Hi, I’m looking for advice, is it possible and how hard is to change to flat handle bar. Want to turn it to city beater, and this is just too narrow and low for me.
by Austro_bugar
Hi, I’m looking for advice, is it possible and how hard is to change to flat handle bar. Want to turn it to city beater, and this is just too narrow and low for me.
by Austro_bugar
9 Comments
Changing the handlebar is fairly easy but you’ll need to change the brake levers as well. Might as well do new cables while you’re at it.
Not too tricky, but you’ll need new brake levers. A flat bar will generally be 22.2 mm diameter whereas drop bars (like those) are a bit larger. Just make sure the center clamp diameter is the same on the new bar or you’ll also need a new stem. I believe those are probably 25.4 or 26 mm clamp diameter (someone can correct me if I’m off here).
Edit: alternatively there are wider / higher rise drop bars if you wanted to go that route and keep your brake levers.
Handlebar
Grips
Brake levers
Shifters
Cables and housing
Time and effort
Pretty doable.
I’m glad you asked. Thinking about doing the same thing to my Cross Check.
I’ve done just this v recently. Clamp diameter is key, and getting a compatible flat bar for drop brakes.
For clamp diameter, see whether it’s 26mm or 25.4mm. For the former, you can fit a 25.4mm bar with a shim, but you can’t fit a 26mm bar into a 25.4mm clamp. There’s a swathe of bars around on eBay and the suchlike, so have a good look.
First I would tell you that you should buy a short stem, so that you don’t lean so far forward and you have to get short brake levers. The handlebar is the easiest to get.
That’s a cool old bike, shame to desecrate it with a flat bar. Kidding, but I have 2 old 80’s Peugeots that were turned into single speeds. Sweet frames.
[Porteur handlebar](https://velo-orange.com/products/vo-porteur-bar-config)
Stay with the drop bars, maybe swap out for some wider drops.
I say this as drops give you different options for hand position, flat bar does not.
If you wanted to go ahead and do the swap, you’ll need an appropriate flat bar, flat bar brake levers (short pull) and all new brake cable and probably housing. Not a big job, we’d do it same day if the parts were sorted. Be careful ordering bits, measure everything twice.