Midge bars on an mtb?

[Jacomus]

Title says it all really - would it work?

More specifically, I have open resevoir hydraulic disk brakes and rapidfire shifters - do you think I could mount them and have them work properly?

Also, from any midge users, how do they compare to standard drops?

[Sergeant Pluck]

I think midge bars are 23.8 mm and your shifters and brakes will be for 22.2 mm.

Apart from that, the idea just strikes me as being Wrong, but I guess you know that 

[clarion]

The idea sounds pretty cool to me.  If you can do it.

[Jacomus]

I think midge bars are 23.8 mm and your shifters and brakes will be for 22.2 mm.

Apart from that, the idea just strikes me as being Wrong, but I guess you know that 

Indeed - my idea about sus forks on a roadbike struck a fair few people that way too!

I am having lots of ideas run round my head at the moment - all seeking a way for me to make a fairly fast road oriented bike that I can use hydraulic disk brakes on.

I think my intense frustration at the complete lack of hydro compatible STIs could be bordering on on manic.

[Chris N]

Yep, they work just fine.  You just need to get them high enough and far enough back that the drops are the primary grip position; everything else is secondary.

http://www.63xc.com/mattc/midge.htm
http://mtbtires.com/features/bikes/why_dropbars.html

You'll struggle with hydraulic braking and flat bar shifters - Midge bars are designed for road levers which have a bigger clamp diameter (road = 15/16", MTB = 7/8").  You'd be better off using cable discs and either road STI levers (which then means you need a new front mech...), bar end shifters or Paul Comp thumbies that mount to the tops of road bars.

They're roughly the same distance across the hoods, with a much shallower drop and a shorter forward reach.  There's less space behind the hoods, but the on-hood position is very comfy.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I didn't say you shouldn't do it!

Just peeking at my similar shifters, they are not readily amenable to fitting the larger bar size, but I am sure it can be done. Mine have only one clamp bolt and I think would need to be bored out to fit well.

[Paulapops]

Midge bars are brilliant, I wouldn't use anything else. 
The only bike that doesn't have them fitted is the 2nd best tandem.
I'm still looking for a satisfactory way of transferring from flat to midge

[hazeii]

If you're used to full drops, I'd say Midges will feel rather compromised; if you're used to flats or risers then they are less of a shock to the system than full drops.

Quite a few MTBers seem to use them, and I'd be happy to give it a go (I normally use risers on MTB and midges on road).

Only black mark for me (with big hands) is I find the drop section a bit short.

[border-rider]

Only black mark for me (with big hands) is I find the drop section is a bit short.

Agreed.  I switched to Dirt drops and they are better in that respect

[Paul]

Also, from any midge users, how do they compare to standard drops?

I find the position on the hoods a little more comfortable than on standard drops.

On the drops, there is noticable spring, which I found a little unnerving at first but, now I know they aren't going to break under me, I quite like it.

They're a little wider (on the drops) than I like. But mine are used on the road. The position might actually be advantageous off road.

[donpedro]

John Tomac won both crosscountry and downhill races way back in 1990 with drops and cantilever brakes!



http://www.yetifan.com/
Sorry, got a bit cought up in memorylane here...