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what do you mean oversized? as in 26mm, or the literally oversized one with a 31.8mm clamp diameter?

Literally oversized... the bars are Bontrager Bullhorn 31.8mm (just looked)

two - you can use a different stem.
Hmm. LBS said they couldn't find a stem that would fit inside the forks, that would accomodate oversized bars. Don't know how hard they looked, though.

Hello,

I'm building a fixie with an old set of forks... which only seems to accomodate a traditional stem, and thus traditional diameter bars.

I have some rather lovely bars that I bought some time ago, but they're oversized, and so won't fit.

LBS suggests taking some bars and hacksawing them, but the geometry doesn't look right to me.

Does anyone know of a source of cow-horn-like bars but not oversized?

S.

What sort of riding you are doing?

Good question - actually for this, it'll mostly be training rides on fairly quiet roads, not sure it'll be used in town so much.

Are you riding alot in traffic?

Probably not very very much, no.

What are your favourate hand positions?

I tend to ride with my hands either on the brakes on drops, or just in front, but on the rounded, curvy bit near the brakes. Occasionally use the straight bit, rarely down low on the actual drop bit.

How high do you like your hands?
etc..

Not sure! Not too high - sort of natural I think - not v.low or sit-up-and-beg.

Am in the process of converting an old 'mountain' bike. It's closer to road than mountain - has reasonably thin / hard tyres, and a steel frame.

Anyway - I need some new handlebars.

I've admired the charge/bullhorn style of bars on other people's bikes, and I've also seen people using really really narrow, flat bars.

What are the options/recommendations these days? Any good outlets / suppliers?

Personally I think I prefer the roads to the tourists, bladers, walkers, dogs, etc.

I generally agree. Maybe because I wasn't in normal cycling clothing and didn't have my spd shoes I felt a bit less confident. I managed HPC ok, but it wasn't lovely. Maybe I just need to do it a few more times.

On the way back I went underneath, and onto Piccadilly, which was fine.

Is there a way around HPC without having to go all the way round, with attendant lane changing a mad taxi-driver dodging? ie could one sort of go right rather than left, and head to Knightsbridge that way?

I needed to get to Brompton Road, from Camden. I went through Regents Park, then ended up heading over towards Park Lane and having to go around HPC which wasn't ever so lovely.

Is it possible to cycle through / around Hyde Park? How do you get in / out? Or is there a better way?

I've got to do it again today, so advice much needed.

S.

Please may I borrow route expertise again?

Starting again from Brecknock Rd area, I want to get to King William Street. The obvious way is York Way -> Grays Inn -> Holburn -> Cheapside.

Is there a better / nicer / faster way?

S.

Ossulston Street and then it wiggles. As cycle lanes go (and I am a vociferous critic of the LCN) it's a pretty good one.

My experience of cycle lanes is that they're an excuse for drivers to get too close, or try to overtake unsafely.

I prefer a more aggressive road position, unless the traffic is able to go much faster than me.

left into Cartwright Gardens, right Euston Road, and then follow the bike lane up through Somers Town

Missed Cartwright this morning, so went up York Way again. Looking at the map - where does the cycle path go? Ossulton Road? Chalton Street?

Also what's the best way back again from Torriano Avenue to Waterloo?

Thanks for the advice. Will try a few variations. Here's what I did (by sort of making it up / making mistakes).

Over Waterloo Bridge, right-most lane, through the tunnel, emerging on Kingsway. Carried on, onto Southampton Row. At the bottom-right of Russell Square, I went straight on, in the bus lane. I remembered someone had mentioned Bernard Street, so I went right here, and ended up going round Brunswick Square, and onto Judd Street. I kinda fucked up when I realised I couldn't turn right at Euston Rd, so took the last right before Euston Rd, and meandered my way through a little alley onto the pavement on Euston Rd, and scooted until the junction with Argyle Street, where I was able to get onto Euston Rd, and get in the right lane for York Way.

So - improvements to this route welcome!

I'm looking for recommended route. I want to end up on Torriano Avenue, where it meets Leighton Road. It looks like I should head for York Way, but I'm not sure of the best way to get to there from Wateroloo Station.

Suggestions?

Yup, got 'em on my conversion - no problems.

Great! so a bit of grease, and those, and I should be ok? No need to lug the frame back to Homerton?

