A reader writes:
I can understand ‘brifters’ (brake/shifter) for racers (or audax), but not for tourers. The only time I ‘drop down’ is to adopt a streamlined tuck position for >50kph descents. I do not need to change gear in this position, but I definitely need my brakes available.
At all other times, I am on the top of my handlebars (enjoying the scenery), where I need secondary brakes, and gear shifters for optimising cadence on flattish parts, and moving to lower gears upon ascents.
It seems this tourer usage of drop handlebars has been forgotten about.
It is increasingly difficult to get hold of non-brifter drop brakes, although secondary brake levers are available (not yet for hydraulics tho). And indexed gear shifters only seem to come in straight handlebar sizes (22mm) — not drop bar sizes (24mm).
So, what do you recommend for a tourer who desires drop brakes on a drop handlebar for streamlined descents, but a comfortable cruising posture with indexed finger tip shifters on the top, with secondary brakes on a suitably wide bar?
Options I can think of:
a) Use a 22mm diameter drop bar, with shims for 24mm dia items.
b) Put clamp-on drops on a 22mm straight bar, which may graze wrists when moving from top to drops or vice versa.
c) Use a standard 24mm drop bar, but put a secondary 22mm stubby bar on the stem upon which to attach indexed gear shifters.
d) Do without drops, and suffer an upright posture during descents.
Thanks for the question! The way it seems to me, you’ve eloquently described all of the challenges and compromises involved in setting up a drop bar touring bike to function as a flat bar touring bike.
But you’ve also said that the only time you actually use the drops is for 50kmph-plus descents.
Now, I don’t know about your touring style or routing preferences, but I’m guessing 50kmph-plus descents occupy a tiny fraction of the time you spend riding.
Given that, I can’t help wondering why you wouldn’t convert your bike to a flat bar setup, if you spend almost all of your time using it as such?
By flat bars, of course, I don’t just mean literally flat bars, but also riser bars, butterfly bars, H‑bars, Jones bars, etc; basically any handlebar that accepts flat bar-compatible brake levers, shifters, grips, bar-ends, and the like. As you’ve mentioned, the grip area diameter of such bars has long been standardised as 22.2mm, or 7/8‑inch.
You will of course need to be careful about component compatibility, though shims are always an option when mounting drop-bar diameter (23.8mm / 15/16-inch) controls to such bars. (Sheldon Brown has more on handlebar diameter standards.)
But such a conversion will make it far easier to satisfy your other criteria, including mechanical separation of braking and gear-shifting controls (always a good idea), having brake levers available from the most often-used part of the bars, having access to flat bar-compatible indexed thumbshifters, having a huge choice of bar widths and shapes to make available whatever combination of hand positions you’d like… the list goes on.
Sure, you might be a little less streamlined on the high-speed descents, unless you fit aero bars as I’ve seen some bikepackers doing (or just tuck your body in a bit!).
But does this matter if it encompasses so little of your riding time?
If you’re dead set on keeping the drop bars, my next suggestion would be to look beyond the obvious when choosing components. As Shimano and SRAM have become more heavy-handed in dictating component choice to bike builders and consumers alike, others have stepped in to fill the gaps left in the market for traditional brake levers and shifters which are backwards-compatible with older drivetrain systems.
One such manufacturer is microSHIFT, who make bar-end shifters and road-compatible thumbshifters for a wide range of drivetrains, from modern 12-speed setups all the way back to 8‑speed. Richard now uses microSHIFT shifters on his Oxford Bike Works Expedition bikes in combination with Shimano drivetrain components, for example, and I have them on my expedition touring bike, so they’re tour-proven.
And Tektro, whose OEM braking components you’ll find on many low- to mid-range touring bikes, make perfectly good drop bar brake levers compatible with road cantis, MTB V‑brakes, and both types of cable-actuated disc brake, as well as secondary brake levers.
For what it’s worth, my road tourer – a Kona Sutra of 2012 vintage – came fitted with drop bars, as befitted the bike’s heritage. Drop bar brake levers were paired with bar-end shifters mounted to the ends of the drops (back when Shimano still made them), and it even had down-tube lugs for the truly old-school. I still ride it often, spending much of my time alternating between the flat part of the bar and the hoods, depending on whether I need access to the brakes or not. Like you, I almost never use the drops themselves.
This certainly isn’t a performance-oriented setup where every control is always at my fingertips! But then I guess I don’t really see this being a top priority in touring bike cockpit design, and clearly Kona didn’t either. Most drop bar touring bikes of this era were built similarly.
And although I toyed with the idea of a flat bar conversion, I long ago decided I’m happy to live with a slightly less ergonomic setup which is nevertheless robust, durable, and matches the bike designer’s intentions.
Because, given enough time and miles, you do tend to get used to whatever you’ve got – while in the meantime there are (hopefully) much more interesting things to occupy yourself with while you’re touring.
Short version: I’d either go for option D or look beyond Shimano.
Hope this helps!
This is part of my “No Stupid Questions” series, in which readers write in with questions about cycle touring or bikepacking and I attempt to answer them. Check out more recent posts in the series or ask one of your own.
Something to add?