Downtube Folder Upgrade - DEPLOY!

OK, so a set of road bars hanging around beckon... a set of brifters and the SRAM X9 rear DR go up for sale fetching a decent amount to get new levers, etc... a rummage through the parts bin nets some tape and a stem... BOOOOM!

Upgradeitis - a bad disease to be sure for cyclists. This latest bout of upgrade fever netted a conversion to road bars for the Downtube 9FS, and it's pure awesome. With a single bar end for the rear shifting, indexes are crisp and silent friction mode is pure bliss. Multiple grip points are great over the flat bar that came off the bike.

To match with the bar ends a Shimano rear DR was in order, so on went an Alivo M430. Not a very pricey unit, but it does the job exactly as it is supposed to and is a nice build. Not sure there is a reason to go fancier in this department.

For stopping power and hoods for the 'ol hands a set of Tektro RL520's went on the front. These match up great with the Avid disc brakes and have awesome feel. For added stopping in the urban traffic a set of Tektro RL720 cross levers complete the package.

Pop in a Sprintech drop bar mirror - which is "OK" in my opinion but gets the job done relatively well, and the hands are very happy.

How Not to Get Hit

Here is an excellent website that explains in detail 10 scenarios on how a cyclist can be hit by a car, along with examples on HOW to avoid it. This is a must read for cyclists everywhere, and the suggestions here really do work when out on the roadways.

How Not to Get Hit By Cars

Example: I typically see cyclists riding as far to the right as POSSIBLE nearly all the time. When I am driving the car, I have seen cyclists on the road ahead of me riding so far to the right - that cars are brushing past them in an UNSAFE manner within mere inches - as if they are not even there. These folks would be wise to heed advice given at this site - they will likely find a huge reduction in brush passing and riding stress in general.

Per the site:

"But if you ride too far to the right, someone exiting a parked car could open their door right in front of you, and you'll be less visible to motorists pulling out of driveways and parking lots, and motorists coming from behind may pass you way too closely in the same lane because you didn't make them change lanes.  In each of these cases you were following the law, but could still have been hit.  This page doesn't focus on the law, it focuses on how to not get hit by cars.  Now let's see how to avoid getting hit."