This road racing bike stuff seems to have improved a bit...

[LikeClockwork]

....since I last had one

I have today 'acquired' a rather nice high end road bike, with one or two 'issues' but mostly Ultegra kit. It's a 2003 bike, so not exactly retro, but the last road bike I had had down tube shifters and 5 gears....this has got those brifter thingies and THIRTY gears!!!!

Anyway, some questions that arise from the novelty value of having a road bike again that is this spangly...

What's the widest drop bars you can get? These seem to be about 42cms c to c, but I may want wider as I come from a MTB back ground....

What's with this 26mm bar clamp? Stem looks as if it's clamped right around with no room left for tightening, is that right?

And there is a lot of corrosion and 'worming' on the lever blades, etc, what is the safest way of cleaning it up without using really abrasive stuff...??

Cheers! :mrgreen:

 

[KermitGKona88]

Re:

As I remember from my roadie days 38,40,42,44,46 were the bar widths, 26.0 is now the standard bar diameter 31.8 oversize, worming forget about it they have clear lacquer and the moisture is underneath. I will let you do the maths

 

[BigFoz]

Re:

IIRC most bars go up to either 44 or 46. However, they're the same size...

Cinelii and others do 44s, but measure c-c
Deda / ITM etc do 46s but measure outer to outer.

 

[LikeClockwork]

Re:

Looks as if this has rat pub bike written all over it then....

Only with wider bars. And a shorter stem.

And a new back wheel.

 

[KermitGKona88]

Re:

I do have a pair of 10 speed thumbies

 

[LikeClockwork]

Re: Re:

I do have a pair of 10 speed thumbies

STOP IT!!! :facepalm:

Me and me old Dad were only saying today it could have some straight bars on it....

Truth is, it's still in the back of the car, and it may come out tomorrow so I can go to work without it sticking in the back of my seat, but realistically with my work commitments until after Christmas, nothing is going to get built/ridden/decided upon until February, so by then....I probably will have sold it!

 

[KermitGKona88]

Re: Re:

I do have a pair of 10 speed thumbies

STOP IT!!! :facepalm:

Me and me old Dad were only saying today it could have some straight bars on it....

Truth is, it's still in the back of the car, and it may come out tomorrow so I can go to work without it sticking in the back of my seat, but realistically with my work commitments until after Christmas, nothing is going to get built/ridden/decided upon until February, so by then....I probably will have sold it!

Knowing you this is the most likely scenario

 

[LikeClockwork]

Re:



:roll:

Probably....

 

[ScillySuffolk]

What's the widest drop bars you can get? These seem to be about 42cms c to c, but I may want wider as I come from a MTB back ground...

Nitto Noodles are available up to 48cm wide (measured centre-to-centre, at the drops).

They're high quality and very comfortable (the hooks are flared), which would suit your bike (if it has a triple chainset, it's likely the frame was built for comfort and not speed).

However I think it would be a mistake to choose bars for a road bike, based on what you use on a MTB: for one thing you'll find the STi difficult to use with your arms splayed out.

Rule of thumb, is to match the width of your bars to the width of your shoulders.