Touring - Am I crazy to get rid of my drop bars???

I just bought a Novara Randonee and I like the bike, but I just can't get used to the drop bars. Trekking bars look like an option, but I'm inclined to slap on a flat bar with with bar ends. Is this a mistake?

Not really a mistake if it's what you want. It is an added expense, though, and starts to take away from the value (I'm assuming this is one of the reasons you went with the Randonee). Flat bar with barends and 9sp shifter/brake pods will run at least $100. If you don't like the drops, you could always think about taking the bike back to REI (a.k.a. Return Every Item) and buy a Safari, which comes with trekking bars. Or, just decide that you got a good deal on the bike and are willing to upgrade a few things. After all, you can always sell the barely-used parts and make back some of your money.

Not really a mistake if it's what you want. It is an added expense, though, and starts to take away from the value (I'm assuming this is one of the reasons you went with the Randonee). Flat bar with barends and 9sp shifter/brake pods will run at least $100. If you don't like the drops, you could always think about taking the bike back to REI (a.k.a. Return Every Item) and buy a Safari, which comes with trekking bars. Or, just decide that you got a good deal on the bike and are willing to upgrade a few things. After all, you can always sell the barely-used parts and make back some of your money.


Ebay comes to mind, if you DO decide to switch over to flats.
I have a riser bar on my commuter/tourer with Ergon ergonomic grips, the model that comes with horns. VERY comfortable and i love the horns standing up on climbs. Ride every day to work, and just got back from a six day tour - not a hint of numbness or tingling sensations.
So no, you're not crazy for thinking to get rid of the drops. It's purely personal.

I got rid of my drops and am much happier with the trekking bars. I think I would prefer them to flat bars as well because there are more places for your hands. I spend a lot of time riding with my hands at 9 and 3, but also across the front at the top when I am going up hills.

I tried trekking bars but lacked leg room when standing. Really missed the drop position too. Maybe your drop bars are too low?

Drop bars are great on a road bike but when I put loaded panniers on the fork of my touring bike I get an unstable feeling with them and get on the brake hoods and never change hand positions so I feel stable. I had a flat bar and put that on and now I have a very stable feel with the front loaded and find I can even one hand the bar comfortably and take a drink, use the phone, and even eat something as I pedal along.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r154/n4zou/loaded.jpg

First of all, I think only you can answer this. Different people have different opinions, and whatever they like is right for them. However, it's hard to really know unless you've lived with both options long enough. I like drops. I like having several positions for my hands. I like being able to go down on the drops in a headwind to get more aerodynamic. However, I used to suffer from hand soreness and numbness after a long ride. On a two-week tour my left hand got numb to the point that it stayed numb when I was off the bike. It lasted for several weeks after my tour. I finally concluded (after help from this forum) that my handlebars were too low. I searched and bought a Nitto Technomic. It made a huge difference. It's long enough that I can actually put it too high - a few inches higher than my seat. I felt like an old man at first. (Okay, I resemble that remark.) I adjusted it a few millimeters at a time until it felt right. Now it's high enough that I don't have a big problem with sore hands, but low enough that I still feel like I'm getting an aerodynamic advantage when I ride on the drops.

I have straight bars on my mountain bike, on which I've taken a couple of tours. Even with bar ends, I don't think there are enough choices in hand positions, so I prefer my drops.

My drops are wide enough that I feel like I have plenty of leverage for good control.

I've never tried trekking bars, so I have no opinion. Maybe someday I'll put some on a bike and try them out. I know a lot of tourists love them. Same with mustache bars, etc.

First of all, I think only you can answer this. Different people have different opinions, and whatever they like is right for them. However, it's hard to really know unless you've lived with both options long enough. I like drops. I like having several positions for my hands. I like being able to go down on the drops in a headwind to get more aerodynamic. However, I used to suffer from hand soreness and numbness after a long ride. On a two-week tour my left hand got numb to the point that it stayed numb when I was off the bike. It lasted for several weeks after my tour. I finally concluded (after help from this forum) that my handlebars were too low. I searched and bought a Nitto Technomic. It made a huge difference. It's long enough that I can actually put it too high - a few inches higher than my seat. I felt like an old man at first. (Okay, I resemble that remark.) I adjusted it a few millimeters at a time until it felt right. Now it's high enough that I don't have a big problem with sore hands, but low enough that I still feel like I'm getting an aerodynamic advantage when I ride on the drops.

I have straight bars on my mountain bike, on which I've taken a couple of tours. Even with bar ends, I don't think there are enough choices in hand positions, so I prefer my drops.



My drops are wide enough that I feel like I have plenty of leverage for good control.

I've never tried trekking bars, so I have no opinion. Maybe someday I'll put some on a bike and try them out. I know a lot of tourists love them. Same with mustache bars, etc.

I agree. I've done some mountain bike touring with flat bars and no barends (back in the Stone Ages;) ). At the end of the tour, it took 6 weeks for me to get the feeling back in my hands. It's a bit disconcerting to have 6 out of 10 fingers that are numb and tingly for that amount of time. I have some problems still with drop bars but I raised the bars a bit and I put on the Aztec Vibe wrap which helped a lot.

Just don't try to take it off. They use a really good adhesive:o