Originally Posted by
MarcusT
From my observations in Europe, one can usually tell from the bars. If the bars are flat, they're mainland European, if the bars are dropped, they are N. American or British.
Originally Posted by
elcruxio
It might have been me who originally uttered the statement which gave rise to this thread. The distinction was a bit different however. Originally I was of the opinion that drop bar touring is an anglican thing whereas flat or straight bars was mainland european. Of course it is not as simple or black and white. Then again one would be hard pressed to find a drop bar touring bike from the larger mainland european bike brands.
That is a distinction I have never been incilned to make, but probably a good and significant one. Just my ignorance maybe, but I have tended to lump Brits and mainland Europeans all together in thinking about this as all just Europeans.
Oh and fwiw, while some choices may come close nothing I have tried quite matches the hoods position on a good drop bar. Bar ends and other clamp on accesories may try. Bull horn or other bars as well, but they are just not the same IME.