Drop bar disc options and bars

[66 triumph daytona]

Ive got a 2002 Tomac hardtail,I want to fit a set of gravel bars and mechanical discs to it,problem is I want to run old 8 speed Dura Ace brifters and the original 25.4mm Tomac stem.What mechanical options are out there to suit road levers?Also,I cant find any 25.4mm gravel bars to fit the Tomac stem,will I have to (very reluctantly) ditch the original stem for a 31.8mm?

 

[hamster]

Avid BB7 R (Road) are the default choice of disc brake.

IIRC Nitto do 25.4mm bars - try Planet X. However, with the longer stretch forward of drops, you are likely to need a shorter, higher stem. The brake hoods need to be somewhere above conventional bar-end position if the drops are going to be someplace usable.

 

[Woz]

TRP Spyre.

 

[Fatal Swan]

In my experience the Juin Tech R1 brakes are as good as it gets for cable-actuated road disc brakes - the cable pulls a hydraulic mechanism in the caliper so no centering to do, and not a bad feel. With some compressionless Jagwire housing I found them pretty good, easy to set up too. Tektro also do some called HY/RD.

25.4 was never a thing for road bars, since pre-31.8 they were nearly all 26.0. So I guess you'd be pretty lucky to come across one of the gravel-type drop bars in that size (there are a few regular road drops in 25.4). A regular oversize stem would give you a lot more bar options.

 

[wynne]

I've tried pretty much every drop bar mechanical disc brake including cable actuated hydros. TRP Spyre every time for me unless you have too much money in which case the Paul ones are also excellent.

I have got one of the original cinelli-made off road drop bars - the same model that John Tomac used. Wide but quite a deep drop by modern standards and 26mm clamp. I was vaguely thinking of selling it. I can dig it out and take photos if it's of interest.

 

[Fatal Swan]

Just saw these listed tonight on ebay - shows I know absolutely nothing!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134030426026

 

[jimo746]

I use the On-One Midge bars, they did a 25.4mm version a few years ago (if you're thinking of the bar/stem on Ebay above then double check they are actually 26.0mm).
I think Soma do some interesting bars, and of Course Nitto do as well, but you may be better opting for some modern shallow drop Gravel bars and a 31.8 stem, which you can get just about anywhere.
I've used a few different cable discs but ended up with the TRP Hy/Rd cable actuated calipers, which work very well. I have used 8-Speed Dura Ace 7400 levers but you might find the cable pull is not quite right to effectively operate cable discs, you can though get adapters to alter the pull ratio. Only way to know for sure is try it and see what you think. There are some decent modern 8-speed drop bar brifters from the far east that work well and work fine with cable discs (Sensah Reflex).

 

[novocaine]

I've tried pretty much every drop bar mechanical disc brake including cable actuated hydros. TRP Spyre every time for me unless you have too much money in which case the Paul ones are also excellent.

I have got one of the original cinelli-made off road drop bars - the same model that John Tomac used. Wide but quite a deep drop by modern standards and 26mm clamp. I was vaguely thinking of selling it. I can dig it out and take photos if it's of interest.

Spyre I agree are the bee's bollocks, they do work exceptionally well.

I've moved to Zoom (yes, really) HB-100 recently though, and I'd say they are on par if not slightly better. they are the cable over hydraulic brakes that the above mentions are copied from. set up is seconds, self adjusting (unlike the Spyre) and as I can atest to, work on road levers (I've got SORA on the winter bike, because WINTER). my only worry was that I'd cook the fluid on a long descent, so far I haven't managed it though.

 

[hamster]

PlanetX have Nitto Dirt Drop bars in 25.4.