flatbar vivente

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V17L
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flatbar vivente

Postby V17L » Sat Jan 30, 2016 12:03 am

hi,
I have a dropbar vivente and its a lovely bike. I see there is now a Sydney Harbour Bridge version vivente which is a flatbar.
I have been using my trek fx7.5 flatbar overseas on tour, and like the flatbar option with large GC3 ergon barends.
I have found that I may occassionally drop the bike (read fall off, due to clipstacks) and like the idea of the ergons protecting my shifters and brake levers. I also like the simplicity of trigger shifts.
I have been planning to convert my vivente to a flatbar version, and have all the components, but for some reason havent pulled the pin to do the conversion.
My question is, has anyone done a conversion, or is anyone riding a SHB vivente who can comment on how it rides.
I guess I am just asking for confirmation if it rides well in that configuration or not.
cheers
stevet
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Tim
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby Tim » Sat Jan 30, 2016 12:08 pm

I've toyed with the idea of converting my 2012 drop-bar, bar-end shifter VWR to a flatbar.
I'm interested in which model you have and which new shifters and brake levers you will be using?
Not sure what components match my existing brakes and derailleurs.

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V17L
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby V17L » Sat Jan 30, 2016 1:52 pm

Hi Tim,
I have a 2013 dropbar model.
I have purchased Shimano M590 Mega9 compatible 9-speed trigger shifts and Shimano M590 Deore brake levers.

I reckon Alivio Mega9 compatible shifters should work, as it is a 9 speed shimano gearing system.

I cheated a bit, by looking at the vivente website. I reckon Noel would also be a great resource to ask about components.

May I ask why you are thinking of a flatbar conversion? Don't like dropbars, and trekking bars don't do it for you?
cheers
stevet
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Tim
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby Tim » Sat Jan 30, 2016 2:20 pm

I much prefer drop bars for road use either touring or faster unloaded riding. I wouldn't consider anything else.
For rougher dirt roads and tracks though I'd sooner have wider flat bars for the extra steering leverage and control.
What sort of front derailleur is on your bike? Mine is a road Tiagra triple that I'm just not sure which flat bar/mountain bike shifter it is compatible with .

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V17L
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby V17L » Sat Jan 30, 2016 10:00 pm

Good point. My front derailleur is a Shimano Tiagra (triple). Will need to think about that then.
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Sprocket
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby Sprocket » Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:50 pm

You can always use Paul Component thumbies and Shimano bar-end shifters. Though might be cheaper to change the FD.

I changed the drop-bar VWR to a butterfly bar with this set up.

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V17L
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby V17L » Tue Feb 02, 2016 9:59 pm

Hi Sprocket,
Thanks for that.
May I ask why you changed to treking bars, and how do you find them now you have changed over to them from drops.
cheers
stevet
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Sprocket
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby Sprocket » Tue Feb 02, 2016 11:03 pm

Changed them over because I can't resist tinkering....

Probably should have left the bike with drop bars and I may yet change it back. That said I do really like the butterfly bars. I also like the thumbies/bar-end setup. They don't take up too much room on the bars, change nicely, and you can always swap the indexed rear mechanism over to friction shifting if you have problems with the indexing.

I think it depends on what kind of touring/cycling you are intending on doing on the bike, which may be dictated to by where.... For example regular LONG days I would much rather do on drop bars. Ambling along touring, wanting to sit up and see all the sights I would rather be on butterfly or flat bars.

Selena

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V17L
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby V17L » Wed Feb 03, 2016 10:36 am

Thanks for that Selena.

I have been thinking over why I like the flatbars better on my Trek, compared to the dropbars. On my Defy I have dropbars, and before I had a proper fit by Steve Hogg I use to get numb fingers and dead hands. Since the bikefit, I have not had that problem, and have ridden 125km without any issues.

The trek flatbars I used in touring had the ergon grips, and they were really comfortable. I have never had a problem with numb hands when using this bike for commuting or casual rides. The longest being 100km.

When using drop bars, the thinness of the bar annoys me, compared to the wide grip of the ergon. I find the wide grip allows my palm to rest very comfortably in a reasonably natural position. I find I still move my hands around a lot to give a rest on the pressure points, and the ergons seem to work.

The advantage of dropbars is to be able to make your self more aero into a head wind. I have to say, I have never gone down on the drop part of the bars yet, I have just gone slower, and dropped down gears. I can stretch out with the ergon grips to be a bit more aero, but not as much as the dropbars obviously.

I haven't seen an elegant solution to having a ortlieb bar bag fitted to the dropbars. Longer cables, and those brake metal tubes used on v brakes have been tried, but still not an neat solution. This is small potatoes compared to the comfortableness of the ergons though.

I might do the conversion to see if I like riding the vivente with flat bars and ergon grips. I can always change back again though.
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RonK
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby RonK » Wed Feb 03, 2016 12:40 pm

V17L wrote:The trek flatbars I used in touring had the ergon grips, and they were really comfortable. I have never had a problem with numb hands when using this bike for commuting or casual rides. The longest being 100km.
Steve, maybe you were fine on a one day ride, but day after day on tour may be different.
Last year in NZ I used Ergon GP-5 grips, and by the end of a month long tour I had significant numbness in my fingertips.
I think it must have been nerve damage, because sensation didn't fully return for nearly two months.
I'll be selling that bike, and won't be using a flat bar again.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

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cameronp
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby cameronp » Wed Feb 03, 2016 5:51 pm

I converted my VWR to flat bars and Ergon grips last year. There were a couple of rational reasons (wanted to get rid of those awful canti brakes, wanted a more upright/slow paced setup for when I ride with my partner, wanted to try something a bit more distinct from my road bike) but also for the love of tinkering. I never actually rode on the drops on the Vivente, unlike on my roadbike, because I found the shape of the handlebars uncomfortable in that position. The Ergon grips give the option of a more stretched out/aerodynamic position, but I rarely use that either.

I haven't done a month-long tour like RonK but I found the flat bars fine for a four-day tour late last year. No numbness at all. I do note that my new riding position is fairly upright, though.

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Thoglette
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby Thoglette » Wed Feb 03, 2016 10:21 pm

Wrists and hands are funny things. YMMV
Stop handing them the stick! - Dave Moulton
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ

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V17L
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Re: flatbar vivente

Postby V17L » Sat Feb 06, 2016 6:36 pm

Sorry for the delayed response, been driving from Darwin to Alice and no reliable internet.

Ronk, for my Danube ride, I used the trek with the flatbar and ergon grips for a month, day after day riding, and was fine. I am also very comfortable on the trek, as i have been riding it since 2012, and so I guess any foibles I have just gotten use to over time. I really need to check the proposed vivente riding position with the current trek riding position, as any differences will bring up problems in riding over many days. Re your kiwi ride, its strange isn't it what is comfortable for some people is not so for others.

Cameron, thanks for the comments. Like you I just prefer flatbars over dropbars for cruising along, particularly in the more upright position.

Money and time will allow me to purchase a new front derailleur and try the flatbar configuration, but until then I might just ride the vivente as it is and enjoy the time on the bike. Not try to over think it.
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