HOV

Stem length can be variable for both bars so there's no point to be made there.

Body lean is indeed a factor in steering, no argument on that one. You're also right in that there are many other factors including tire design, diameter, frame geometry, and a whole bunch of other stuff. But I'm just talking about one handlebar vs another, everything else remaining constant.

You said the road bike feels more nimble - that's exactly what we were saying. For a road bike, a small input to the handlebars produces a bigger change in wheel direction, hence the bike responds faster and feels nimble. For a long flat bar, you have to move the bar further to get the wheel to turn the same amount, hence it feels more sluggish on corners. The tradeoff is that it feels more stable at slow speeds because you can make lots of little adjustments to keep balance and overcome obstacles, and you won't turn the wheel as much.

Of course none of this is relevant to how well a flat bar performs for commuting. Just a little tangent.

lshobo

Pros and cons for each setup. It also depends on the commute. For example, longer commutes could be helped greatly by drop bars with the extra hand positions and all.

I do prefer riser bars for commuting. They have a more urban look and feel to them in addition to providing greater control (in my opinion). Coming from a mt. bike and trials background, I just feel like I have more control with them. Hand positioning is not as good, but I just move my hands around the bar every so often. Not afraid to tuck and keep my hands on the riser portion either.

Eh...it's all rider preference. That's what I really meant to say.

BarracksSi

About this "torque" business --

Most of the time, you'll probably be riding at a decent pace where the effort needed to turn your bars isn't even an issue. I know that I turn mine, but I don't even think about doing it.

Where it can matter is how much torque road & trail irregularities apply to your arms. Curbs, broken sidewalks, and tree roots can try knocking the wheel sideways, and they'll turn the handlebars. With wider bars, the torque felt by your hands is less than with narrow bars.

That's how I see it, anyway. Wider bars lessen the torque sent to your hands.

I ride drops, though. The bike rides remarkably smoothly if I treat it like a horse and just gently guide it with one finger & thumb on the brifters over the rough parts of the pavement.

AlanK

I know this thread has been dormant, but I thought it was worthwhile revive it. My 2 cents:

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is initial cost: Decently spec'd new bikes with a drop-bar are at least $300 more than decently, comparably spec'd upright road bikes with a flat-bar. This is mainly because the drop-bar bikes are spec'd entirely (or almost entirely) with road comps (more expensive), whereas flat-bar bikes are usually a combo of road and mtb (less expensive). This is especially the case with the shifters: The STI shifters on most road bikes are considerably more expensive than the separate shifters/brake levers on flat-bar bikes. [Also standard road bike frames are typically more expensive because they're more precisely sized/engineered.]

Flat-bar shifters and brakes are probably easier to maintain and repair (again, because they're separate). Working on STI shifters is kind of a pain (which is why I switched to bar-ends).

I'm looking at getting another bike as a back-up/winter commuter and right now I'm leaning towards a flat-bar road bike mainly because you get more for your money: A decently equipped flat-bar road bike with disc brakes can be had for around $800-900 (ish); a comparably equipped standard (drop) road bike will cost at least $1200.

Also my current commuter is an x-cross with drops, so I'd like to get something different.

slloth

There is no "commuter" bars. There is no "commuter" pedals. There is no "commuter" frame.

Everyone is going to have their own opinion on what is best. Sometimes it's just trial and error.

I once rode my geared Mtn. Bike with shocks and off road tires. For me it was a mistake that I will never make again. For some people they wouldn't want to ride anything else but a Mtn bike with shocks.

10 people could tell you that drop bars are the way to go and 10 could say straight bars. It's all subjective.

Yan 

I have never come across a situation in which my skinny arms fail to exert enough torque on my drop or bullhorn bars. Drop bars feel less stable than flat bars because they are narrower and are therefore more sensitive to control input. You'll get used to it.

Wide bars allow you to spread your hands out and maintain a more stable upper body during technical mountain biking. If you really want the stability, you can get midge bars.

As for the initial expense of STI levers: bar end shifters cost less and are more reliable.

Grim

Since this has been dragged to the top again I'll change my input.

While I had a lot of problems with my wrists and CT at the beginning of last year I finally loosend them up and now predominately riding a drop bar bike these days for my commute.

The key was the type of drop bar bike. It is a touring style with the bars mounted nice and high. In the tops and hoods I am upright like a flat bar but when I'm fighting the wind I have the option of the drops and it does make a BIG difference when you fight a head wind for 4 miles. It is the best of both worlds.

As for width argument....44cm wide drops are pretty common these days. I'm actually planning to swap my 40cm's out to 44's to give a little better room for in-lines and a handle bar bag.

As was said if you can't muscle that width might be time for a three wheeler and have you grand children escort you on your trip to the market.

Schwinnrider

Very good. You're correct, of course. I was very uncomfortable on my first two road bikes. I thought, like many others, that my problem was because of the drop bar. I was wrong. The problem I had was one of fit. My bike had a very narrow anatomical drop bar set 3 inches below saddle height. My shoulder impingements and CTS didn't like that at all. Once I changed to a 46cm Nitto Noodle set at saddle height all my discomfort disappeared. More people who aren't racing should be fit this way. I have a nice upright position when I need it, but I also have usable drops when I need them.

I can imagine having a straight/flat/riser/Albatross bar on a town bike, but my road bikes will always have Noodles.

woodenidol

Bull Horns, Drops or just add some bar ends.

Grim

I can ride the touring all day. It really is the geometry between the bars and seat. The bike that gave me the problems and made me go for the Hybrid was really a race geometry and that was my problem.

