Tom Bombadil

What some in this thread are overlooking, in various degrees, are bike trail users. There are now hundreds of bike trails built in the USA. There are now thousands of miles of trails built. Many of these trails are very popular and have become tourist attractions. A lot of trail users do ride 20, 30, 40 and more miles.

These cyclists are out there riding a lot. They are buying millions of bicycles. Biking is an important part of their lives. And few of them are riding drop bar road bikes.

Another genre of regular bicycle rider is the commuter. Most of them do not ride long distances, but many ride 5, 7, 10 or more miles each way to work or school. They ride frequently, sometimes 200 days out of the year. Most of these people aren't buying drop bar bikes either.

Again, I'm not being critical of drop bar road bikes. They are beautiful machines that are the perfect solution to millions of people's needs. But they are not a predominant form factor for American bicycle users, even those who use their bikes a lot. And I suspect they are even less prevalent in many other countries.

It might seem like they are predominant to someone who takes long rides on roads. That is where these bikes live. But at the same time you are out there surrounded by drop bar bikes, there are millions riding other bikes in other places.

I'll add that I find riding on a perfectly flat bar that is attached via a long angle stem and without bar ends, can get darn uncomfortable.

And I encourage the OP to take the advice being given here by seasoned drop bar riders. It isn't surprising that you had some problems after making such a radical change on a long ride. When I took my first longer ride on a recumbent, the ride was very comfortable ... for a while. Then those different muscles in my legs that a 'bent exercises, started to kill me.

DnvrFox

I live on a regular bike comuter trail/route. Around here, they commute on road bikes (with drop bars) by about 10:1.

Tom Bombadil

If you go into a city, where the majority of commuters will be, that is not typical. There are many more commuters using drop bars than bike trail users (and mountain bikers!), but it is not a majority of them. If you are out in a suburb, where people are commuting longer distances and in lighter travel, then you would probably see more road-bike commuters.

Consider many of the bikes marketed as commuters, such as the Bianchi Milano, Electra Amsterdam, the Trek Urban series, the Gary Fisher Fast City series, the Marin Urban and Commuter bikes, the Giant Metro series, all of the Specialized Multi-Street lines, and more. The vast majority of these bikes do not have drop bars.

BluesDawg

What does any of this have to do with the topic?

stapfam

After 16 years of Mountain bikes- Mountain Tandems- And Lightweight MTB's set up for the road to get my time for 100 milers down to something respectable- I gave in last year and bought a road bike. First thing I did was to work out where the bars should be as after about 25miles- I was running into neck problems. Raised the bars to about level with the saddle and I presume that I cured all the neck problems in one foul swoop.

Then I got the Boreas- Different geometry and the bars were 4" below the saddle. First thing I did was to flip the stem as I wanted to ride it and not wait for a new raised stem to come in. It must have been the geometry of the bike because the bars were still well below the saddle (Still at least 2.5") The bike was really comfortable. Rode it like that for a month and the brain started working and I flipped the stem back for a 30 mile ride. No "EXTRA" discomfort but the ride was faster.

Now I mostly ride on the hoods. To give myself a break in hand position- I might ride on the flats but not for long. The only time I get into the drops is into a headwind or Up the steep parts of some hills. In other words- I have a similar position to a Flat bar bike with Bar ends fitted.
Now as to raising the bars to get a more comfortable position- It was not necessary for me at all. Those bars went down a couple of weeks ago and they are staying down. Without doing anything except ride the Bike- My neck problem stopped existing.

richjac

Hey, I resemble that remark But it's more of an ice cream gut than a beer gut - beer I can take or leave.

One reason I don't ride in the drops very much is that my stomach interferes with a smooth pedal stroke.

tcs

My personal bike set-up rule of thumb: If I'm not on the tops/hoods at least 20% of the time (i.e. just unconsiously positioning myself there), my bar is too high*. If I'm not on the drops at least 20% of the time, my bar is too low**. If I'm somewhere in the 80/20, I can basically ride either position for as long as I want/need to. Now on the bike I've just started to dial in, I've not been riding in the drops more than about 5% of the time, so I need a stem with more lift.

Hey, it's your hair - get it cut the way you like, not the way the stylist likes.

HTH,
TCS

*rare
**common

NotAsFat

It's not necessary to ride in the drops "as much as you can stand". Even the hoods on a properly-fitted drop bar roadie are an improvement on the typical hybrid/flat-bar roadie riding position (of course almost any riding position, including recumbent, is an improvement on the typical hybrid riding position).

NotAsFat

The trick is to adjust your fit so that your stomach bounces your thighs back down, increasing your power.

Tom Bombadil

I was simply responding to DnvrFox's post. At least we were talking about drop bars.

DnvrFox

But, I DO live in a city, and I used to commute right through the exact center of downtown. And I have taken polls and recorded careful statistics! How can you claim to have knowledge of my city? Sounds very unstatistical to me.

Do we need another poll?

What is the definition of a city?

solveg

I live in the city, and outside of the college campuses and MUPs (where you see more cruiser bars), the ratio of drop bars to flat bars is so high that I notice* when someone has flat bars. I see flat bars mostly used by men on the inner city park trails. I don't hang out by off-road trails though, so my sample group is skewed.

This isn't very statistically accurate (TOM!), but when I'm just out and about in the city, the majority of handlebars used by people over 21 are cruiser bars of some type on cruiser bikes. Next comes drop bars...almost every commuter I see has drop bars, but I live over 10 miles from either downtown, so they're putting on some miles daily. I see flat bars maybe 15% of the time, way more if on a MUP (maybe 50/50 there). I also see a lot more drop bars at the private colleges than at the U of M.

