IMG_0801 by
mark tilley, on Flickr
IMG_0800 by
mark tilley, on Flickr
Yet another modification. I have used drop bars for prob 18 years, but in all that time, with 3 different bikes, I can not stop fettleing, moving this , swapping that , even mid ride, I have even taken a spare stem to try. Yet, every MTB I have owned ( 3 different ones) all have a similar set up, with lowish bars, bar ends, thumb shifters, an a long stem. Once set up, I never touch them to alter anything. Sooo, 6 am on a Sunday morning I thought I'd try an experiment, and 7.30 am, armed with a mug of tea, I was in the shed, pulling Olive to bits. Basically I stripped my Rocky Mountain MTB, that I just never use any more, and is 15 years old, and 'borrowed' the flat bars (actually Saracen bars, from a 'Traverse' c.1992), XT 7 speed thumbshifters, now in index mode, as the rear block is only 7 speed
, Onza bar ends, and a longer stem. Also swapped are the brakes.............shimano hydraulic disc calipers, superb stoppers, and put the cable operated Spyres in the dark place. So far , so good, set up is almost the same as my Saracen from 25 years ago. I seem to have much more power in my legs, with this set up, and its faster, as the bar ends are flat, I can rest my hand on them, with my wrist on the hb grip, elbows pointing in, (Obree style) and can spin up much faster. Seems a much more natural position for me. Time will tell tho.
