how much time do you spend in the low position on drop bars?

[eddief]

Granted I am an older rider, I am working on core strength and flexibility, but I ride more than 95% of the time on the tops or the hoods. I ride a lot and just did a 75 miler on Sunday. Not a racer, but I do notice it is quite laborious to get into the dropped position for an extended period of time.

I'd ride in a more dropped/aero position if it was 50% easier to get into that position.

Why not make a tweener drop handlebar where the drop is "significantly" less than the typical approach and also bring the lowest part of the bar a bit further back toward the rider? Then long-armed Lance could use deeper drops and middle aged meat eaters could use much shallower drops.

Am I the only one who would welcome it?

Dave Thompson turned me on to these Bontrager flat tops...which are not made anymore. But this shape is ok and why not even less drop than these?

[AngryScientist]

i ride "compact" drop bars on a few of my road bikes. i too spent little time in the drops until i tried them, the difference is night and day for me. at this point i am predominantly in the drops when out riding, i find the compacts that comfortable.

i suggest you give a pair of shallow drop "compact" bars a try, competitive cyclist has FSA omega compacts for $40, they are an absolutely fantastic bar for what you're describing, for that price, give them a shot, i think you'll be pleasantly surprised..

[AngryScientist]

http://images.competitivecyclist.com/images/products/fsa/2010/8766_i_1.jpg

and link:

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/components/fsa/handlebars.221.html

[Ken Robb]

50/50----but I have my bar tops slightly above my saddle. With the bars below my saddle I can barely last 3 minutes because my neck is "against the stop" so I can look up the road through the centers of my rather strong prescription glasses. Needing high bars isn't always about lack of core strength-------though I have plenty of that. :)

[johnnymossville]

It's just more relaxing to ride on the hoods or on top of the bars. For EVERYONE! It's faster to ride in the drops though. Riding down there for extended periods takes commitment and a reason to do so. Racing is a good reason. If going faster is a good enough reason for you then get your hands down there! Otherwise, stay up on top and enjoy the ride. If you commit yourself to the task, you'll see your average speeds go up. Your back might not like it though. It's a trade-off.

[eddief]

would try those in a second if in 26.0. Maybe time to evolve to 10 speeds and 31.8 bars.

[benb]

It makes me think your bars are too low if you're having trouble reaching the drops.

Granted I am young (33 in july) but I probably do 50% hoods, 30% drops, 20% tops unless I'm climbing a mountain and then I may use the tops more if I have plenty of gearing and can spin.

There is basically no strain for me to ride in the drops, it's not that much lower relative to the postion, and it gives my wrists a break..

I do not have a huge amount of drop though.. I think my bars are 5cm lower then my saddle IIRC.

If you're not using them then why waste the weight? Might as well get a different type of bar.

[eddief]

wow, I am only 25 yrs older than you. My bars are already slightly above saddle height. time for way more yoga and stretching. but also interesting to consider the variables here; arm length, age, flexibility, and commitment. I'll talk to my guru a bit more about commitment.

This thread showing my new Gunnar will suggest, at least aesthetically, my bars are not too low:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=73461

[wooly]

I'm 41, saddle to bar drop about 6cm, and find myself riding on the tops when I'm climbing, on the hood most of the other time. I am rarely in the drops. Maybe if I'm heading into a headwind, leading a pace line (haven't done that in years!) or just want a short change of pace in position. But I don't race and ride casually with my pals.

[TAW]

I rarely ride in the drops except when racing. On occasion if the wind is strong or I'm just looking to adjust my position for a little bit, I may use the drops on a regular ride, but probably not more than 10%.

[ergott]

But this shape is ok and why not even less drop than these?

That's a very shallow drop already. There are some with less.

I'm in the classic bend camp. The flat end of the bar gives you an extra hand position that is quite useful when motoring along.

One thing I noticed is that I went for a longer reach (longer stem) and I was able to ride longer/more comfortable with more drop. I'm no expert, but I contribute this to a flatter back (not bunched up) which allows me to look further up the road.

