Originally Posted by
simplygib
I personally don't like riding a loaded bike over rough gravel. I find it too jarring, and especially on steep climbs it's tough to maintain traction when you're bouncing over rocks and such at the same time. And it does things like turning vitamin or medical pills into powder, more wear and tear on all your gear which absorbs that constant jarring. But I know others prefer it, I guess it just depends on what you like.
As far as the handlebars, I used to ride with straight bars, then later added bar ends (which was an improvement), but now have switched to
trekking bars with two layers of thick tape, which I find to be far superior to the other two options. Lots more possible hand positions, no more numbness. I don't prefer drops on touring bikes, although I do like them on my road bike.
Asphalt is nice, but where there is asphalt, there are cars. Towpaths are wonderful, but jarring. I never tried riding on gravel with a loaded bike. Do you have an idea why a loaded bike over gravel is more jarring than an unladen one? Does a suspension fork really helps then?
I never tried the trekking bars. I don't like traditional drops (I'm not supple enough to dive down on the drops...) but I have bar ends on my bike too and wouldn't ride without them. In fact, I came to hate the position I have when I am in the straight bars as it tends to "lock" my elbows and wrists. On the bar ends, they bend way more easily, and it makes the ride much more comfortable. So I thought I might look into handlebars that allow several hand positions more or less "parallel" to the top tube. Cross drops seem to offer this, on the side of the top, on the hoods, and on the drops which seem shallow enough. While trekking bars offer "perpendicular" up and down positions, and one lateral "parallel" position. Though using the corners, or gripping them in different places, might help, I don't know. I'll fit a trekking bar on my Marin to check it out, it's not an expensive experiment, nor is it long to do.