"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - What's Your Saddle to Bar Drop?

I am just curious what the range and mean for saddle to bar drop may be for most racers nowdays. Mine is 7cm, which I suspect is less than most. But I am even older than Pcad, if such a thing is even possible. :lol:

About 13cm

new bike is limited by the head tube 10cm to the bars 25 to the drops(old bike was +3cm).

11cm, and I'm a fat old man.

In actuality, it doesn't matter that much. You can get as aero as you need without much drop at all, just by bending your elbows.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/bobstewart/withquarq.jpg

new bike is limited by the head tube 10cm to the bars 25 to the drops(old bike was +3cm).

Damn, I can't imagine being stuck at 10cm. I felt like 11cm on my old frame was practically a beach cruiser. I'm now head tube limited, but I could have put a -17D stem on my SL to squeeze another cm out of it.

11cm, and I'm a fat old man.

In actuality, it doesn't matter that much. You can get as aero as you need without much drop at all, just by bending your elbows.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/bobstewart/withquarq.jpg



Man, that bike looks dated :p

AHHH! merlin, you stole the transponder!

Thanks for your replies. I think I could go lower pretty easily without any discomfort. I have pretty good core muscles and flexibility.

16.5cm, I have long-ish arms but the fit is fairly aggressive (and I do yoga twice a week)

Thanks for your replies. I think I could go lower pretty easily without any discomfort. I have pretty good core muscles and flexibility.

Don't flip it if you're not comfortable doing so. A huge saddle to bar drop does not a good bike racer make.

21cm to the tops. Tall and lanky. I'm in the drops most of the time.

Somebody measure this for me.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/patentcad/S2-3.jpg

It's going to depend on your frame size and seat height as well. I have short legs and long arms so I am very sensitive to head tube height. I would have more drop if I could but my bars can't go any lower and my saddle can't go any higher so I'm stuck...

Don't flip it if you're not comfortable doing so. A huge saddle to bar drop does not a good bike racer make.

+1 screw fashion, put your bars where they feel best.

17.5cm

AHHH! merlin, you stole the transponder!

No I bought one, so I have the same number all the time,and don't have to bother with it.

Man, that bike looks dated :p

everything but the crank.

15cm, but I think I might drop it another cm, since I've got some spacers still (short headtube - 138mm).

About 10 cm.

I wanted to reply and then I realized I never took the time to measure. I would guess about 6". I have zero spacers and the stem flipped down.

Just over 12 cm from top of saddle to top of bars. I'm long in the legs and arms. People say I have an upright position but... so what. I think its all about being comfortable in the most agressive position. I've been steadily enlarging the gap. I started out with the +6 degree stem then I flipped that to -6. Then I took out three spacers. It took a couple rides for my neck to adjust... but now I think I might take some more spacers out. I also may add some length on the stem which would stretch me out a little more but not really effect the drop...

5.25 inches.

In actuality, it doesn't matter that much. You can get as aero as you need without much drop at all, just by bending your elbows.

Good point. I seem to be able to get plenty aero without having much drop. The reason I don't have much drop is because my current road racing frame is likely too big for me. I have a loaner bike this week that I might buy, and was just thinking about how best to set it up.

I am kind of gathering that saddle to bar drop is not really a very critical measurement, as long as it doesn't somehow prevent you from riding reasonably aero most of the time (assuming riding aero might be a goal), and beyond that, it may be an aesthetic preference. I suspect that many people could deal comfortably with a range of saddle to bar drop measurements and from bike to bike it isn't always the same, whereas saddle height and saddle setback don't change much.

17.5cm

you're 6'3" too, right? It's good to smite those looking for a good draft. :thumb:

I defaulted to 13-14cm and everytime I see the fitter for a small tweak he's like, "are you ready to go lower" and I just shrug and say sure. Either he reads this board or has a vendetta against spacers because I only have one left.

This again? It always seems that these threads turn into a secret code for penis length. Anyway, mine is about 7.5cm (the drop, not the penis)



Damn, I can't imagine being stuck at 10cm. I felt like 11cm on my old frame was practically a beach cruiser. I'm now head tube limited, but I could have put a -17D stem on my SL to squeeze another cm out of it.
I'm stuck at 7.5cm with a -17 stem with no spacers, but I still have no trouble getting my back flat... I think... I should get some pics and post my own "check my fit" thread to be sure.



Somebody measure this for me.

You shouldn't ask other men to measure your saddle to bar drop.

AHHH! merlin, you stole the transponder!

It's red, he's alright.

10cm, but according to my fitter I can go as low as I want because flexibility will probably never be an issue for me.

merlin is right: it's better to bend your elbows to go more aero than to have so much drop that you are straight-armed all the time. It's also nice to be able to use the drops for more than the occasional sprint.

-8cm

Do I win?

-8cm

Do I win?
Was that a negative eight?

Thanks for your replies. I think I could go lower pretty easily without any discomfort. I have pretty good core muscles and flexibility.

One thing I've found is that most normal riders will lean over up to a certain point, then kind of stop. Maybe (lack of) flexibility but I don't know. I *have* fit riders in much more aggressive positions than they thought possible. We're talking non-racers, somewhat sedentary folks, not outwardly aggressive on the bike. Some of them didn't like being bent over too much but others raved about their new position on the bike.

You should experiment with position. Personally I think you should experiment radically when you experiment - adjust to the extremes first then hone in to your desired position. You'll see exaggerated results at the extremes and will therefore get an idea of what those extreme positions do, like what a really long position will do versus a really low position.

cdr

merlin is right: it's better to bend your elbows to go more aero than to have so much drop that you are straight-armed all the time. It's also nice to be able to use the drops for more than the occasional sprint.

