Originally Posted by
Eric F
Get rid of the clamp-on cable stop thing you have now with cable stops that bolt onto the downtime shifter bosses. This is a cosmetic issue, not functional.
MTB-type integrated brake/shifter levers would be my choice to put all the controls in my hands without having to take my hands off the bars to shift. This has been the standard for 25+ years - road and MTB.
My suggestion is proper cycling shoes with a stiff sole and clipless pedals. You won't get the same result from just clips and straps with non-cleated shoes.
If this is the style bike you like, a "hybrid" is probably the bike for you, with tires to suit your terrain.
Well if its just for cosmetic purposes ill likely leave the cable stop the way it is.. but I should be looking into some sort of integrated shifters. My gt mountainbike has those but I don't like the ergonomics of the brake levers at all and id prefer to stick with friction shifting even if it means taking my hand off the bars for each shift. I would constantly have to play around with the barrel adjustors on a weekly basis to get the shifting right.
I think the first step would be to look into some cycling shoes, then maybe look into clipless pedals.. I just don't like those tiny platform pedals.
I think your suggestion re hybrid bike is a good idea. I think anything really designed around flat bars should be a good fit for me.
Here's a picture of my setup on the norco before she retired. I still can't believe this is how I was riding. I mean its partially due to the saddle position being too high but its incredible how losing some weight changes the way you ride.. I guess it's better than an overweight person being forced to ride a bike the way he should be 30lb lighter..