How impractical?
#1
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How impractical?
I have a flat bar road bike, how impractical would it be to convert it to the hook style handlebars?
#2
Making a kilometer blurry
No big deal other than that you'd need new levers and shifters. You have some options with bar-end shifters, down-tube shifters, or the integrated brake/shift levers. It kind of depends on your current components and budget.
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It's not impractical but it can be a bit expensive. I did just that converting an old Trek MTB to drop bars and STI shifting at low cost BUT I had all the parts I needed leftover from other bikes. Starting from scratch would have cost a considerable amount.
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If you want bar-end shifters - probably not a big deal. If you want the newfangled integrated brakes/shifters, it could be better to get an entry level road bike from Craigslist, depending.
For reference, even on eBay the cost for a bar and used (but not abused) Tiagra integrated shifters could easily get over $100-$125. New will probably run you over $200. Add in another $25 for new cables, tape, etc, and you're getting to the point where it might not be worth doing the upgrade
For reference, even on eBay the cost for a bar and used (but not abused) Tiagra integrated shifters could easily get over $100-$125. New will probably run you over $200. Add in another $25 for new cables, tape, etc, and you're getting to the point where it might not be worth doing the upgrade
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I'm not really worried about the integrated shifters. So, say I went to a yard-sale and found a bike in decent condition (as in everything working). Could I take the set off of that frame on put it on my better one?
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Lurk here until someone posts a "Can I convert drop bars to flat bars???" thread, then offer to make a component (or even complete bike) trade. You won't have to wait long.