Great ideas are born out of utter boredom, said the lazy goat.
Training of any sort can get quite repetitive, especially outdoors without an array of escape routes to explore. Cycling is no exception. The body gets used to the bicycle and, after thousands of kilometers on the odometer, things start to feel like a long-lasting halfhearted marriage.
Some of us circumvent the problem by riding different bikes across multiple categories — road, mtb, or the more recent trend gravel cycling {controversy on}. That's not me. I only have the beast, my do-it-all mountain-bike hardtail. How could I make it more exciting?
Picture le crazy bored Mr.P staring at a handlebar bought for a future 90's monster gravel project that'll take for ever to be completed. What if...?! Does a drop bar mountain-bike sound too wild?
Thinking outside the box
So, I get white skinny ass moving and begin to loosen some bolts on the bike (because the ones in the brain are already loose). Leaves the flat bar; enters the drop bar. But wait... Is it even possible without also installing expensive STIs?
YES!
All credits due, Surly is apparently the creator of such a beautiful abomination called the Corner Bar. This beastly handlebar allows us to fit drop bars on mountain-bikes without the need to swap brake and gear controls (still needs some minor adjustments, read further). Other than Surly's, there are different Chinese knockoffs options (carbon and aluminum) to compete against the original version in Cromoly.
Swapping controls from the flat bar to the corner bar isn't always straight-forward. In my case, lengthening the shifter cable, which also required changing the internally-routed cable housing.
Corner Bar setup
Controls are supposed to go on the little "hoods", but I found it more comfortable to mount the brakes onto the drops — totally subjective. Then, came in the bar tape. I used tennis racket grip tape for the sake of testing (and to calm down anxiety on Thursday night).
I might wrap the whole bar in the future, although that gets in the way of swappability between the Corner Bar and the regular flat bar. Yeah, drop bar on a mountain-bike is cool, but in no way I'm racing technical XCO tracks on that thing.
Also, wrapping the "hoods" feels kinda pointless because they don't really work as real hoods. Nor are they supposed to, according to internet folks who've tested the corner bar; the drops are the way to smooth sailing.
It doesn't mean the Corner Bar isn't versatile. Holding the curve where the top bar meets the drop feels great, as well as resting the hands on the top near the stem. However, the brake levers aren't accessible unless riding on the drops, which, for most, might not be comfortable in a full aero fit.
Definitely not a roadie; but not a gravel either. With 100mm of suspension travel and 2.35 tires, the beast plows over anything while keeping an aggressive riding position. Turning feels a lot quicker than the previous 760mm flat bars, although not as firm on loose sand.
Cockpit
Cockpit might become messy with a lot of cable lines (i.e suspension lock, front derailleur, and dropper seatpost). Fortunately, I only have two brake lines and rear derailleur, which yields a quite clean look.
Specs
The Chinese corner bar comes in three lengths (430, 470 and 510mm). The middle one fitted me well, matching more or less my shoulder length. I'm yet to try them with Alpkit's handlebar bag to see how it goes. Would that be the dream bickpacking setup?
One thought is for sure: the new setup completely re-ignited my mood to train. Riding position changed a lot and will require different muscles, what, in turn, might reset my brain when I go back to the flat bar. As long as I don't tackle sketchy trails, everything should be fine. Or should I try it?
Have you ever done something to your bicycle that sparked a sudden desire to cycle?
Let me know in the comments your opinion in this wild adventure. Is it too crazy? Creative? Would you try it?
Peace.
Disclaimer: The author of this post is a convict broke backpacker, who has travelled more than 10.000 km hitchhiking and more than 5.000 km cycling. Following him may cause severe problems of wanderlust and inquietud. You've been warned.
