sunsetrider

Hello cycling friends,

I would love some advice about whether it's worth it to convert my road bike to a flatbar/hybrid. I absolutely LOVE my Diamondback Airen 5 - carbon frame, relaxed geometry, comfy 28 tires, rides like a dream. Unfortunately, my lumbar spine doesn't think much of it and I can no longer ride comfortably on drop handlebars. I used to regularly go on 30-50 mile rides, but now even 20 miles kills me. I've already had a professional bike fit (twice), and doing physical therapy and all that.

Someone suggested I try a flatbar/hybrid setup and it was way more comfortable. My question is whether it's worth it to convert my bike, or just buy a new bike? After reading through the threads on this forum it sounds daunting and expensive to do the conversion, but I really do love my bike and if she can be saved I might be willing to spend the money. I have only a basic understanding of components, so please be gentle

Here's my current parts, and some questions about conversion (I tried to include a photo of my bike but I'm a new user so it's blocked):

Handlebar/stem - 31.8mm bore, 7 degree rise. I would flip the stem, potentially get a taller one. Does it matter what brand the handlebar is, or just get one that's the right size?

Front/Rear Derailleur – Shimano Ultegra 6800, 11 speed. Do these have to be replaced?

Shifters - Shimano ST-RS685. Would Shimano SL-RS700 be the only replacement choice? Would I lose indexing, and if so how much chain rub would I get?

Brakes - Shimano BR-RS805 hydraulic disc. I'm really confused about this part. Can I just replace the levers? Do I need short-pull or long-pull?

Finally, if you think it's not worth it to convert this bike, do you have a favorite hybrid bike? I realize it's a highly subjective thing, but it's such a wide field and I appreciate any help narrowing it.

TakingMyTime

"Handlebar/stem - 31.8mm bore, 7 degree rise. I would flip the stem, potentially get a taller one. Does it matter what brand the handlebar is, or just get one that's the right size?"

Before jumping into any extensive retooling I would either try flipping your stem in order to give you a more upright riding position of even possibly buy a stem with a greater degree of rise and install that. This would be your least expensive and easiest fix in order to adjust your comfort.

Flip it first and see how that works. If you decide to purchase a stem with a greater degree of rise you need to know the handlebar clamp size (31.8) and the diameter of your steerer tube (the other side of the clamp). Other than that, you're good to go.

sunsetrider

Ok, so I flipped the stem today, and while it is an improvement over the other configuration it's still not enough. It seems like the main problem is that the position of the hoods is so much more forward compared to the hand position on a flatbar, so unless i get a super tall stem the drop bar will still be problematic.

TakingMyTime

You could always look into a shorter stem.

fat2fit

Buy a flat bar from your LBS, try it out? If it doesn't work, return the bars or see if your shop will do a trade. I was able to trade out of my 2014 Opus Allegro carbon road bike for a brand new 2019 Trek Dual sport 2, straight trade ($800 store credit).