Originally Posted by
MikeRides
Everyone's different, or perhaps I'm an exception
I ride a flat bar bike (a hybrid actually) a minimum of 40 miles a day, up and down hills, 3-4 times a week and never had hand numbness. Heck I don't even have a need for bar ends on my bike. I had a set on my old bike, I think I used once or twice. The only thing I consider drop bar or even bar ends to an extent, is that they make it easier for you to tuck in when pedaling through wind.
Just because you believe they're uncomfortable to you and four people you know, doesn't mean they won't work for the OP.
The OP should go to their LBS to test ride as many bikes as possible to see what he/she is comfortable with.
Good points. In defense of the other posters most people prefer drop bars, myself being one of those. I started my adult riding on a Schwinn flatbarish hybrid. Putting plenty of miles on it in the first two years to include my first metric century. It did take some getting used to a road bike with drop bars but once I did the change was well worth it. I still enjoy the Schwinn and can get it moving to over 20 mph, taking more effort than my road and cx bikes but it can be done.
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Last edited by Black wallnut; 04-17-14 at 01:24 PM.