Project Handlebar

[nikki]

Both my Moultons have long 35 degree stems to put the drop bars in the right place for me. I got past setting up a bike for somebody else’s visual appeal a long time ago. A bike is a tool for covering miles and creating good memories, so whatever works towards those aims is the right way to go.

Seconded, but with fewer Moultons.

I suspect I'm going to end up with a stem like that too when I replace the fugly adjustable that's on the Adventure Commuter build.

[Kim]

I got past setting up a bike for somebody else’s visual appeal a long time ago. A bike is a tool for covering miles and creating good memories, so whatever works towards those aims is the right way to go.

So much this.

A bike only makes sense in the context of its rider anyway.

[BrianI]

Also, pictures of the thumb end shifters before you dismantle things, please!

Here you go, nikki!

IMG_20210515_111658_440 by Brian Innes, on Flickr

IMG_20210515_111446_618 by Brian Innes, on Flickr

The barrel adjusters I added to the bar end to thumbies adaptor, as recommended by SJS Cycles.

I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with the tourer, I suspect it'll remain with drop bars for the forseeable future though.  Perhaps the butterfly bars & the bar end shifter adaptor things, as well as the vbrake levers will end up for sale soon, so I can try and get some ££ back. 

[nikki]

Thanks for the photos, Brian!

I suspect I can guess the answer, but...
When you're mounting the shifters on the mounts, do you have any control over what orientation you put them on at? I'm looking at the second photo and thinking a lever at that angle away from the line of the bars would probably be quite a reach for my smaller hands, especially if I have to push/pull on the end to get required leverage. Centre-ing the sweep over the line of the bars might help. Maybe.

I'm just a bit hesitant about going bar end, because the handlebars for the build in question are very swept back and I'm imagining knee:lever interference. https://www.ergotec.de/en/products/lenker/sub/e-bike-lenker/produkt/stuttgarter-bugel-25-4-1.html

(Might get an opportunity to hold things in about the right place over the bike this week to get a feel for if that would actually be the case or not.)

It's a tricksy business, isn't it!

[BrianI]

Thanks for the photos, Brian!

I suspect I can guess the answer, but...
When you're mounting the shifters on the mounts, do you have any control over what orientation you put them on at? I'm looking at the second photo and thinking a lever at that angle away from the line of the bars would probably be quite a reach for my smaller hands, especially if I have to push/pull on the end to get required leverage. Centre-ing the sweep over the line of the bars might help. Maybe.

I'm just a bit hesitant about going bar end, because the handlebars for the build in question are very swept back and I'm imagining knee:lever interference. https://www.ergotec.de/en/products/lenker/sub/e-bike-lenker/produkt/stuttgarter-bugel-25-4-1.html

(Might get an opportunity to hold things in about the right place over the bike this week to get a feel for if that would actually be the case or not.)

It's a tricksy business, isn't it!

You don't get any options for the orientation. If you try fitting them in different orientations, then you find you don't get full swing of the shifter due to it hitting the cable exit path. 

I did have a nice ride on my MTB yesterday, which has an old pair of On One Mary Bars.   I probably wouldn't want to do extreme downhill mountain biking using such bars, as it's quite an upright position.  Dead comfortable though, and no knee / bar interfaces, despite having an 80mm stem on the bike.

It uses hydraulic brakes, with separate trigger shifters for the gearing. (3 x 10 speed)

Anyway, since I seem to have no issues on the MTB, I think I'll spend a bit of time on that now, to try and get some cycle fitness back again. 

[Kim]

I suspect I can guess the answer, but...
When you're mounting the shifters on the mounts, do you have any control over what orientation you put them on at? I'm looking at the second photo and thinking a lever at that angle away from the line of the bars would probably be quite a reach for my smaller hands, especially if I have to push/pull on the end to get required leverage. Centre-ing the sweep over the line of the bars might help. Maybe.

FWIW, the 8-speed SA thumb shifter on my Brompton has a sub-optimally large range of travel compared to the 5/6-speed thumbies I had as a kid:




Changing between 3-7 is comfortably finger-and-thumbable, but 1-3 require hand-off-the-bar-and-twist-the-lever tactics, and it's a bit of a stretch to get back down from 8.  (Disclaimer: I have bigger hands than nikki.  And I'm now wondering how barakta with her extra thumb joint and massive hand span manages...)  That it's gears-inna-can geared so you spend most of the time in 2-7 helps somewhat, and of course you don't have to change down in a hurry when stopping.  I note the 10-speed bar-end shifters on my other bike have even more travel...

(It's well-engineered^[1] and a vast improvement over the twist-grip shifter I had originally, which gave me blisters on the side of my thumb.)



_{[1] Apart from the cable entry positioned to consume as much handlebar space as possible.}

[nikki]

Anyway, since I seem to have no issues on the MTB, I think I'll spend a bit of time on that now, to try and get some cycle fitness back again.

  Go to it!


Thanks for the photos, Kim. I think I can rule out thumbshifters now...

