leech79

Hi- I've got a Marin Larkspur 2005 like the one in the link below which I commute on and love as its basically maintenance free but its very upright especially when theres any headwind....!....so...I was thinking of putting some different bars on it - maybe drop bars or would this be too aggressive? Any suggestions welcome or advice from anyone thats done anything similar.

I don't want to buy a new bike !

Cheers

https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/B...spur&Type=bike

TallRider

There are multiple ways to get a more aerodynamic position - basically various combinations of moving hand position downward and further forward. This can be accomplished by
- longer stem (forward extension)
- lower the stem (vertical) or replace an up-angled stem with a horizontal-forward angled stem
- diff handlebars that offer hand positions further down and/or forward

Putting drop bars on your bike will be a lot of work - you'll need totally different shifters and break levers, and likely have to muck around with different stem as well.
I would recommend you put a longer forward-extension stem on the bike, and make sure your stem is angled downward, not upwards. Your stem may adjust (with a pivot, as is hte case on the bike pictured in your link) or you may flip the stem so it comes at a down-angle off the fork's steerer tube, instead of an up-angle. but you'll probably want a longer stem to put the bar further away from you as well.

One other thing you can do is put bar-ends on the ends of your flat bar. This gives you a more forward, more-extended position (although doesn't have access to brakes). I have this sort of setup on my commuting bike.

Asi

Or a TT handlebar (clip-on) with minimum changes and work.
Or a full TT handlebar will require bar end TT brakes, and TT bar end shifters, but this is way to expensive. (otherwise I was hauling in the streets with a mountan bike with TT handlebar, and when I thought I'm a weirdo, I saw a BMX with inverted drop bars )

wrk101

N+1: Cost of converting to drop bars is relatively expensive. Look for a deal on a complete bike instead.

dabac

Cheapest, easiest fix is to add a pair of drop bar ends. Gives you one deep tuck position when you need it with a minimum of fuss.

Asi

Or put these on the actual handlebar:


You'd have a flatbar instead of dropbar

leech79

awesome, thanks everyone I'll give it a go

RT

This is my Fuji version of your bike. Cost to convert: bars ($20), levers for linear brakes ($22), bar end shifters ($60).

TallRider

for your purposes, I'll very strongly stand by my original suggestion of angling the stem downward as first try (no cost) and likely just putting a longer stem on the bike (~$20) and installing bar-ends if you want another hand position (~$10)
Unless you're sitting bolt-upright, in which case the bike is just too small for you.

globally

bumping a month old topic, but been thinking of doing the same thing as the original poster and the quoted post

my question, is i'm getting my upgrades as a gift, to which i have a $200 range, i was originally looking at getting these

https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...ke+Levers.aspx
https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...Road+Bar.aspx#
https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...Ea70+Stem.aspx
https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...+Shifters.aspx

i just wanted to make sure that all of these would be compatible with my larkspur (a 2008), and since i have the budget, should i look into getting some integrated shifter/brake levers? if so, suggestions that would be compatible with the derailers/brakes i already have (factory)

that being said, i've been reading stuff on this forum with help on bike maintenance, repairs, and upgrades, for the past year, thanks a bunch to the community and the moderators