Anyone swap between bars regularly on the same bike?

[Brett Callahan]

I have a commitment issues and a conundrum. 

I've got a Velo Orange Polyvalent that is currently built up in very Riv-ish fashion with drop bars.  The bike is shifted with bar ends in friction mode, and the brakes are Paul mini-motos. I've considered putting albatross bars on it at times, but like the drops for longer rides.

It occurs to me that in my parts bin I have an extra set of bar end friction shifters, flat bar brakes, and an albatross bar/stem combo--a complete separate cockpit. It doesn't seem too time consuming to swap back and forth--disconnect the brakes, both shifters, pull the whole cockpit out and plug the new one back in, reconnect the four cables. I know it would be even easier with DT shifters, but I'm not a fan. 

Has anyone done this? How'd it work out for you? 

Brett, in need of a long weekend project, in PDX

[Scott Blouke]

I have pondered this at length and I don't think it would be too bad if you twist welded your cables as seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUQQ9aggStw 

to make re threading them possible and installed some inline barrel adjusters to rapidly fine tune the shifting/brakes.

As painless as I can come up with.

Scott

[Brett Callahan]

Scott, good tip about the twist welding. This makes sense on any bike if you've got the tools, and would be especially beneficial here. 

It occurs to me that I could go away from downtube and bar end shifting altogether, with some thumbies that open all the way and can be shimmed. Mounted near the stem on thumbies, I could simply move them from one set of bars to the other without ever having to disconnect the cables. 

[Reed Kennedy]

I do this. I have a Cycles Toussaint Velo Routier set up with Dia Compe 750 centerpull brakes, downtube shifters, and a quill stem.

Dia Compe brakes use a straddle cable that quick releases from both sides without tools.

Downtube shifters keep all that shifting jazz off my bars.

Quill stem comes off after loosening just one bolt (the one for the wedge). 

I have two sets of bars with their own brake levers, brake cables, brake housing, straddle cable hangers, and straddle cables. That way I can pop the straddle cables off the brakes, pull the housing from the frame's split housing stops (without removing the cabling), and remove one set of bars in about 60 seconds. 

Putting the other set of bars on, placing that cable housing back in the housing stops, attaching those straddle cables, and doing up the quill wedge bolt takes about 2 more minutes. I've timed the whole thing, including carefully putting the other bars away, and it takes me just under 3 minutes.

Bonus tip: If you use a front brake cable housing stop that clamps to the quill portion of the stem you can rest it directly on the headset. That way every time you install the bars they'll be at the same height. (See the black part on the stem in the Albatross bars picture.)

Nitto B135 rando drops:

Riv / Nitto Albatross:

I've been meaning to make a video of this whole thing...

Best,

Reed

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[Reed Kennedy]

On Fri, May 25, 2018 at 10:02 AM, Scott Blouke <scott...@gmail.com> wrote:

I have pondered this at length and I don't think it would be too bad if you twist welded your cables as seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUQQ9aggStw 

What a cool method Scott, thanks for sharing!

I just took a shot at this with some scraps of Yokozuna shift and brake cable I had laying around, using a tiny butane soldering torch. It worked great on both thicker 1.5mm brake cables and thin 1.2mm shift cables:

After twist welding I wailed on the cable end a while with needle nose pliers, but it didn't fray:

I'm not wild about operating even a small torch this close to my bicycle, so I don't think I'll use this method for finishing installed cables. But it'll be a great way to save barely used cables that I pull off when switching bars or making other adjustments. 

Might go through the trouble of measuring the cable, removing it, twist welding, and putting it back for the bike I travel with most often as well, just in case. Seems by far the most durable result I'm aware of.

Best,

Reed

 

[Brett Callahan]

Thanks Reed, this is super helpful!

Brett

[Drw]

What about cable qr’s For tandems and SS coupled bikes? Davinci makes some and I just saw these for much less.
https://www.amaincycling.com/ritchey-quick-disconnect-derailleur-pair-28-248-915/p305446?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr4Xhr8uh2wIVBNVkCh3ebABHEAQYAyABEgJMU_D_BwE