RockyMtnMerlin

Well, I've read this thread and I just don't get it. Waterford's own site indicates that the first step in fitting their bikes is "assessing riding preferences" and "measure the riders current bike." Why would the guy who measured you for a custom sized/geometry frame seemingly skip these two important steps? If your previous fit was indeed comfortable, the guy should have stuck with it. Waterford could have made you that beautiful new frame in a size and with the geometry that you do not have to "get used to" and indeed may never get used to without changing some of the components (i.e. stem). In my opinion, if you have to do either of those two, the "custom" part of your frame just went away.

Bluetail

Thanks to all of you who replied; I've read your posts, and the consensus seems to be to hang in there, take shorter rides to get acclimated to the new riding position, make adjustments to the hardware if necessary. All good advice!

For the record, to the poster who delicately inquired as to my age--the 'special birthday' is 60. The handlebar is a Nitto Dream, and i was mainly riding on the ramps and hoods and can certainly appreciate that having a variety of hand positions will be a definite plus over flat handlebars. And i was, indeed, wearing a visor!

The weather report for Labor Day weekend calls for beautiful riding weather here in Western PA, so quiet country roads, here i come.

Thanks again, one and all.

roadiespinner

I beat the neck/shoulder pain problem by raising the drop bar top to saddle height or a little higher. Also rolling the bar back toward me a little so the hoods and brakes are a little closer and I don't have to reach too far. If you have the brakes rolled too far forward you can negate raising the bar.
Make sure that your elbows are bent so that you do not transfer the "road vibration" up into your neck and shoulders.
And yes there is a "break in" period.

mandovoodoo

I haven't noticed anyone explaining what different folks might use the deep drop position for. I don't use it for much time. I climb on the hoods, various grips, and a bit back. Trying to keep the weight off my thumbs, using a deep wrap. On the flat stretches I rest on the hoods or tops and pull either bent elbow on the hoods or in the drops. Often alternating. My dropped position is pretty low. Most important, I corner hard and descend in the drops. That's where the bike really handles, where I can tweek it around corners far better. Where it's really fun. So that's not as much time as climbing, but in the areas I ride I'm in the drops about 30% of the mileage. The fast part. I really like the drops for curves. I can see more easily. In the straight and fast stretches I settle for seeing badly. Have to have my shades on just right. But my muscles work right when I'm in the drops and I get less air resistance.

I suspect one needs to build up structural fitness and have a very well balanced position. I can lean against a wall on my bike, then bend over from in the saddle and touch the ends of the front QR. And straighten back up (the hard part). I figure as long as I can do that I'm fit enough!

jiminos

in my acknowledged limited experience, it is common for a little discomfort as one gets used to a new position.

that said, i believe it is important the the bike be fit to the rider not the rider to the bike. slowly take those portions of the geometry that are "not quite right," and bring them in or out or up or down to the position that is comfortable. when all is said and done, you should feel neither cramped or stretched. you should feel comfortable on a bike that has been fit to you.

be well.

jim

solveg

My bars are actually slightly above my seat, and they're very wide bars (nitto noodles). I ride in the drops about 20% of the time, just because I can stretch out, flex my back, put a different sort of pressure on my arms, and to absorb shock better.

What I like most about riding in the drops is how much better the seat feels. It's fine all the time, but when I'm in the drops I can tell it's more like how the seat should fit. I also find myself more powerful on long flat, and I can feel later that I used different muscles if I ride in the drops more than on the bars.

I know it's counterintuitive, but I also like to go up hills in the drops, to a certain point. I don't know why.

CharlesC

While this thread is about the comfort of different style bars I feel what made my touring bike much more comfortable was buying a better saddle. I have very little natural padding on my sit bones. Now I find myself less concerned with my drop bars and can ride faster and for a much longer time.
New saddle:
https://rideonsports.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=465
For the record, I have flat bars with Specialized bar ends on my MTB and Cinelli 61 drops on my road touring bike and I'm not completely happy with either.

solveg

Here we go. https://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...17&postcount=1

Can we all go out for pie now?

bobkat

In town up here you see far more flat bars than drop bars. Most of the drop bars seem to be going out to the surrounding roads or coming back. The few commuters we have around here seem to ride hybrids or mountain bikes, although I can never see the logic of riding a mountain bike 100% on pavement! But on long organized rides you see far more drops than flats.

tcs

1) The drop doesn't have to be deep. There are shallow drops, deep drops, ergonomic drops, randonneur drops...

2) The drop position? In addition to uses mentioned: Headwinds! Also, just to put the body in a different position for a spell on long rides.

TCS

bkaapcke

If you don't get used to the drop bars in a month or so, it may be that being over 50 has done this riding position in for you. I rode a Trek 750 for years without any problems. Then pains started showing up. Crotch, low back, neck, shoulders and wrists. Micro adjustments to seat and ride position would fix one problem and aggravate another. I went to the local guru on bike fit. No help. Finally someone suggested a recumbent. After checking them out I bought a LWB recumbent. I love it, and no more pain. bk

will dehne

This is a Trek Madone with me at 200# (now 185#). The second picture is a Trek Hybrid. I use both bikes for century rides and love both. The Madone is faster and the Hybrid takes the mess of the unpaved trails better.

PaulH

Although most of my riding is on a European commuter bike, I sometimes borrow my wife's road bike. Even though this is the most radical imaginable change in riding position, it certainly does not feel like a train wreck. I think you should look into raising the stem a bit.

Paul