[BrianI]

Project Handlebar Complete!

A trip to the French Purveyor of Sporting Goods today (which was very bare of cycle parts and bikes!)

A pair of Ergon grips bought, plus bar ends.

Old flat bar from the MTB fitted, along with the bar end shifters converted to thumbies, v-brake levers, the new ergon grips and the bar ends. 
IMG_20210519_155033_775 by Brian Innes, on Flickr

IMG_20210519_160455_052 by Brian Innes, on Flickr

Finished off the conversion inside due to the rain!
IMG_20210519_175515_412 by Brian Innes, on Flickr

I managed a quick half hour spin round the block.

What can I say but very very comfortable, with a nice upright position.  I may need to tweak the position of the brake levers, as well as the dura-ace bar end shifters converted to thumbies, but overall, I'm very happy! It is nice to be able to cycle, without a crick in the neck, and enjoy the views, compared to using drop bars!   

Hopefully a longer ride tomorrow! 

[nikki]

Well that all sounds very promising!

Hope you get opportunities for extensive testing in the near future.

[BrianI]

Slight tweak this morning.
VBrake Noodles fitted to the thumb shifters, to route the cable around the bar bag a bit better.

IMG_20210520_104830_746 by Brian Innes, on Flickr

Then a lovely ride down to the coast at Limekilns

IMG_20210520_110435_974 by Brian Innes, on Flickr




IMG_20210520_111742_746 by Brian Innes, on Flickr


 

[Kim]

Slight tweak this morning.
VBrake Noodles fitted to the thumb shifters, to route the cable around the bar bag a bit better.

IMG_20210520_104830_746 by Brian Innes, on Flickr

Looking good.   

[nikki]

Nice noodling! I shall have to remember that trick!

[BrianI]

Nice noodling! I shall have to remember that trick!

Yes, its a good trick, cant recall exactly where I saw it in the first place on the interwebs.  Long term though, I'll probably replace the converted thumbshifters to actual trigger shifters, as I found my right thumb particularly stiff today, perhaps due to the position of the converted thumb shifters.  Ergonomically trigger shifters probably work better. 

However for the next few months (while components become available again, and I get some pennies saved up!), at least it's letting my get back out on the bike.   

[Kim]

Nice noodling! I shall have to remember that trick!

Yes, its a good trick, cant recall exactly where I saw it in the first place on the interwebs.

I think I first came across it on a trigger shifter mounted the ergonomically right way up on an under-seat steering handlebar (requiring the cable to bend through 180 degrees).  Looked fugly and like it was going to get tangled on everything, but it did seem to work.  It's a great way to solve awkward cable bending issues.

(This is probably a good time to mention that flexible noodles are A Thing, for when the standard angles aren't quite right.)

[nikki]

at least it's letting my get back out on the bike.   

Good stuff! Do you think you'll go to swept back bars at some point, or does just switching to flat bars seem to have done all that's needed?

(This is probably a good time to mention that flexible noodles are A Thing, for when the standard angles aren't quite right.)

Yeah! I'm bearing those in mind for Project Re-route the Rear Brake on a Mixte. 

[BrianI]

at least it's letting my get back out on the bike.   

Good stuff! Do you think you'll go to swept back bars at some point, or does just switching to flat bars seem to have done all that's needed?

(This is probably a good time to mention that flexible noodles are A Thing, for when the standard angles aren't quite right.)

Yeah! I'm bearing those in mind for Project Re-route the Rear Brake on a Mixte. 

The flat bars seem to work fine, with the ergon grips.

I doubt I'll go back to drop bars on this bike, perhaps something like on one mary bars could work they don't give much space for accessories.

Meanwhile I'll see how I get on with the flat bars.

[BrianI]

Bit of an update.
I'm really enjoying the Dawes Horizon in flat bar more.

The converted bar end shifters to thumb shifters less so. While they do work, they aren't particualrly ergonomic I found, leading to thumb pain when changing.

Anyway, I've managed to get a pair of Shimano Alivio 3x9 speed triggers shifters ordered from SJS Cycles,  so I'll get them fitted once they arrive. (Hopefully in time for next weeks annual leave).

The bar end shifters, I'll probably put back to normal mode, and stick them up for sale on here 

[nikki]

I'm really enjoying the Dawes Horizon in flat bar more.

That's excellent news!

Hope you can get the trigger shifters in place for a thorough testing over your annual leave.

[BrianI]

I'm really enjoying the Dawes Horizon in flat bar more.

That's excellent news!

Hope you can get the trigger shifters in place for a thorough testing over your annual leave.

Shifters came today, hopefully get them fitted tomorrow, sadly due to lurgy¹, it's unlikely  i'll get out this week on it... 

¹ Thankfully not covid according to the PCR test...

[BrianI]

Finally I got around to fitting the Alivio trigger shifters today!

Zero issues with front mech compatibility, even since it's a Sora triple front mech, with an Alivio rear mech.

Certainly the trigger shifters are more ergonomical to use compared to the converted bar end shifters