Bike shortening plan

[cycle tramp]

My latest Kona is a little "long" and I also want one bike with more upright fit for when my back is a little delicate. (The Kileaua will provide the old school head down 90s look!)
So the 92 Lava Dome is getting the cruiser-look!20221228_123316.jpg

Nice... looking forward to seeing the finished bike.. are you going down the whole mudguards and basket route or still keeping its off road abilities (off-roadster? gravel-cruiser?)

[djnotts]

@ cycle tramp. Basket, no! Guards/tyres undecided. My 96 Firemountain has grds and 2.0" gravel tyres, so I might leave that as my wet rides bike!
The 98 Manomano is about as off-road as I can manage these days.
The Kileaua with front sus is my version of a tarmac bike, so the Lava Dome is in
search of a role in life!

[axel_knutt]

Can I simply change the original (rather long) stem for one that has a shorter neck, so I'm a bit nearer the bars? Or am I missing some important drawback?

My Dawes Horizon developed a shimmy after I did that, but there's doubtless no shortage of bikes that won't, just be ready for it when you go down a big hill.

[cyclop]

Thumbies are the best shifters EVER! Especially for front triples.
Also I have painful (arthritis I assume) thumbs and index fingers and thumbies are the easiest to operate with least discomfort, nudge or hold with different parts of the hand/palm.

Further to the drops/riser bar conversion,I,ve put bar extentions on,all covered in high quality foam which allows multiple hand positions.Potential wrist problems which were rearing their ugly head seem to have subsided.Both road bikes and my full susser now have this setup.

[djnotts]

@cyclop, interesting. I do use standard bar ends on flat/riser set ups. Swept-back cruiser style bars not so easy to adapt.

[cyclop]

In addition,I,ve relocated the bar ends about 100-120mm inboard to enable a well padded and supported prime hand position that closely replicates my normal,on the hoods ,hand position but with the extra support.Like you say,a cruiser style setup doesn,t lend itself to this arrangement but,perhaps,doesn,t need it with a more upright(I assume) riding position.