On a side note:
Ran across a 89 SR600 C-Dale crit bike at a price I just couldn't pass on. I love this bike. It is so pretty. The older 105 group is so nice....It borders on art. Yeah it is out of date with down tube shifters, BioPace cranks but I like vintage and I'm not a have to have the latest and greatest but it was really nice for the day and the current version is getting close to a $2k bike.


It is so fast and fun to ride for about the first 20 miles. Then it becomes a evil hateful mistress that tortures my body till I can't walk and it takes two days for my back to recover.

I should sell it but it is so nice I'm trying to get use to it for my Sunday driver when I ride with my roadie buddies. Course I really do piss them off with the T700 when we hit a good hill and they can't keep up with me on my 35lb brick..

rugerben

I'm with Rob E on this one. trekking bars all the way.
I got my trekking bars from Nashbar for $18 on sale back in September. They offer multiple hand positions the way drops do, but also give you the control of a flat bar. They offer all the advantages of both styles. The only thing where they are at a disadvantage is that they don't get you into an "aero" position to fight a headwind the way drops do.

weavers

drops, i perfer a more aero geometry and the hand positions. i really hate being competly upright and riding in +15mph head winds. that really really slows me down and kills the riding experenice. i've used risers for alot longer, but now i feet traped with 1 hand postion, 2 with bar ends. drop bars have flats as well, its just a few cm lower. lastly i love riding on the hoods, easy shifting/breaking.

commuting bike drops is 38cm
road bike drops are 44cm

why you ask, cause it came like that. i'd perfer to have 42cm, but don't want to spend the money right now, not that i'm getting much hand pain.

scoatw

I've been riding like this for the last 14yrs or so. It gives me all different positions to ride in. The Aero bars are great for riding in a headwind.

fuzz2050

I disagree, I think reach is more important than height for mustache bars. I tried them on my mountain bike convert, and T could not stand them. The long top tube, plus the extra reach of the mustache bars made it incredibly uncomfortable. The hood position on a pair of mustache bars is something like 10 cm further out than the hoods of a drop bar



Even level with the seat, they were just horrible, then I switched them to my road bike, err, path racer fixed gear. There is a substantial drop, but the reach is much more manageable. I love them now

BarracksSi

Those ain't aerobars, them's antlers!

When is it open season on bikes like that? Does my moose permit let me hunt 'em, too?

(just playin'.. )

BA Commuter

I agree, asking others truly won't answer, which is better. It's what's you really want or what is comfortable to you!

I do like the looks of those Titech bars above, but I don't think you'll like them, but then again, maybe you will...

Industrial

I thought the same thing. Nothing wrong with it though.

d2create

I second or third or whatever the fact that moustache are a good compromise between drops and flat.

Doohickie

A flat bar gives me wrist numbness if I don't wear my Ironman gloves. I vote drops.

AlanK

100% agree, but there aren't that many pre-built stock bikes with bar-ends (unfortunately). You'd have to get a touring bike, which is great, but a good touring rig will still cost at least $200+ more than a good flat bar roadie.

And just FYI, I'm looking at a 2008 Kona Sutra. It's not really my ideal bike, but I do like it quite a bit, and if I can get it for a steal I'll pull the trigger.

AsanaCycles

even more confusing

Rob_E

Well, I'm going to have to argue with Rob E. He doesn't seem very reliable to me. I don't think he knows what he's talking about. Ever.

Actually, I'll stand by what I said last July, mostly. I have never had the urge to put my flat bars back on to my hybrid, nor switch to drops. The trekking bars remain. But in the time that's passed since I wrote that, I've found myself relying more and more on another bike: a 30 year-old Sears bike with regular, old, swooped back, North Roads-style handlebars. The riding position on my Sears Tote-Cycle is very upright, and not at all speedy. It's definitely not for everyone, but somehow, in spite of only having one hand position, I find it more comfortable than just about anything else. When I road the hybrid with the trekking bars for a leisurely, round-about, ride home on Friday, I noticed some discomfort while riding and afterwards. I don't know how much of that I can blame on the bars. I think a lot may have to do with riding postion: semi-upright, not able to stretch out over the top tube, but neither able to sit back.

As I build up my Long Haul Trucker, I'm going to move the trekking bars over to start, but I hope to find something to aproximate my Tote-Cycle's bars while also giving me a more stretched out position for longer and/or windier rides. I'm looking at the Albatross or a mustache bar right now.

But not flats. I can see where they'd have some application in trail riding or anywhere that quick reactions and maneuverability are the biggest concerns, but for rides of any length and on anything close to roads in reasonable repair, I would find something else.

uke

Drop for sure. I spend 90% of my time when riding in the drops with my fists vertical (as opposed to horizontal, as when riding flat bar bikes). The only times I'm on the hoods are when approaching intersections or maneuvering slowly past pedestrians. So it's not as if I'm constantly switching positions when riding with drop bars; I just prefer being able to tuck down and have my fists vertical; it feels more secure. Since I got my Forge, I've spent very little time riding my Coda, and am even thinking about selling it. It just feels weird to ride now...like my chest is too high and my hands are in some awkward position. I also think I prefer smaller bikes than larger ones, due to the maneuverability and greater sense of control.

Barrettscv 

I've spent equal time on drops and flat bars in the last year. Drops are better IMO, but flat bars work well also.

Michael

HardyWeinberg

I've been drifting toward bars w/ flare/sweep, one bike flat, the other drop.