Flat Bar Roadie for Wife

[Beasley]

My wife has been riding MTB for a few months and would like to extend her riding to longer charity rides but her MTB is too heavy. Would like to get her into a roadie with a flat bar (she is deterred by the drop bar) and my question is .... can a road bike be altered and have flat bars fitted of should i be looking at something like the Specialised Vita?

Would like to get something that is lighter and a little quicker. Would appreciated peoples thoughts.

[Squashed]

just change the handle bars.

most bike shops will tell you to buy a flatbar road bike, But they only want to sell you something. Sorry to any good shop owners that don't, but in my experience, most shops just want to sell stuff.

My mum got a Giant CRX-Three flatbar road bike. About the only difference between that and a normal racing bike is the flatbar is a lot heavier, has an adjustable stem on top of the headset, and has flatbar handlebars. You can buy the bits separately and put them on a racing bike so they have a light weight flatbar road bike.

[gorilla monsoon]

just change the handle bars.

most bike shops will tell you to buy a flatbar road bike, But they only want to sell you something. Sorry to any good shop owners that don't, but in my experience, most shops just want to sell stuff.

My mum got a Giant CRX-Three flatbar road bike. About the only difference between that and a normal racing bike is the flatbar is a lot heavier, has an adjustable stem on top of the headset, and has flatbar handlebars. You can buy the bits separately and put them on a racing bike so they have a light weight flatbar road bike.

Shifters and brake levers?

[Squashed]

yes shifters, levers, brake callipers, and seat are different. There is slightly more clearance between the tyres and the forks so mudguards can be fitted. There are some little screw holes on the rear forks for rear panniers too. But the main difference is in the handlebar set-up.

[Nobody]

My wife has been riding MTB for a few months and would like to extend her riding to longer charity rides but her MTB is too heavy. Would like to get her into a roadie with a flat bar (she is deterred by the drop bar) and my question is .... can a road bike be altered and have flat bars fitted of should i be looking at something like the Specialised Vita?

Would like to get something that is lighter and a little quicker. Would appreciated peoples thoughts.

If weight and/or efficiency is the primary criteria, then I'd get a road bike and change to a flat bar. If the MTB fits her, then make sure you get a frame that is about the same effective top tube length (ETT), or more importantly Reach (as in Reach & Stack) as the MTB. Road bikes have shorter ETT frames for the same size person as the drop bar design provides more reach from the steerer.

[Parker]

You can switch the bars out from a road bike to a flat bar bar, but it gets expensive, why not shout for some development lessons in riding so she will feel more confident on the road bike and present a more up right relaxed geometry that doesn't look as racy.

Ask her to try some options so she knows how they feel in realtion to her position on the bike.

[gorilla monsoon]

You can switch the bars out from a road bike to a flat bar bar, but it gets expensive.

The point I was trying to make.

An entry-level flat bar can be had for around the $500 mark. Or the OP's wife might take straight to the drops. I guess it should be her decision to make. Gearing and tyres alone will make a cheap flattie theoretically quicker than an expensive MTB (but we all know it is the engine that does most of the work).

[MattP69]

Take a look at a Orbea Carpe, great bikes. Mine is a pleasure to ride.