Hi Relja,
Thanks for responding so quickly.
My deore derailleur simply says "shimano deore" but based on the pictures I have seen on the internet, I think it is the Deore RD-M4120.
So, you think that if I get the shifters, the Deore SL-T6000 would be good ones?
As for the brakes, they are mechanical ones, TRP Spyre C. What levers do you think would be appropriate?
Let me add that my main reason to consider switching from drop bars to flat bars is that with the drop bars I do get some wrist discomfort. I am going to read your article on bike fit, and maybe make some adjustments, but if it doesn't work, I will swap the bars and see if things improve. I am in decent shape, but at 66 years of age, and planning some touring, comfort is more important than speed or aesthetics.
By the way, since your knowledge is so broad, do you have any recommendations for touring handlebars? There are hundreds of options, with different rises, sweeps, etc, etc.
Also, I would like to say that I have watched a couple of your videos already and they are excellent, with some of the most clarity and detail that I have seen anywhere.
Thank you for all your help and educational videos and articles.
Brevity may not be your virtue, but deep knowledge and clarity is
Thank you for the kind words.
1. Shifter and derailleur compatibility
Yes, I would expect the Deore SL-T6000 shifters to work fine with the Deore RD-M4120 rear derailleur.
2. Road mechanical disc brake lever recommendation
As far as I know, TRP Spyre C brakes are road bicyle mechanical disc brakes. Hence, they will not work nicely with standard V-brake flat bar brake levers (you'd get a wonderful firm feel at the levers, but when you try to make an emergency stop, the brakes will just be gently slowing you down, instead of really braking).
By far the best (at least in my opinion & experience) option for brake levers are the (now discontinued) Shimano STX-RC levers!
Thse levers can be set to work either with V-brakes (the "L" position as shown in the picture above), or with the road brakes/cantilevers/road calipers/road disc brakes etc. (when the brake cable pivot is set to the lower "H" position - as in "
high mechanical advantage").
I have one pair on my commuter bike, and one pair in reserve.
Used bike parts market is a good place (ebay is a globally known one, craigslist etc.) - they go from $20 to $40 and are the best brake levers ever made.
Ebay link for Shimano STX-RC brake levers
For the new ones,
Shimano Tiagra BL-4700 (Shimano website link) should be OK. They too can be adjusted to work with either V-brakes or road bicycle brakes (including the road mechanical disc brakes).
They are cheaper, new, than the used Shimano STX-RC levers, which speaks volumes about the quality of both brake lever models.
3. Comfortable handlebars recommendation
For me, drop bars are the most comfortable. Why I think that's the case:
When I stand and raise my arms to be in front of me (parallel to the ground, 90 degrees to my body), in a relaxed way, my hands are more vertical (thumbs pointing up) than parallel (thumbs pointing towards each other).
That is the kind of a grip that drop bars provide (flat bars force me to keep my hands parallel to the ground).
Now, the problem I often see people have with drop bars (and handlebars in general) is that they are either too low, or too far away relative to the saddle.
The second most common problem is the handlebar angle (bar ends pointing to the ground too much usually but not always).
My article about road (drop) bar adjustment.
Finally,
drop bars that are too wide is another relatively common problem.
In other words, as you said to be planning, I agree that it's worth checking the existing handlebar and bike setup, before swapping anything (even if money is not a problem, huge changes make it more difficult to fine-tune the optimal comfortable setup).
Note that moving the saddle forward usually increases shoulder, arm, and hand discomfort, as it puts more load on them (it is counter-intuitive).
All that being said, for a touring handlebars, I would give this a try:
BBB Cycling MultiBar OS BHB-30OS Trekking Bar (bike24 webshop link)
That "elephant ear" shape provides a lot of different hand positions, and in addition to finding the most comfortable one, it often helps to change hand positions during a ride. It also lets you get a more upright, or a more leaned forward riding position (like road drop bars hand position transitions).
Particular model is less important - as long as it's a decent quality, and the mounting diameter fits your stem (
stem clamp diameter standards) - though I would swap a stem for an "oversized" standard if my current one is the "old" 25.4 mm (1").
I hope I've explained more than I've confused.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Relja
