Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
Sure drop bars "could" be comfortable, as could an ass-hatchet saddle. Some cyclists swear they like 'em, though I doubt it is because of the comfort factor, but rather in spite of the lack of same. After all, ain't that what the The Real Serious Cyclists™ (and those who wish to emulate them) like?
I don't understand the argument against drop bars. To me it's a simple matter of anatomy.
Let your arms drop to your sides and hang loose. How are your hands oriented?
If I grab something roughly the size of a handlebar and hold it in a vertical orientation, it feels natural through a wide range of arm positions. A 5-10 degree rotation is even better, maybe as far as 30 degree would work. However, if I turn it horizontal, I can feel tension somewhere in my arm until it's within about a foot of my chest.
For me, it's absolutely a comfort issue. Flat bars hurt my wrists. I can fix the problem with bar ends, and I imagine trekking bars would work too, but neither of those configurations puts the controls where I'd want them when my wrists are comfortable.