Cycling UK Forum

I feel more comfortable these days on flat bar or butterfly bars;
and completed my first two 'populaires' on Dawes Sahara with butterfly bars and my ancient Carlton Clubman with traditional drop handlebars. (It's my neck and great age).

I prefer the upright riding position of the hybrid; and interested to see the up to date range of 'flat bar flyers' in this month's Cycling Plus magazine. Though I'm always in the market for a new bike I don't want to spend £1000 + on something that doesn't after all fit the bill . I really want to test ride all the contenders for a week each!

Perhaps it's a mountain bike with slicks, flat bars and bar ends?? Or maybe I should build it myself?

If one goes to Chas Roberts or reputable builder you're likely to end up with trad diamond frame and drops. Or is anyone else thinking outside the box?

before I go and buy a recumbent/Dursley Pedersen/Van Nicolas what are the suggestions?
(hey I just found this!)
http://www.kinetics.org.uk/assets/image ... _small.jpg

I see no reason you can't put straight or butterfly bars on any bike, it just needs the right stem. Or indeed Audax on any bike you're comfortable on. Most of those who supply traditional steel Audax bikes would be happy to do you a flat bar version. Before you spend too much money I'd suggest you experiment with your existing bikes. The bike I Audax on has randonneur style bars which have a wider top and are slightly curved back. I've added add cross top brake levers to get most of the advantages of both styles, the only thing I haven't got is the width of straights, or the choice of brakes.

Guaranteed to have some members on the club run looking down their noses and sighing at you!

I think the stem may be the problem; I certainly prefer the quill and I think the newfangled Ahead must mean that your hands are further form the saddle whatever you do.Or?

And you're right although I could disappear in to the crowd on an SCR any home made variations will raise an eyebrow!

Why do you think that an Aheadset puts your hands further away?

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Wildduck wrote:Guaranteed to have some members on the club run looking down their noses and sighing at you!

Well we're talking about Audax not club riding. I've done around 20 on flat bar bikes and am not aware of anyone sighing at me or them.

I rode the Pacific coast of the USA on an MTB with slicks and flat bars. Having bar-ends was a good move as it allowed a change of hand positions. Pals of mine rode from London to India on Super Galaxies with butterfly bars.

Sounds like proof enough. Use what you find comfortable.

However, the problem may just be that the drops are too low. This causes the neck problems and is usually because the things are setup like racing bikes. My MTB-based tourer nowadays has 3T morphe randonneur drop bars and I wouldn't change back. But to change from straight bars to drops on the same frame will require a shorter stem...probably around 50mm/2". The morphes are different to normal racing drops in that the have a shallower drop and also poke less far forwards, both of which prevents that stretched-out feeling.

check out the Boardman hybrid - flat bars, disc brakes, 700c wheels plenty of room for guards and rack bosses.

Paint looks good too


No I don't work for H*lfrods but I was in there and thought "now that's a sensible spec for a good all rounder".

Currently my Dawes Audax does that well enough, but brakes a cr*p in the wet, and needed an adjustable stem to stop the neck ache

(I've also road raced, time trialled and cyclocrossed it too)

just make sure the Boardman's been built up properly if you do get one - seems to be the only issue.

cheers
Cookie

Review of four road going flat bar bikes that might fit the bill inthe current edition of Cycling Plus.