It seems that the harder I ride, the more comfortable I am in the drops. If you are just riding along all namby pamby this might not work for you;-)

[snah]

I rarely ride in the drops except when racing. On occasion if the wind is strong or I'm just looking to adjust my position for a little bit, I may use the drops on a regular ride, but probably not more than 10%.

+1 here, don't find the drops uncomfortable as a 41yo, just prefer the hoods and tops. Rode 55 yesterday, don't think I hit the drops at all, even into the wind.

[ergott]

Granted I am young (33 in july) but I probably do 50% hoods, 30% drops, 20% tops unless I'm climbing a mountain and then I may use the tops more if I have plenty of gearing and can spin.


I would recommend getting your bike setup so that you can at least ride with these percentages. If not, you might as not ride with drop bars at all.

[eddief]

i don't think there are many, if any, other sorts of bars that match the comfort on the tops and hoods of drop bars. I'm cool with staying up there on top, just think some innovative designer could come up with a subtle, yet incredibly usefull fine tuned and shaped drop bar. Those FSA Omegas look like the idea.

[Peter B]

The drops afford an efficient position. I spent 23 hours last weekend riding 600k, about 30% in the drops. I'll be 48 soon, run Deda Belgian deep bars with ~55mm drop to the tops. This morning I did a quick 50 minute commute and spent it all in the drops except for a few short out-of-the-saddle climbs.

The percentages listed in the post above seem about right to me.

[sg8357]

I keep the bars higher, so I can use the drops comfortably.
Using the drops seems to use a somewhat different set of muscles,
good for relief when climbing seated. 30% drops, 30% ramps, 40% hoods.
Bike has bar cons so you tend to ride the end of the drops..
The pic shows Nitto noodle bars.

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/sg8357/Scott-Goldsmith/ebisu/Ebisu-AP.JPG.html

[dekindy]

i ride "compact" drop bars on a few of my road bikes. i too spent little time in the drops until i tried them, the difference is night and day for me. at this point i am predominantly in the drops when out riding, i find the compacts that comfortable.

i suggest you give a pair of shallow drop "compact" bars a try, competitive cyclist has FSA omega compacts for $40, they are an absolutely fantastic bar for what you're describing, for that price, give them a shot, i think you'll be pleasantly surprised..

+1 only I have the wing compact. High intensity training over the winter strengthened my hamstrings so I am even more motivated to get down in the drops. Losing a little weight around the middle has helped immensely also. The tops of my bars are only a centimeter or two below my saddle.

[benb]

I didn't mean to make you feel old or be overly critical.. I just think you're losing a lot by not raising your bars or adjusting them somehow to a point where you can use the drops more.

If I set my bike up with 10cm drop, I can still ride it OK, but I will not be able to use the drops like you.

But that actually doesn't help much in terms of aerodynamics.. if I'm on the hoods & tops all the time with 10cm drop, I'm probably actually more upright then I am with 5-6cm of drop and being able to use the drops extensively.

And you lose a lot of hand positions.. I have hand trouble, using the drops can really give my hands a break. (The hoods are the worst for me, IMO partially cause Shimano shrunk the 10-speed hoods relative to 9-speed and I have large hands.)

I have to work on my flexibility.. 20-30 min every day.. flexibility is not something that comes free to the young.

Of course it is all relative.. I can't comfortably ride my bike with the bars even with the saddle either.. I have to have some drop to the bars or I actually have more hand trouble.

[OtayBW]

I ride a lot in the drops. For flatter/rolling areas where you really want to zone out and drive through in a nice ~tuck, there's nothing like it. I have 5-7 cm saddle-bar drop, depending on the bike, and ride compact bars. I probably enjoy this aspect of riding as much as any....

[Doug Fattic]

One advantage of riding in the drops (that I only read about one time somewhere) is that because the body is leaning over more it takes the heart less effort to pump blood out than up. What I remember was a difference of 5 to 7 heartbeats a minute. I know that I can personally tell some difference in my heart rate when I am in the drops that is not always based on aerodynamics.

