Drop to Swept-back Handlebars

[cehua]

I just returned to biking after many years away. I recently bought a used Lotus Champion. It rides great, but I find the drop handlebars extremely uncomfortable. I have been riding while holding the bike on the tops. This is not ideal because I do not get full access to the brakes. I now know I prefer a more upright bike. I love my Lotus and would not want to depart from it, but already I feel pain in my hand and neck from overextending.

My question is can I replace the drop handlebars to swept-back handlebars to achieve a more upright posture? There are two sets of breaks. The real one and those use for slowing. How will they be affected?  I do not care about how the bike will look. Comfort and safety are more important than the aesthics of changing the handlebars

I took it to a bike shop and the guy in the shop said no, but he was not the most knowledgeable (or perhaps he did not comprehend what I was asking) there and the other people who worked there were too busy so I did not ask.

Here is a picture of the pick:



Thanks

[elmore leonard]

(07-25-2015, 11:54 PM)cehua Wrote:  I just returned to biking after many years away. I recently bought a used Lotus Champion. It rides great, but I find the drop handlebars extremely uncomfortable. I have been riding while holding the bike on the tops. This is not ideal because I do not get full access to the brakes. I now know I prefer a more upright bike. I love my Lotus and would not want to depart from it, but already I feel pain in my hand and neck from overextending.

My question is can I replace the drop handlebars to swept-back handlebars to achieve a more upright posture? There are two sets of breaks. The real one and those use for slowing. How will they be affected?  I do not care about how the bike will look. Comfort and safety are more important than the aesthics of changing the handlebars

I took it to a bike shop and the guy in the shop said no, but he was not the most knowledgeable (or perhaps he did not comprehend what I was asking) there and the other people who worked there were too busy so I did not ask.

Here is a picture of the pick:



Thanks

[elmore leonard]

I have done that conversion to new upright bars.  I changed the brake levers to standard brake levers I had sitting around  and replaced the brake cables and brake cable sheathe's as the existing were too short. you look like you have a lot of cable on your bike and you may get away with the existing???????

[nfmisso]

It is possible.  

What is your budget?  Do you want to move the shifters to the handle bars at the same time?

Your brake cables will not work in levers intended for other bars styles - ends of the  cables are different.

Before starting, you will need to measure the clamped diameter of your current bars; it is either 25.4mm or 26mm.  Hopefully it will be 25.4mm, which will result in a cost savings by allowing you to re-use you current stem.

You will need:

• handle bars
• short pull brake levers - NOT those for V-brakes.
• cable set (all inclusive are fine).
• grips
• shifters (if you choose to put them on the bars).
  

I would get these:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/sunlite-touring-north-road-alloy-bicycle-handlebar
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/xlc-alloy-3-5-finger-brake-lever-canti-brake-black-silver
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/clarks-stainless-steel-sport-brake-cable-kit-mtb-road-black
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/clarks-stainless-steel-sport-gear-cable-kit-mtb-road-black
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/xlc-ergonomic-grips-135mm-black-grey
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/falcon-friction-atb-thumb-shifters

I would also STRONGLY recommend:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/mirrycle-mountain-mirrycle-bicycle-bar-end-mirror