Originally Posted by
baribari
If you get a flat-bar bike as your first road bike and find that you enjoy road biking, you're probably just going to regret not getting a traditional drop bar bike for the comfort and performance advantages that they provide on long rides.
Although I admit drop-bars are probably more practical on city streets and commutes, where you're constantly changing gears, taking corners, and applying brakes without taking your hands off the bars.
I agree with the first statement.
The second? For city streets flat bars work fine. They allow you to brake, shift, and steer without taking your hands off the bars. They're a bit more upright (even low set ups). For commutes it's questionable. My commute would be fine on a flat bar (3 miles) but my friend's commute (40 miles each way) would be better done on a road bike. For the record I've never ridden my bike to work in my current job (I've ridden in when I lived 12-20 miles from work). My friend does his 80 mile commute somewhat regularly on his bike.
cdr