On Christmas, after borrowing a bike off a friend for a while, a colleague of mine is an absolute ledge and he gifted me his old bike, sat unused for a year plus. But hey I got a a free bike!
[IMG-3643.jpg](https://postimg.cc/K3zmcCXc)
[IMG-3789.jpg](https://postimg.cc/zynYNqLS)
[IMG-3791.jpg](https://postimg.cc/N5C5X7bP)
the gears are a bit dodgy, the brakes a bit too noisy, but it’s a lot of fun!, and I’m using it for general pottering about, some fun rides around local bike routes in hot and sunny Singapore, taking my kid to daycare, etc. and riding to work.
Thing is, I feel when I sit on it, I lock my arms out quite a lot, it’s not particularly comfy to ride, and I’m not really looking to be racing “training” on it. So could I convert it into a slightly more comfy bike? I think the stem is too low, or I could benefit from more swept back “comfy” handlebars. Or both of these together?
Could my old trek fx hand me down be ok if I fit this crossbar
[IMG-0820.jpg](https://postimg.cc/jwhjSzLc)
[IMG-0821.jpg](https://postimg.cc/qtyR9fr9)
Possibly even this riser too:
[IMG-0822.jpg](https://postimg.cc/7JYZGfzk)
And be a bit more comfy on it? I can get the components reasonably prices and nice new “commuter city” bikes I want are quite a bit out of budget. Plus it’s fun to build something truly “unique”. But, is this feasible? I’ve done some research and not really sure what I should be looking for in this.
by LaustinSpayce
5 Comments
Yes, changing the stem and bars can make it a better fit. You might try taking it to your local bike shop. They can advise you in person and their advice could save money on unnecessary changes.
Yeah, you can put on some BMX handlebars or something. If you do that, you *might* have to change the neck. It’s hard to see but BMX bars might be too small in diameter for the neck.
(Edit: You’ll need to get longer cables to do this.)
I wouldn’t go for a riser like that, I’d go for some high rise bars, mine are described as North Road style and give a good 150mm of rise, plus the swept back upright feel you’re after.
My bikes (2007 Dawes Red Feather, 2013 Giant Expression) look to have similar frame geometry to your Trek and have made very comfortable upright bikes. As others have mentioned you’ll probably need longer cables.
First thing I’d do is change the seat angle to make it parallel to the floor. That seat angle looks like a taint destroyer.
Second thing I’d do is work on mobility. Stretching, yoga, whatnot.
Third thing I’d do is start experimenting with different handlebars. If it were me, I’d probably start with [Velo Orange’s riser bars](https://velo-orange.com/collections/handlebars/products/hot-bar) or something like them. You could also look into swept-back riser bars or mustache riser bars. Handlebar choice is deeply personal, and it takes some experimentation to find out what works.
Fourth thing I’d do is read up on bike fit, maybe check out Phil Burt’s book on the subject from the library or watch a bunch of youtubes on bike fit. A more responsible person than me would probably start with this step.
What are you using in the 2nd picture to carry the backpack?