What would you do regarding bike purchase?

[Sky King]

This caught my eye, spent two hours yesterday helping a friend spec out her new "road bike" she picked up a Sam Hilborne Frame and discussing if she would rob any of the parts off of her Soma Mixie, She loves the mixie and we will be making a few changes, adding albatross bars for a more upright ride as she switches it to the commuter bike and hauling the kiddle bike. The new bike will have the Nitto Grand Randonneur handlebars - which I have on my bike and really love.

Anyway I digress, if you do decide to go for it, consider the Nitto Dirt Drop Quill Stem, 35 degree rise, long enough to allow for height, 26.00 clamp could be the answer to getting the height you'd like. You can also add a shim is the 26 is the wrong diameter. Again a flared drop bar with a bit of rise in the ramp may be just the trick to enjoying the "road bike" However I agree with the thread, life is to short to not be riding what makes you happy.

[Orange utopia]

This caught my eye, spent two hours yesterday helping a friend spec out her new "road bike" she picked up a Sam Hilborne Frame and discussing if she would rob any of the parts off of her Soma Mixie, She loves the mixie and we will be making a few changes, adding albatross bars for a more upright ride as she switches it to the commuter bike and hauling the kiddle bike. The new bike will have the Nitto Grand Randonneur handlebars - which I have on my bike and really love.

Anyway I digress, if you do decide to go for it, consider the Nitto Dirt Drop Quill Stem, 35 degree rise, long enough to allow for height, 26.00 clamp could be the answer to getting the height you'd like. You can also add a shim is the 26 is the wrong diameter. Again a flared drop bar with a bit of rise in the ramp may be just the trick to enjoying the "road bike" However I agree with the thread, life is to short to not be riding what makes you happy.

So I have a question about the various nitto bars. I see them on lots of touring bikes but the all have bar end shifters. Will the clamps on my 9 speed Ultegra brake/shifters fit on these bars?

[Kiwi Stoker]

I have just had a mechanical on our 9 speed tandem and need to get new Shimano parts.

They are getting very rare. Our bike shop has said we should look at upgrading our groupset soon as in 2-3 years things are going to get very difficult.

Just my two cents when I saw that you were going to use 9-speed.

[Orange utopia]

Well I am just using the 9 speed because it is what I already have. The group I have is in great shape so I expect it to last for a while. If I was buying components I would buy 10 speed for sure but since it is what I have I will use it.