Drop bar adjustment, brake hood placement?
11-18-13, 08:12 PM
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Drop bar adjustment, brake hood placement?
I put a new shallow drop/short reach bar on my bike. I left the stem where it was as I had a good pro fitting done which is super comfy. It was suggested I get the new bar so I didn't have to reach down to the drops so far.
Anyway, I pulled the brake levers off and I want to get them into a good position on the new bar. The old and new bars are so diff, I couldn't just take measurements and transfer. So to start adjusting with the new bar, I angled the drops ends to tilt to the seatstay's brake boss--I guess this is a classic thing to do? I sat on the bike and that position felt good in the drops--my wrists are straight, no weird bends. As for the brake hoods' height, is that the same rule--no weird wrist bends, just straight wrists but elbows slightly bent? I think the generic old school way was to make the levers even with the bottom part of the drop using a straightedge--is this applicable anymore? Thanks.
Anyway, I pulled the brake levers off and I want to get them into a good position on the new bar. The old and new bars are so diff, I couldn't just take measurements and transfer. So to start adjusting with the new bar, I angled the drops ends to tilt to the seatstay's brake boss--I guess this is a classic thing to do? I sat on the bike and that position felt good in the drops--my wrists are straight, no weird bends. As for the brake hoods' height, is that the same rule--no weird wrist bends, just straight wrists but elbows slightly bent? I think the generic old school way was to make the levers even with the bottom part of the drop using a straightedge--is this applicable anymore? Thanks.
11-18-13, 09:17 PM
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I like the last bend to be parallel to the ground and the bottom of the levers even with the bottom "old school style.
11-19-13, 07:55 PM
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I think I got it solved. If it's any help to others, here's what I did based on some info I found plus forum responses:
The bar I installed is a shallow drop Soma Highway One. First, I set the bar's ends (short, flat sections) tilted down a few degrees to point to the rear brake boss on the seatstays. This is a good starting point and is kind of a classic setting so that the rider can put his or her hands onto the tilted flat ends of the drops for an additional riding position without wrist strain (in addition to using the hooks of the drops themselves). I tilted mine down a bit more as it felt better on my wrists.
Once that was set and stem bolts torqued, I placed the brake levers on the drops so that their ends were level with bottoms of the flat ends of the drops. This too, is a classic placement. My hands felt great on the hoods just like that. Others may want to move them up or down a bit.
Lastly, I tipped the levers/hoods inward a couple degrees as I'd read somewhere that fits hands better when on the hoods vs running them straight--I agree. That's it for the bar set up.
To try it out, I rode my bike in a trainer for 45 minutes and felt really comfortable, just like with my old handlebar and its position from my pro bike fit--actually better in the drops with the new bar's shallower drop measurement.
The bar I installed is a shallow drop Soma Highway One. First, I set the bar's ends (short, flat sections) tilted down a few degrees to point to the rear brake boss on the seatstays. This is a good starting point and is kind of a classic setting so that the rider can put his or her hands onto the tilted flat ends of the drops for an additional riding position without wrist strain (in addition to using the hooks of the drops themselves). I tilted mine down a bit more as it felt better on my wrists.
Once that was set and stem bolts torqued, I placed the brake levers on the drops so that their ends were level with bottoms of the flat ends of the drops. This too, is a classic placement. My hands felt great on the hoods just like that. Others may want to move them up or down a bit.
Lastly, I tipped the levers/hoods inward a couple degrees as I'd read somewhere that fits hands better when on the hoods vs running them straight--I agree. That's it for the bar set up.
To try it out, I rode my bike in a trainer for 45 minutes and felt really comfortable, just like with my old handlebar and its position from my pro bike fit--actually better in the drops with the new bar's shallower drop measurement.
12-31-13, 11:53 PM
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You can find some good information in this article https://bikefit.com/s-13-road-bikes.aspx
Good luck
Good luck
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Downward angled drop runs are not good for sprinting off of (weird wrist angle and hard to support weight), and I also think it can make for control issues when seated because over rough spots, there's a danger of your hands slipping right off the bar, or at least out of position and away from the levers.
