26.0mm flat bar?

[crack monkey]

I have an old road bike that I want to convert to a flat bar. It has a non-oversize stem, which should be 26mm. Does anybody make a flat bar in 26mm, or do I need to swap stems (and if so, does anybody still make 1" non-quill stems)?

I know I'll need brake levers and shifters, right now, I'm just trying to get the handlebar sorted out.

[drevil]

I have an old road bike that I want to convert to a flat bar. It has a non-oversize stem, which should be 26mm. Does anybody make a flat bar in 26mm, or do I need to swap stems (and if so, does anybody still make 1" non-quill stems)?

I know I'll need brake levers and shifters, right now, I'm just trying to get the handlebar sorted out.

They make shims for the bar and shims for the stem (both quill and non-).

[walsh]

Depending on the nationality of the bike, it very well could be a 25.4mm stem as well.

If it turns out not to be, a section cut from a beer can will shim a 25.4mm bar out to the right diameter.

[crack monkey]

It's an early 2000s Jamis Nova cyclocross bike, so I'm pretty sure it's 26mm, but I'll double-check tonight.

Beer can won't fly - the bike is the wife's and she won't like that solution. I'll look into shims. (yes I realize that means paying for something I already have in the fridge)

[mscard]

Some 26.0 stems will hold a 25.4 handlebar just fine. I ran a 26.0 Thomson stem with 2 different Easton 25.4 bars for over 3 years with no slipping. As Drevil mentioned, Nitto makes a shim.

[jabberwocky]

I use a shim on my old-school road bike to hold the 25.4 bullhorns in the ancient 26mm stem. It has worked fine for a few thousand miles now.

[OverStuffed]

It might be easier to get a cheap stem and shim the steerer from 1" to 1 1/8". That'll give you tons of options, if you need them. One of my bikes has a 1" steerer and has never seen a 1" stem. Ever.

[iammike]

It's an early 2000s Jamis Nova cyclocross bike, so I'm pretty sure it's 26mm, but I'll double-check tonight.

Beer can won't fly - the bike is the wife's and she won't like that solution. I'll look into shims. (yes I realize that means paying for something I already have in the fridge)

You drink beer from a can? :flushed: :p

[crack monkey]

You drink beer from a can? :flushed: :p

PBR Baby! It won the blue ribbon. :D

(only when I'm red-necking it up for the weekend, most of the time, it's wine or scotch)

[crack monkey]

Parts ordered. Got a selection of budget-friendly bits, should be here next week. If she doesn't like beer-can shims, I'll just take the bike for myself.

[iammike]

Parts ordered. Got a selection of budget-friendly bits, should be here next week. If she doesn't like beer-can shims, I'll just take the bike for myself.

the best thing about ordering a single part is ending up with fifteen other "nice-to-have" little bits as well.

[crack monkey]

the best thing about ordering a single part is ending up with fifteen other "nice-to-have" little bits as well.

True. This simple project quickly snowballed into a $300+ spend-a-thon. Bars. OK. Levers and shifters, yup, still on budget. Grips. Sure, can't have Laura riding gripless. But, of course, then it's tires to suit the new purpose (urban bang-around bike), a new saddle because now she's seated more upright, pedals, because she wants to be able to ride in sneakers instead of dedicated shoes, a rear light, blah blah blah.

And of course, I liked the upright, flat-bar setup, so now I'm looking at alternative bars for the fixie (probably a Midge or similar). And a Brookes saddle just because.

[nocro]

Parts ordered. Got a selection of budget-friendly bits, should be here next week. If she doesn't like beer-can shims, I'll just take the bike for myself.

You ever read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? If she doesn't like the beer can shim, find the section of that book when he talks about shims. Consider reading it to her, or just following his advice of pre-sanding the paint of the beer can and re-labeling it as a select stock of shim that you purchase from a little know distributor of shim material.

[crack monkey]

Parts are installed, no shim needed, the stem clamps. She loves it. Of course, the last user was my son, so the wheels were so out-of-true from pre-teen abuse that the bike is now at Bike Lane getting trued up.