Originally Posted by
Seattle Forrest
Mostly, though, I'm curious about how other people are using them, since this is my second drop bars bike. The commuter was really nice to learn on, since the cross brakes made an easier transition from hybrid/MTB riding. The road bike is fine, but I was surprised to see advice on using the tops in traffic...
When I had my vintage Peugeot I rode in the drops most of the time because the hoods were not that comfortable for riding extended distances. I'd ride on the tops if I needed to stretch the muscles a bit.
Once I got a modern bike with friendlier hoods I started to use the hoods more often. I still use the drops more than a lot of people I know. If I happen to have my aerobars mounted, I'll frequently use those instead of the drops. I use the hoods for climbing. I find them to be great for that.
Tops are limited to when I really just want to sit up for a bit. Usually it's only on long rides, almost never on a commute.