For years I've been scheming to convert the Saga to a triple with bar end shifters. We'll it's happened.
- Velo Orange Grand Cru crankset 48-34-24
- Velo Orange square taper bottom bracket
- Dia Compe bar end friction shifters
Plus!
- Tecktro linear pull brakes
- Tecktro brake levers
- 44 mm Rene Herse Snoqualmie Pass tires
You might ask why, in the age of single chainring electronic shifting, I would want to go back to this 30 year old technology? Because for touring it the most versatile and reliable setup. With the 42/26 double I was lacking gears at both ends. Now I have a range from 19 to 122 gear inches.
Then there was the time my SRAM apex shifter broke while on a tour. That's just not going to happen with bar end shifters.
Then, after I had installed the new shifters I realized I was no longer dependent on the road style brake levers and I could upgrade to linear pull (vee) brakes and get much better stopping power.
The SOMA Saga is a classic road touring bike, and in this configuration, much truer to it's roots.