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/cid/AWQGRRTYQWP07BSNJJB9TY1RWNQ4AZ8M/product-Shimano-Shimano-Dura-Ace-High-Quality-Down-Tube-Cable-Stops-with-Barrel-Adjusters-416.htm

I'm wondering if these will provide adequate protection?

There are screw on caps that will fit on to the bosses. Originally designed for the shift (pun) from downtube to bar levers, but they should serve a purpose for you.
Try SJS.

Thanks - have emailed SJS. Could kick myself. To be fair, Armourtex didn't ask me what I wanted doing, but I also didn't mention it. Ho hum.

Just picked up a frame which I've had sprayed. A very good job. However, somewhere in the communication process I didn't mention that I wanted the braze-ons (I think that's the term) where downtube levers would go to be sprayed too. This frame won't need or use them.

Obviously in their present state they are vulnerable to the elements. Can I get caps or something to go over them, or should I ask the sprayers to spray them for me?

I don't want to start this list unless people think it's worthwhile, but having just been quoted £90 for a basic powdercoat, I'm tempted to start a 'definitive' powdercoating list, with powdercoaters, service provided - e.g. strip (and how - chemical, stove, shot-blast etc), powdercoat, lacquer, contact details, website, quality of finish and rough idea of price.

'Use the f-ing search' isn't getting me far in terms of prices and the quality of finish, but I'll leave it up to you guys to decide if it's worthwhile.

Did you ever do this - my UTFS hasn't helped either. Armourtex seem well regarded and competitive, but some folk on another forum reckon they've had theirs done for £35.00. I'm wondering if that's just market forces, or a shit job?

Any recommendations for where to find 7 speed Shimano 105 or better front and rear mechs?

Can anyone recommend a good place to have a frame resprayed?

on the budget end, ever thought of building a conversion yourself? it's cheap to try you can easily end up with more than half of your 500quid budget left.
if you're not savvy with the mechanics ignore me.

Definitely an option - I've built bikes before. I also have an old bike i could use - but the frame is heavy, and bars and wheels and brakes utterly hosed, so it'd be more or less a complete rebuild.

I have considered looking out for a reasonable frame on ebay, and perhaps some other kit. Also looks as if stuff may come up on this forum.

However it looks expensive to me - eg:

Frame + Forks: £100 (or free if I use the clunky old thing)
Bars/stem/tabe/headset:£50
Brakes:£50
Cranks:£50
Front wheel (including dynahub): £120
Real wheel + sprocket: £120
Chain:£10
Seat/post:£40
Pedals:£30
Mudguards/rack:£50

Total: £620 - before I spend any time making it.

Or am I completely missing the point?

How quickly can this be done? Is it a pain? Or is it so quick and simple one really could decide on a per ride basis which one to use? Could one even opt for one or t'other for a 10 min pop to the shops?

I have one and am very happy with it. The geometry is virtually identical to my main road bike, save for the bb height, and it's a nice frame, it rides really well. Plus, clearance for mudguards and mounts for a rear rack are a major plus. The rest of the kit is sensible and well thought out, though the crankset will want replacing in due course.

Lemond Fillmore? Has the same kind of attributes at a lower price.

It does? I haven't found good info on it yet - does it offer good clearance, and holes for guards and rack?

65-70gi, spin to win! Why stress your knees? Kentish ten to Waterloo, have done this many times, fix would be perfect for that (epsc the central section). Also, a good ergonomic laptop rucksack would be fine for the amount of kit you are carrying.

Could you advise a route? Also, any recommendations for a rucksac?

but actually you have so much more control at low speeds I think I'd find it harder on a freewheel now.

Yes - I was thinking about that. For example, Bike Polo must require extraordinary control and various speeds, and most people use fixed bikes for that - so it's just about getting used to it.

Your experience at the moment combines unfamiliarity with one gear, toe straps, fixed PLUS the complication of panniers - it's no wonder you feel uncomfortable.

Hehe - good point! I'm out of practice on fixed, and am used to SPD pedals, which are easy to get on/off, so toe clips were very unpleasant.

As others have said, get a flip-flop hub and try SS for a while...

I imagine that would be hard work! My experience of fixed has been that the momentum helps one climb the hills in a gear that is otherwise too high on a geared bike. Without the fixed wheel, I imagine going up hills could be very tough on, eg a 70 inch gear.

I have never tried riding fixed with loaded panniers but I imagine it could be a bit unnerving going downhill!

Yeah - it was/is. Maybe I'd get used to it, or maybe that's science's way of telling me to do something different.