steve-in-kville 

Such a basic decision yet I can't make up my mind. The few straight bar bikes I look at are tough to come by in my frame size. The drop bar bikes are more common, but I hear that the rider's position takes some getting used to.

Suggestions? What would you do? I have about 10 miles to work, plus would be ridden for fitness when I am not running.

steve

JR97

I commuted all of last year and most of this on straight and I've made the jump to drops and I'll never go back. Being able to get out of the wind is the main reason for me. Even though I was crawling yesterday, I didn't feel like I was fighting a sail. On the flat bar, to get low, i would either rest my forearms on the bars or rest them along the whole bar. Neither was safe nor comfortable.

Plus, being able to drop down low and turn the turbo on is great.

cruzMOKS

My experience was buying a used comfort bike for $50 and riding it for 9 months and then buying a drop bar bike.

After riding for a while you will be more likely ready for a drop bar.

If you are a young whipersnapper then just buy the drop bar bike and go for it.

benda18

personal preference. i prefer the drops at the moment b/c they offer 4-5 different hand positions to the flat's 1.

Hot Potato

I prefer drop bars. I am almost never in the drops, but the top has enough hand postions to keep me happy.

JeffS

That's odd, every shop I go in is loaded with hybrids.

J.C. Koto

That's the same way around here. Haven't they got the word -- all that's old is new again.

Drops are nice. Since "going there" I can't imagine a scenario that I'd buy a bike without drop-bars. I love them that much...

EasyEd

Maybee I see things funny, but, isn't the top of a drop bar a lot like a straight bar? (just shorter usualy) Hangin on to the top of my drops feels a lot like riding a straight bar bike to me. I have one of each and the drop bar bike gets 90% of the use now days. The variety of hand positions is realy usefull.

EatMyA**

yup there IS a flat part on drops, you're right!

Markok765

I would use straight on a mountain bike frame, and drops/TTs [LOVE tts] on a road/track frame.

trekker pete

My old bike had drops and I rarely dropped to the bottoms. My new (to me) bike came with a set of triathalon bars. They take a bit of getting used to, but, now that I have, I will never own another bike without them. My wrists and back enjoy the rest they get when I am in them. I love the feeling of trucking along on long flat or slight downhills with them. On flat ground I think they are good for an extra 2 mph or so over long distances.

If I could figure out a way to shift the RD, I swear I'd never come out of them!

modernjess

Well I know what I choose, drops no question. More hand positions, better in headwinds.

It's personal preference, but for a 20 mile RT commute, I'd recommend you try drops.

tomg

i go with "drops"!

1) find a "swanstem" gooseneck stem (search eBay)

2) add to this a "randonnierre" set of handlebars. (")

3) apply "grab-on" padding (lbs) and you have the best handlebar ergonomic means, that i have yet to find, way to ride!

also, with a drop handlebar, you have more options of hand position too, like Modernjess stated above.

good luck in finding the classics listed...and the choices you make in your handlebar!

t

TheatreME

I have ridden on both. I had a straight bar on my first bike (old rigid Trek 820) and now have drops on my LHT. It took about a week to get used to the drops, but the first headwind made it all worth it. Now I cannot think of a type of terrain or riding conditions where I wouldnt prefer the drops as a commuter.

mondaycurse

I commuted to work on my Trek 6500 mountain bike, dual-dutied for singletrack and riding to places. Now that I have a drop-barred road bike, I can't ride flats more than 3 miles anymore.

M_S

Sometimes I ride my cyclocross bike on my commute.

Sometimes I ride my 29er.

For 10 miles drops are better, but flat bars are fine too. If you're just getting a bike to ride to and fom work, don't overthink it. They all move forward when you pedal.

Note: Drops are pretty much superior, especially on-road. And yes, they do take some getting used to. If your "fitness" rides are over 20 miles or you live in a windy area I'd get the drops.

smurfathon

Hey I'm a newbie and this is helpful to me too! I've tried out a few of the commuter bikes, which all made me feel sort of like the "Flying Nun"....it seemed very....the opposite of aerodynamic...I rode a ten-speed with standard ten-speed bars all through highschool, can the newer drop bars be much different?

uke

See, now I had to look that up.

TalkingHead

get a drop bar set up. Flat bar sucks for more then 10 miles. short hop's it's no problemo though.

Im still on flat bar myself, and hate it now after 1400 miles on this bike..

i only hate it because i made of mistake of renting a nice cannondale synapse 5 for a weekend, so much better! And i wasnt even fully fitted to the bike..you have much more variety with a drop system, hand postions. with flat bar it's either death grip or hands on one hip.

daven1986

i started with straight bars but now i bought a bike with drops - more hand positions and better in a headwind.

steve-in-kville 

We have plenty of hybrids in the area... and I'm not against that type of bike for the right purpose, but most (if not all) have front suspension.



steve

ban guzzi

drops.

Even my MTB is getting converted to drops since straight bars KILL my wrists...

Hot Potato

Yeah, way more choice of bikes with flat bars. Especially in the lower price range. I think most bikes are sold to people who ride only a few miles at a time. The rest figure that since they are putting in the time and effort, they "deserve" or need the higher priced road style bikes?

joninkrakow

I'm in the same boat. I wanted to like straight bars--really wanted to, but 5km and my wrists and balls of my hands really start to hurt, and there's no where else I can put my hands to give them relief. My bars are too short, and I've got too much junk on them to add bar-end bull's horns, so I'm stuck. I hope to win a pair of drops complete with stem and brakes, here this evening. If not, I'm not sure what I will do.

I used to have a Raleigh with Randonneur (sic?) bars, and would really like to have another pair (came to like the upturn over time), so I'll second that recommendation. :-) (unable to find a pair here in Krakow, though)

-Jon

Barabaika

Short straight bars are for mounting climbing.
Drop bars are for stretched out road bikers. When you stretch out, your hands quickly become numb; so, you have to change positions often.

There are also different North Roads for a straight riding position. All your weight goes on a saddle; so, you can enjoy one comfortable hands position.
Here is a typical commuting French bike.