Flat bars on vintage racer
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Le Crocodile
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Flat bars on vintage racer
Put flat bars on a 57/56.5 1980's mystery French race bike for a buddy. I used the same stem (prolly around 100/110 if I recall).
He has gone over the bars twice over the years. He is not a "cyclist". I couldn't figure out how he managed to accomplish that, but I digress.
Is there some method to running a flat bar on these old bikes that were made for drops? Like a way shorter stem or something, or is he just a klutz?
Reason- I have some old frames about, and need a wine tasting bike. I was thinking flat bars and a lower saddle.
He has gone over the bars twice over the years. He is not a "cyclist". I couldn't figure out how he managed to accomplish that, but I digress.
Is there some method to running a flat bar on these old bikes that were made for drops? Like a way shorter stem or something, or is he just a klutz?
Reason- I have some old frames about, and need a wine tasting bike. I was thinking flat bars and a lower saddle.
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I have two buddies who went over the bars by grabbing the brakes and then as they are thrown forward they grab more and over they go. One buddy broke a collar bone. Use the same levers and North Roads maybe.
edit: flat bars make my hands numb unless I am REALLY riding. I put North Roads and cork grips on my PX-10 and thought it was fantastic.
edit: flat bars make my hands numb unless I am REALLY riding. I put North Roads and cork grips on my PX-10 and thought it was fantastic.
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Last edited by Classtime; 04-02-21 at 07:17 PM.
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It's not bars, it's front brake related. Good front and rear modulating brakes will fix it. A bike 'fit' never hurts for guys that aren't cyclists.
edit...sure great wine bike with the right brakes. I'd go 'porteur' over flat bars just cuz.
edit...sure great wine bike with the right brakes. I'd go 'porteur' over flat bars just cuz.
Last edited by clubman; 04-02-21 at 07:46 PM.
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Is he a Brit? They have their brake levers reversed so maybe he is a "rear brake" cyclist using the fromt brake!
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Longer stem I have found - by a cm or two.
or if an Italian bike, Cinelli Condorino bars for style points.
or if an Italian bike, Cinelli Condorino bars for style points.
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Flat-bar weight distribution, a strong front brake, and someone who doesn't know how to modulate = over the bars. V-brakes, I bet?
Build an IGH commuter with North Roads or something approximating that bar shape and position. Personally, I feel flat bars absolutely stink for bikes designed for enjoying the day, which is exactly what "wine tasting bike" is bringing up in my mind. If you want to forget there's a bike under you, don't even think flat bars.
-Kurt
Build an IGH commuter with North Roads or something approximating that bar shape and position. Personally, I feel flat bars absolutely stink for bikes designed for enjoying the day, which is exactly what "wine tasting bike" is bringing up in my mind. If you want to forget there's a bike under you, don't even think flat bars.
-Kurt
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V brake levers on caliper. I rode it and grabbed a handful at a bunch of speeds and didn't have issues. I just think a combination of marijuana, beer, and poor riding skills were the main contributing factors. I just felt bad that perhaps I had missed something geometry-wise by installing the flat bars.
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Great bar suggestions above, so I won't add anything there. A riser stem like those used on ATBs/hybrids might also help.
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The problem sounds more like rider skills rather than being component related. Hard braking with the front brake and improper rider position can cause this problem.
Flat bars will not do too much to change the rider's position. I have tried several different handlebar styles and the one that best moves me back and to a more upright position are pictured below...
From this (see how far the rider must reach to reach the brake levers - a considerable distance in front of the steering stem...
To this...
I chose to change the shifters, from the down tube position to handle bar mounted adding to the comfort factor and negating the need to reach all the way down to the down tube shifter mounted position...
Flat bars will not do too much to change the rider's position. I have tried several different handlebar styles and the one that best moves me back and to a more upright position are pictured below...
From this (see how far the rider must reach to reach the brake levers - a considerable distance in front of the steering stem...
To this...
I chose to change the shifters, from the down tube position to handle bar mounted adding to the comfort factor and negating the need to reach all the way down to the down tube shifter mounted position...
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Odd combo. Are the calipers designed for linear pull, or did they just happen to work better with linear-pull levers?
The only cases I've found where linear pull levers improved performance of a brake - contrary to popular opinion - are with cheap front band brakes. The extra pull helps immensely and allows the band to be set looser at rest, thus minimizing potential drag. Granted, that combo can be enough to endo or jackknife a rider at low speeds if they're not careful.
-Kurt
The only cases I've found where linear pull levers improved performance of a brake - contrary to popular opinion - are with cheap front band brakes. The extra pull helps immensely and allows the band to be set looser at rest, thus minimizing potential drag. Granted, that combo can be enough to endo or jackknife a rider at low speeds if they're not careful.
-Kurt
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Odd combo. Are the calipers designed for linear pull, or did they just happen to work better with linear-pull levers?
The only cases I've found where linear pull levers improved performance of a brake - contrary to popular opinion - are with cheap front band brakes. The extra pull helps immensely and allows the band to be set looser at rest, thus minimizing potential drag. Granted, that combo can be enough to endo or jackknife a rider at low speeds if they're not careful.
-Kurt
The only cases I've found where linear pull levers improved performance of a brake - contrary to popular opinion - are with cheap front band brakes. The extra pull helps immensely and allows the band to be set looser at rest, thus minimizing potential drag. Granted, that combo can be enough to endo or jackknife a rider at low speeds if they're not careful.
-Kurt