How to use MTB components with drop bars?
April 13, 2012 12:49 AM Subscribe
What's the best way to switch a bike with mountain-bike brake and drive train components to drop handlebars?
I have recently become the proud owner of a Surly Big Dummy cargo bike, built up with a NuVinci N360 CVT and Avid hydraulic disc brakes. Both of these are way nicer to use than the derailleur gears and cantilever rim brakes I've had on previous bikes, and I want to keep them.
The hand controls for all these components are built for mountain-bike-style flat handlebars, so that's what my new bike has. All my previous bikes have had drop bars, and the more I ride the new bike the more I'm missing those. I'm in the process of training up for a 35km each way commute, and next year I want to do some serious cycle touring; I'm quite sure that both of those things are going to be way more comfortable if I figure out a way to put drop bars on this beast.
Is anybody aware of drop bar compatible hand levers that work with Avid hydraulic disc brakes, or is something like the Doppelmoppel truly my only option?
Can anybody think of a nicer way than this to shift the N360 transmission (which comes with a double-cable twist-grip shifter) on drop bars?
Finally: the N360 is an absolute joy to ride with, and I'm never gonna give it up, but it would be nice to have a lower lowest and a higher highest and I'm so over derailleurs. Has anybody got any experience with the Schlumpf high speed drive? My main concern with it is that it uses standard square tapers to attach the crank arms to the spindle, and previous bikes using that system have all developed clicks and creaks.
I have recently become the proud owner of a Surly Big Dummy cargo bike, built up with a NuVinci N360 CVT and Avid hydraulic disc brakes. Both of these are way nicer to use than the derailleur gears and cantilever rim brakes I've had on previous bikes, and I want to keep them.
The hand controls for all these components are built for mountain-bike-style flat handlebars, so that's what my new bike has. All my previous bikes have had drop bars, and the more I ride the new bike the more I'm missing those. I'm in the process of training up for a 35km each way commute, and next year I want to do some serious cycle touring; I'm quite sure that both of those things are going to be way more comfortable if I figure out a way to put drop bars on this beast.
Is anybody aware of drop bar compatible hand levers that work with Avid hydraulic disc brakes, or is something like the Doppelmoppel truly my only option?
Can anybody think of a nicer way than this to shift the N360 transmission (which comes with a double-cable twist-grip shifter) on drop bars?
Finally: the N360 is an absolute joy to ride with, and I'm never gonna give it up, but it would be nice to have a lower lowest and a higher highest and I'm so over derailleurs. Has anybody got any experience with the Schlumpf high speed drive? My main concern with it is that it uses standard square tapers to attach the crank arms to the spindle, and previous bikes using that system have all developed clicks and creaks.
*and hydraulic
posted by alex_skazat at 1:15 AM on April 13, 2012
posted by alex_skazat at 1:15 AM on April 13, 2012
but it would be nice to have a lower lowest and a higher highest and I'm so over derailleurs.
Run a double up front and a chain tensioner in back and just manually change the gear when you want.
posted by alex_skazat at 1:17 AM on April 13, 2012
Run a double up front and a chain tensioner in back and just manually change the gear when you want.
posted by alex_skazat at 1:17 AM on April 13, 2012
If I were you I'd be asking this question on the iBOB mailing list/Google group. I'm not aware of any drop-bar-compatible brake levers for hydraulic disks. You could use trekking bars (AKA butterfly bars), which would at least give you a range of hand positions.
Dirt drops probably wouldn't work unless the Avid brake levers will fit on 25.4 mm-diameter bars; MTB bars are narrower, except at the clamp. Heck, even finding a bell that will fit on road bars isn't trivial. There's also the question of the NuVinci shifter, which probably won't fit on drop bars, though you can use a HubBub twist shifter adapter.
posted by brianogilvie at 2:20 AM on April 13, 2012
Dirt drops probably wouldn't work unless the Avid brake levers will fit on 25.4 mm-diameter bars; MTB bars are narrower, except at the clamp. Heck, even finding a bell that will fit on road bars isn't trivial. There's also the question of the NuVinci shifter, which probably won't fit on drop bars, though you can use a HubBub twist shifter adapter.