Back some years ago when I still rode training rides with the racers, I would absolutely have to be as efficient in my riding as possible or I would for sure be dropped. I was usually in the red zone the entire ride after the warm up. My abilities were/are modest at best and even if I momentarily let a small gap open up between me and the next rider I sometimes couldn't make it back on again. I would have to ride the entire ride in the drops. As soon as I went to the hoods my heart rate would rise and usually I had no extra margin to allow that to happen. I made my go-fast frame with 650C (571mm) wheels to gain even a tiny advantage in my ability to tuck in closer to the (usually much bigger) guy in front of me. The lighter wheels helped me too. I was also one of the first to put ergo shifters on my bike in '92 for the same reason that even reaching down to shift gears could cause me to lose a few inches in front of me and sometimes that meant riding back on my own.

[eddief]

no prob. you did not make me feel old. it is out of our control. i am in the best cycling condition of my life right now. which does not say much about the previous zillion years.

and yes, i do have a case of dick do.

do you know what that is?

that is when you belly sticks out more than your dick do!

so my legs are good, but belly and flex are not so good. it is easier to try to find the correct bar shape than it is to shape me old bod. but i am working on it.

ride on.

[mike p]

I ride with about 5.5 to 6.0 in or 13 to 15 cm of saddle to bar drop. During race I'm in the drops 50% of the time and 50% on the hoods. I'm 52 yrs old. I think it just takes some getting used to. If you want to get in the drops more just pratice. As you go out for trainning spend 5 min. in the drops take a break then go 5 or 6 more and keep building up.

Mike

[eddief]

just wondering about other physical attributes.

[mike p]

I'm 6'2 don't have any idea of my shirt sleeve but would say I'm normal porportions for 6'2. Saddle ht is 78.5 c to top of the saddle. 57 top tube 140 stem. From the nose of the saddle to center of handlebar stem is 60.5 I've got bikes with 57, 58, and 59 top tubes. Saddle ht is the same on all my bikes other measurements can change a cm or so but there all pretty close.

Mike



just wondering about other physical attributes.

[stephenmarklay]

Its funny since I just went the other direction. I wanted a bar that would offer a better race position. I actually like being in the drops but my old bars just never cut it.

I switched to 3T Rotundo bars. So don't get them. I think as some have said that for your purpose to make the drops a useful position for you a higher stem might help.

I don't have a lot of experience with this but touring bikes (people) seem to make good use of drops with comfort so I would research this.

For me, less wind makes my life easier. I did a fast century about 10 days ago and spent most of my time in the drops and when pulling I had my wrists resting on the tops like a TT position. This was a hilly course and an average speed between 21 and 22.

[vqdriver]

i hardly use the drops, even with compact type bars. one problem i have is finding a position in which i have a natural reach to the levers and shifters cuz when i do use the drops, it's usually on the flatter portion on the bottom and not in the 'bends'

i'm gonna try out moving the bars up in relation to my saddle and see if that helps anything, but without rotating my position forward, i'm not sure how successful i'll be.

[Steve in SLO]

I ride with about 10cm drop and it's mostly because I am built like a spider monkey.
6' tall with a 36" inseam and 83cm saddle height. At 50y/o, I should be more upright, I guess, but years of racin/fast rec riding have made my relatively flattened out position comfy. I recently went to some TTT Ergosum bars and have found them really comfy. I am in the drops more than any other bars. The Ergonovas are waiting the next build. They are shallower with a shorter reach so I expect to be in the drops more with them.

[mike p]

Wow Steve your long legged!

Mike

[Ken Robb]

I think it makes sense to have your bars at a height that allows you to ride in all three basic positions. What that height is obviously can vary a lot from person to person. If your bike is set up with bars as low as a pro racer and you can't ride as low as that requires in the drops you are wasting a position and probably sacrificing some efficiency because you get your best grip and leverage grabbing the bottom of the bars. The braking and shifting are easier form there too.

I have bikes with flat bars and moustache bars as well as drop bars so I have experimented with hand positions quite a bit. Your results may be different but I would encourage everyone to try moving their bars around until they find a position where all positions are comfortable.

[Dekonick]

Another bar choice - Salsa Poco's.

[Steve in SLO]

Wow Steve your long legged!

Mike

Fresh! :p

Also take a look at Ritchey WCS Curve bars...a lot like the 3T Ergonovas.