Ok, this is too funny to not post. Comparison of last year's position (first pic) to this year's (second pic) w/2cm lower drop. It's almost the same exact picture...

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/3134.jpg

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/4990.jpg

roughly 2.5" for me.

Ok, this is too funny to not post. Comparison of last year's position (first pic) to this year's (second pic) w/2cm lower drop. It's almost the same exact picture...

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/3134.jpg

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/4990.jpg
Yep, as long as your elbows aren't locked, you're fine. I think Merlin and Coyote find it worthwhile to have them higher so they can also have a more relaxed position while still in the drops. Of course, your set up allows you to be rather aero in the hoods, so it's all a trade off and a matter of preference. regardless, your prime examples above show that something you're doing works for you.

Ok, this is too funny to not post. Comparison of last year's position (first pic) to this year's (second pic) w/2cm lower drop. It's almost the same exact picture...

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/3134.jpg

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/4990.jpg

Yep, that proves the point. A virtually perfect position in each pic: back almost perfectly parallel to the pavement. The top position will allow more flex in the elbows for comfort, but the bottom position may allow you to better tug on the bar while sprinting. But they'll both work fine.

Still, these surveys are pretty useless, since there are so many other variables that matter, such as rider size (esp arms), reach, handlebar choice, etc. For example, umd looks to be running shallower-drop bars, which reduce reach to the drops (but not on hoods, of course). My bars have a traditional deep drop, probably 2cm lower than his.

you're 6'3" too, right? It's good to smite those looking for a good draft. :thumb:

I defaulted to 13-14cm and everytime I see the fitter for a small tweak he's like, "are you ready to go lower" and I just shrug and say sure. Either he reads this board or has a vendetta against spacers because I only have one left.

Yeah, 6'4". I've been yelled at (jokingly) on training rides for getting low in my drops and hammering up front because even the short guys can see over me a bit.

One thing I've found is that most normal riders will lean over up to a certain point, then kind of stop. Maybe (lack of) flexibility but I don't know. I *have* fit riders in much more aggressive positions than they thought possible. We're talking non-racers, somewhat sedentary folks, not outwardly aggressive on the bike. Some of them didn't like being bent over too much but others raved about their new position on the bike.

You should experiment with position. Personally I think you should experiment radically when you experiment - adjust to the extremes first then hone in to your desired position. You'll see exaggerated results at the extremes and will therefore get an idea of what those extreme positions do, like what a really long position will do versus a really low position.

cdr

Increasing the reach is what I did to get more aero on my current bike.

12cm

Yep, that proves the point. A virtually perfect position in each pic: back almost perfectly parallel to the pavement. The top position will allow more flex in the elbows for comfort, but the bottom position may allow you to better tug on the bar while sprinting. But they'll both work fine.

Still, these surveys are pretty useless, since there are so many other variables that matter, such as rider size (esp arms), reach, handlebar choice, etc. For example, umd looks to be running shallower-drop bars, which reduce reach to the drops (but not on hoods, of course). My bars have a traditional deep drop, probably 2cm lower than his.

Yeah, they aren't very deep drops. Both bars are about the same. Currently have 3T Ergosum, 128 mm drop, 89 mm reach. The newer position is more comfortable, at least in the drops.

does everyone measure to the drops? the reach? using the deep round road bar you can have the bars higher for holding on top and have the deeper drops down lower for sprints or descending.

I think the real short shallow bars are for looks, have a longer, flatter stem, still be able to handle the reach and get in the drops with limited flexiblity.

So are you saying that ergo bars are only for looks?

no not the ergo bars, but the really shallow, short reach bars that seem so popular latley.

I think some of those ergo bars look very uncomfortable.

EDIT: not just for looks, but if your very unfit you don't need to have a stem pointing up at the stars and 5cm of spacers to be able to reach down for the drops.

no not the ergo bars, but the really shallow, short reach bars that seem so popular latley.


Not true on a cross bike.

most ergo bars seem pretty shallow to me. The ergosum bars I got have a medium drop, about 1cm more than the ergonova and 1cm less than the rotundo. I don't know if you consider that really shallow or not...

Somebody measure this for me.



don't do it, it's a trick!

I am just curious what the range and mean for saddle to bar drop may be for most racers nowdays. Mine is 7cm, which I suspect is less than most. But I am even older than Pcad, if such a thing is even possible. :lol:

this is a question best suited for the road cycling forum.

I think the real short shallow bars are for looks, have a longer, flatter stem, still be able to handle the reach and get in the drops with limited flexiblity.
Actually, the most notable people I know of that run shallow bars do it because they like the top tube closer to the drops. Some just like having a shorter distance to travel (I think that's funny, because it takes like .2 seconds to switch) and others feel it makes riding in the tops and hoods more aero for the same height in the drops.

Actually, the most notable people I know of that run shallow bars do it because they like the top tube closer to the drops. Some just like having a shorter distance to travel (I think that's funny, because it takes like .2 seconds to switch) and others feel it makes riding in the tops and hoods more aero for the same height in the drops.

That was one of the reasons I chose the amount of drop for my new bars... the other was that it was pretty much the same as my old bars. ;)

My new Tarmac came with very short reach/shallow drop bars. After 45 mins my hands would go numb in any position, even riding on the tops or hoods, which was weird. Switched to standard bars and problems went away, but that also necessitated a slightly shorter stem.

Mine is only about an inch but that's partly because I'm a mere 5'4 on a good day. My bike is a size small TCR and when I bought it I tried the extra small and it just didn't feel right. I'm comfortable so I guess that's all that matters.

rob