with a shorter, steeper stem. There's no magic about the shape of a handlebar, it's just a matter of getting the right geometry to provide you with a more upright riding position and a longer steering moment. The On-One Midge handlebars are ideal for this sort of bike; At £15 for the bars and another £10 for a new stem, it's a much cheaper option than switching to a flat handlebar.

[Audax67]

Friend of mine runs bullhorns with STIs. Dunno how they'd work with discs, though. He loves them: he can run the cushioning right up to the ends, which are free to take mirrors if you want them. Your hands are always opposite the ends of the brake levers so that you have more power than when riding on the shells and you can grab them faster.

Here's a bit of a pic: not very distinct but you can see the STIs and his mirror on the far side (this is in France).

I'm not so keen: I don't like straight bits of metal pointing at my kneecaps. Same goes for bar end levers on drops, though.

[gasman118]

The handling is fine really, I just fine the bars to short, I never have my hands on the drops, but a wider set my be the easiest and cheapest way forward, never though of that.

[531colin]

Just fit wider drop bars and raise them a bit with a shorter, steeper stem. There's no magic about the shape of a handlebar, it's just a matter of getting the right geometry to provide you with a more upright riding position and a longer steering moment. The On-One Midge handlebars are ideal for this sort of bike; At £15 for the bars and another £10 for a new stem, it's a much cheaper option than switching to a flat handlebar.

"There's no magic about the shape of a handlebar"
And
"On-one Midge handlebars are ideal for this sort of bike"
.........seem like contradictory statements....?

I agree with the "no magic about shape" statement.
What happens if you move your hands further back is that your weight comes off the front wheel and the steering feels lighter. (less weight on front wheel = less tyre drag.....tyre drag is the force that tends to hold the steering "centered", trail is the lever through which that force acts)
Normally, moving your hands from the hoods to the tops of ordinary drops makes no difference to the steering feel. However, moving your hands back from the hoods to the tops, then inward to cross-top type levers, and then adding a child wriggling in a seat may not be the best idea.
I went from long-reach, narrow flat bars to short reach, wide flat bars following an injury....I did not find that the extra width compensated at all for the light feel of the steering, but others' experiences may well be different. (I came back a long way, maybe 4", with wide, swept bars, due to a sore wrist)
Couldn't wait to get back to normal.

edited following new post from the OP...

All this is academic if all you really want is your hands further apart... Many people rarely use the drops.

[gasman118]

Thanks for the replies, after doing a bit reading and thinking, I think what am after is a more up right position, and the more stable/planted feeling you get from straight bars, I bought the Jamis as a one bike does all jobs, maybe I should have got a hybrid but I wanted steel and will be using it for some light touring, I dont really want or have the space for a 2nd bike, so I think easiest thing to do would be to get the bars and maybe the slightly shorty stem from this bike and look for nice clean/retro looking brake levers and gear shifters. Any suggestion are more than welcome for the levers.

Whats your thoughts??

[Brucey]

it doesn't matter what brake levers etc you fit if the weight you have put on the back of the bike is too much. What do Jamis recommend?

cheers

[gasman118]

it doesn't matter what brake levers etc you fit if the weight you have put on the back of the bike is too much. What do Jamis recommend?

cheers

When she get to heavy I plan on getting a trailer/tag along.

[Brucey]

IIRC Jamis suggest a luggage weight limit of 14 or 25 kg (depending on the model) for bikes that are meant for road riding with fenders, rack mounts etc. If your owner's manual isn't clear, I'd suggest consulting your dealer and/or Jamis for clarification. In any event I'd suggest that 14kg loading at the rear would be a sensible maxiumum on a relatively lightweight touring bike like yours; 25 kg would best be split between front and rear.

A child plus child seat would very soon exceed 14kg; it may well be that you already need a trailer, and the poor handling you are experiencing is simply a reflection of that fact.

cheers

[gasman118]

IIRC Jamis suggest a luggage weight limit of 14 or 25 kg (depending on the model) for bikes that are meant for road riding with fenders, rack mounts etc. If your owner's manual isn't clear, I'd suggest consulting your dealer and/or Jamis for clarification. In any event I'd suggest that 14kg loading at the rear would be a sensible maxiumum on a relatively lightweight touring bike like yours; 25 kg would best be split between front and rear.

A child plus child seat would very soon exceed 14kg; it may well be that you already need a trailer, and the poor handling you are experiencing is simply a reflection of that fact.

cheers

Am not experiencing poor handling and dont have the baby seat yet, I just looking for a wider grip and more upright position.

[Brucey]

before getting a baby seat, I'd suggest (if it is appreciably less than 14kg...) putting the same load (i.e. same as seat, plus kid plus growing allowance) on the bike and seeing if you like it or not. A lot of people just go straight to a trailer.

On-One midge bars will allow you to retain the brake levers you have; dunno about the shifters.

If you are new to drop bars I'd suggest getting set up properly for them (including clothing and position) and giving them a proper go (a thousand miles or so) before jacking it in. Not much point in buying a lightweight bike designed for speed if you then turn yourself into a sail, some would argue.

cheers

[gasman118]

I wouldnt class a touring bike as a bike designed for speed, I have proper clothing, Ive done plenty of mile and I just dont like drops, I dont really do more than 15 or 20 miles, and with a baby seat, it will be just short rides local parks etc. I may well go straight for a trailer, but either way I want to try straight bars.