posted by brianogilvie at 2:20 AM on April 13, 2012
Disc brakes are starting to show up on cyclocross bikes and touring bikes with drop bars. I don't know any of the specifics on what people are using for their builds, but it looks like they may be using mechanical disc brakes. For example, this Lynskey touring bike mixes SRAM S500 brake levers with Avid BB7 (mechanical) disc brakes.
posted by kovacs at 4:08 AM on April 13, 2012
posted by kovacs at 4:08 AM on April 13, 2012
There was a short period of time when hydraulic RIM brakes were sold for cross bikes. A buddy has a set that he put on a tandem. I would assume that with some fiddling, you could make those levers work on disc brakes.
posted by rockindata at 4:33 AM on April 13, 2012
posted by rockindata at 4:33 AM on April 13, 2012
Seconding iBob, or call up Rivendell. Grant Petersen there has been an advocate for goofy bikes for-frickin-ever and they are Very Knowledgeable.
posted by pjaust at 6:22 AM on April 13, 2012
posted by pjaust at 6:22 AM on April 13, 2012
kovacs is right about disc brakes showing up on cross bikes, so there are levers out there. Most cross guys I know are running mechanical, not hydraulic disc brakes. I work in a bike shop, and when I get to work later I'll look this up and see what I find.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 6:28 AM on April 13, 2012
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 6:28 AM on April 13, 2012
Oh, and yeah, that N360 is freaking amazing. I've thrashed that thing around shifting as hard as I could while under load, and I can't get it to break. It's a pretty sweet piece of engineering for sure, but you trade a higher high and a lower low for the continuously variable transmission.
I wouldn't worry too much about square tapers. If properly adjusted, there shouldn't be any creaking. If.
That N360 was designed right down the road from me.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 6:34 AM on April 13, 2012
I wouldn't worry too much about square tapers. If properly adjusted, there shouldn't be any creaking. If.
That N360 was designed right down the road from me.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 6:34 AM on April 13, 2012
Response by poster: Every single square taper crankset I've ever had has developed creaks and clicks after a few hundred hours riding, and every single one has edged half a millimetre closer to the bike on every removal and replacement. The alloy the cranks are made of just seems to flow under stress. Am I doing something wrong? I am a fat man and I push hard.
posted by flabdablet at 6:58 AM on April 13, 2012
posted by flabdablet at 6:58 AM on April 13, 2012
Response by poster: Oh, and I really want to stick with hydraulic brakes for the Big Dummy because (a) I am insanely happy about how precise the rear brake feels, even though the back wheel is a looooong way from the hand lever and (b) all the mechanical caliper sets are a little lumpier than the hydraulics, and would stick out far enough beyond the Big Dummy frame components enough to foul the panniers.
posted by flabdablet at 7:01 AM on April 13, 2012
posted by flabdablet at 7:01 AM on April 13, 2012
Response by poster: And as long as I seem to be threadsitting anyway: the N360 twist grip shifter is cute and its "inchworm" display is clever, but if I do manage to get drop bars on this bike I'd be happier with something more akin to an old-style Campag friction shift lever mounted to the drop tube. If anybody is aware of something like that that can take two cables and can move them far enough to allow full range shifting on an N360, I will be a happy camper.
posted by flabdablet at 7:10 AM on April 13, 2012
posted by flabdablet at 7:10 AM on April 13, 2012
Using an alternative to the N360's shifter will be difficult. I'm not aware of any other shifters that use a two-cable design.
You can, however, switch the cables on the N360 (which feels more natural to me, since the shifting direction is reversed for some reason). But when you do this, your little inchworm guy gets reversed as well.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 9:18 AM on April 13, 2012
You can, however, switch the cables on the N360 (which feels more natural to me, since the shifting direction is reversed for some reason). But when you do this, your little inchworm guy gets reversed as well.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 9:18 AM on April 13, 2012
Your best option for the brakes right now is to just wait. There should be a solution on the market within a year. If you really wanted to do it now, there is a mechanical-to-hydraulic adapter out there, but it's prohibitively expensive (can't find the link to it now, but it's around $800).
Good luck. Sounds like a nice ride.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 3:17 PM on April 13, 2012
Good luck. Sounds like a nice ride.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 3:17 PM on April 13, 2012
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There's limited choice for road-style levers are *hydralic* brakes - perhaps none.
posted by alex_skazat at 1:13 AM on April 13, 2012