Road drop types - terminology
 

When ordering online, how do I differentiate between this type of bar where there's a drop from the clamp to the hoods:

http://img459.imageshack.us/img459/7...4hikakuje4.gif

and this type of bar where the clamp and the hoods are at the same level:

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/1...6hikakuhb5.gif

I've seen descriptions for "flat bars" but don't really know if that's what is being referred to or if it's something else.

Thanks.

Explody,

At least on Bontrager's website they specifically differentiate which bars are "flat top" and which are not. The flat top bars are far and away still the minority, and the manufacturers who make them are generally specific in mentioning them as such.

Cool. So I'm at least looking in the right direction. Thanks, banzai.

Be careful. Typically a bar called a "flat bar" would not be a drop bar at all, but a straight bar like on a mountain bike.

A Nitto Noodle bar is a good example of a drop bar with a flat section behind the brake hoods. Most comfortable drop bar I've ever used.

I never understand why they measure angles and such starting from the bottom part of the bars sitting level with the ground. It's the top part of the bars that are important, it's where our hands spend nearly all their time. Who cares if the bar ends are level or pointed downward at an angle, we only use them occasionally.

The real estate from the stem to the brake hoods is what's important. There is something magical about Nitto Noodles; they are the most comfortable bar I've ever used.

That is a good question explody. It seems manufacturers like to come up with their own names to make their products unique. Why can’t they use the common names such as Anatomic bend, Traditional bend, or Maes Bend?

Oh, and welcome to the dark side.:)

There was an article on this topic in the Rivendell Reader in the last year. Grant spends a lot of ink extolling the virtues of the Nitto Dream Bar and Noodle Bar, which have traditional non-ergo curves and flat ramps.

Personally, I have found the Ritchey WCS Classic shallow drop bar to be very comfortable:


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y18...ugust06028.jpg

I think the bottom part of the bars are used simply as a reference point, in practice they can be tilted in the stem.

3TTT have other ways of describing their bar geometries:
http://www.3ttt.com/ing/fr_curve.htm

As many times as I've looked at photos of the Noodles, it's never clicked that they are flat top. Those will definitely be going on one of my bikes. And (probably) a set of FSA Alloy Wing bars on my race bike. Both bikes are getting a cockpit overhaul this year as I slowly close in on my preferred setup. Thanks, everyone.