Drop Bars are essential!
They really are more comfortable, essential for taking pressure off of your behind!
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Drop bars are also a godsend on a windy day when you're riding into a headwind or cross wind.
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Originally Posted by tarwheel
(Post 11343428)
Drop bars are also a godsend on a windy day when you're riding into a headwind or cross wind.
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I disagree. I don't think they are essential.
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I've done drop bars and flat bars, but my personal preference is the Nashbar Trekking handlebars... you can install them at an angle and provide a number of comfortable hand positions.
http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...1_10000_200388 |
I love drop bars but they are in no way essential. I rode many a commute on flat bars.
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If you have upright bars get yourself a cushy wide brooks saddle with springs. Then the rear won't mind so much.
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I'm with the OP...I love drops. I have one bike without them, and I use it short distance utility because of this.
I had back problems a few years ago and finally realized it was because I was commuting on a flat bar cannondale MTB. When I switched to drops, the back cleared up. |
drop bars are not essential, but on those november mornings when there's a 35mph headwind screaming right at me off of lake michigan, it's really, REALLY, REALLY freaking nice to be able to tuck down. drop bars don't necessarily make battling a headwind like that fun or enjoyable, but they certainly do help make it more bearable.
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I'm with Philski on the trekking bars. Had a set for close to three months now, and I'm quite pleased. I wouldn't call them or any other particular kind of handlebars essential. though. The only essential part is having handlebars... any kind. I think it would be a bit difficult to steer your bike by grabbing the stem with one hand a holding the brake lever in the other... :lol:
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Originally Posted by EKW in DC
(Post 11343806)
I'm with Philski on the trekking bars.
I've been commuting on a drop bar bike for the past two months. Starting to put some serious thought into converting it to a trekking bar. Drops are worthless in traffic when you have to keep your hands on the brakes,and I find the 'drops' on trekking bars to be much more stable than the ones on drop bars. |
I too prefer drop bars, but it's just silly to say they are essential (sorry!). In fact I have to commute --which is most of my riding-- on a folding bike with flat bars. Drop bars are simply not an option; they won't let the bike fold up small enough to fit in the luggage rack on the train.
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Ummm... this is the commuting forum
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Originally Posted by noisebeam
(Post 11344277)
Ummm... this is the commuting forum
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Depends on what type of commute. Rural? Certainly, but if one has a 10 mile or less urban they're a little unstable. One needs to be more upright in general to keep an eye on traffic. And the cagers need to be able to see you. too!
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Originally Posted by adlai
(Post 11343399)
They really are more comfortable, essential for taking pressure off of your behind!
I don't find drops essential for my 20 minute each way commute. If it were twice as long, they would be nearly essential for me. Nonetheless I greatly prefer my road bike even for 20 minutes as long as conditions aren't snowy or icy. |
He doesn't think they are essential. That's pretty much sums it up for me ;)
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I speculate that the vast majority of commuters are on hybrid bicycles that do not have drop bars, so I wouldn't call them essential especially for typical commuter distances (under 20 miles). I think 'nice' would be a more appropriate term to use.
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Originally Posted by tarwheel
(Post 11343428)
Drop bars are also a godsend on a windy day when you're riding into a headwind or cross wind.
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The are not even essential for 100mile+ rides or for some types of racing.
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Originally Posted by nashcommguy
(Post 11344330)
Depends on what type of commute. Rural? Certainly, but if one has a 10 mile or less urban they're a little unstable. One needs to be more upright in general to keep an eye on traffic. And the cagers need to be able to see you. too!
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Originally Posted by adlai
(Post 11343399)
essential for taking pressure off of your behind!
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Originally Posted by nashcommguy
(Post 11344330)
but if one has a 10 mile or less urban they're a little unstable. One needs to be more upright in general to keep an eye on traffic. And the cagers need to be able to see you. too!
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
(Post 11344448)
They're also good for preventing noob friends from asking to borrow your bike. :D
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I'm on 22,000 miles without them. Odd definition of "essential." And I don't have any problems with pressure on my behind - I have a good saddle that fits me.
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