MTB with drops... A cool little build

So after selling off my one of a kind Voodoo rig, I set my sights on something more simple, more purist, a single speed 29er.  I'm still waiting on it to come in from the factory, as they are on back order right now.  In the meantime, I've been doing some good reading on singlespeeds and different things you can do with them.

I came across a couple great reads with pics about putting drops on a a mountain bike.  Read this: http://mtbtires.com/features/bikes/why_dropbars.html   See cool pics of some of these rigs here: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/drop-bar-mtbs-own-one-got-a-pic



An incredible looking bike with an On-one Midge drop bar



Anyway, I got sucked into the looks and supposed benefits of putting a drop bar on my bike.  I want to use my new SS monocog to ride singletrack, trails with my kids, as a bad weather bike, possibly as a cross bike, and possibly as a commuter.  I want it to be versitile as possible.  So, I was already thinking about how to reconcile the differences between a typical mountain bike with a flat bar and a typical road bike with a drop bar.  I have now not only been convinced that a hybrid is possible, but that it might be down right advantageous.

As I'm piecing this build together, I'm looking for just the right pieces to build the bike that can meet all of the purposes stated above.  When looking around at drop bars that were appropriate for the build, I came across a category of drops known as dirty drops.  This genre includes, among others, the On-one Midge (http://www.63xc.com/mattc/midge350.jpg), On-One Mary (http://www.firstflightbikes.com/_borders/P1010211.JPG), Origin8 Gary (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31ENwXcy6pL._SL500_AA300_.jpg) (I have read that the Gary isn't really made for true off-roading), Soma Junebug (http://www.bikeman.com/store/graphics/00000001/Alt-BTI/BTI-SF1174.jpg), Salsa woodchipper (http://twentynineinches.com/2010/01/03/salsa-cycles-woodchipper-bar-a-comparison/)%20and and a bar made by WTB (http://www.bikepro.com/products/handlebars/hndlbars_jpg/t1t_wtb_dirt_drop.jpg).  These bars feature a flat top like a typical mountain bar, a drop like a typical road bar, but then the bottom of the bar flares out away from the bike, providing the rider with greater stability and more hand positions.  Of all of the reviews I read, the Midge appears to be the best of the bunch, as it offers a very compact drop, that allows you stay fairly upright in the drops.  Here is a good comparison of several of the bars: http://twentynineinches.com/2010/01/03/salsa-cycles-woodchipper-bar-a-comparison/

I hunted for days for a good price on one, as they are made and sold mostly in the UK.  They are hard to find here.  I found some at unrealcycles.com and twenty2 cycles.  The price was a little steep at $40 plus about $15 of shipping to me.  But then, at the last moment, I found a bunch put up on Ebay by unreal cycles for $30 plus $10 in shipping, allowing me to save a bunch of dough.  I grabbed one of the 31.8 versions.  They are made in both 31.8 and 25.4 (I think this is the right measurement).

Stay tuned for more updates on the build.  I think my bike may be in by the end of this week!