Well no C+V is correct for me without drop bars despite the fact that I almost never ride in the drops and have most of them jacked up to an offensive angle.

I never raced or rode like I did, being tall and long of leg, it was always a challenge with too small bikes.

On most of my MTBs I have riser bars and same on the hybrid/gravel bike. For my roadies, I am always makingsure that the seat post and stem are at the same level. Some people cut the steerer on their roadies way too short and have a seat post placed placed too high, reason why they have back aches. One of my favorite bikes is the 1993 Giant Tourer hybrid, I have a upright position, great comfort and despite not being so lightweight, it goes fast. This bike was given to me by a friend who wanted to throw it in a dump because it was too old or outdated for him. I adapted the bike to my size and it is a very good performing and very comfortable bike for the long hauls, after upgrades it even beats newer hybrids or gravel bikes, especially when fitted with 30 speeds XT 780 T transmission and vbrakes and Mavic A719 rims .
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a7339715_b.jpg

Ageing is really individual. At 60 I still have no problem at all with saddle to bars drop or reach. Having the set up exactly as I have had since I was 25. The problem is my neck. Not pain or anything like that or looking forward - but turning my head to look backwards (other cyclists, cars, etc.). I have realized I need a rear looking mirror. On the bike (bar end) or on the helmet or glasses. Does anyone have something to recommend?

Set up today:
Racer

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...edfd280e_h.jpg

Touring

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...09c169ca_h.jpg

I have bar end mirrors on most of my bikes. On those with bar end shifters, I use a Zefal Spy mirror.

I am in agreement with several others in this post in that as I age, I want my bars and my seat at the same height. In high school, I was a mountain bike rider so I have also gone to flat bars for all of my road bikes. All of my thin tire bikes have also moved on. The thinnest tires I have on any of my bikes are 35s. I have also found that I like the stability and the wider tire clearance available on older touring bikes. I have a 1985 Miyata 610 with 40s, a 1998 Klein Navigator with 35s, and an early 90s Cannondale hybrid built with the T1000 frame with 38s.

I've been using a helmet mirror consistently since the mid 90's. My choice is the mirror made by the late Chuck Harris.
There is a modern equivalent sold by the Hubbub bike shop.

There are stretches that may help improve your range of motion too.

Steve in Peoria

I am 74 and still ride my bikes with drop bars, with exception of the mountain bike. I could easily ride @styggno1 group of bikes with the drop of the stem. I can't touch the lower step anymore but I can touch the ground without bending my knees. I try to stay active with yard work, automotive maintenance and commuting when I can. I do have empathy for those who no longer have the agility of years earlier. My issues are just different

The EM is stunning and is on my bucket list of bikes.

I have used a variety of mirrors with the favorite near my left eye (right side driving). Gets some getting used to but like DT shifting, it can work well. The ability to scan works well at the same time it can be a problem.
Today I don't use a mirror. My daughter gifted me a Garmin 515 Varia. It has been very useful in removing the concern of not knowing if anything is behind and does indicate one or many. To get used to it, I turned my head to assess what it was sensing. After some time, I now know when to trust it and when to look back. I look back a lot less.

One person told me the light is the brightest he had seen. It varies with the speed and distance of the vehicle, including bikes.

i have found that if you are on a path parallel to a road, it senses what is on the road too, as long as it is above a barrier. In this scenario, it is useless.

I've had back problems for forever, and I've had neck/shoulder problems for years and have difficulty turning my head to the left. I started this "Mirror" thread several years ago- and there never seems to be a whole lot of interest in it.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...1-mirrors.html


I still like bar mounted mirrors better than the 2 helmet/glasses mounted mirrors. I don't want to look down to a bar end mirror. The perfect position was the original Mirrycle mirror- but those only work on non-aero levers- modern solutions are much more sketch.

Based on our "old farts" group rides this is a "to each his own" kind of preferences. I really like the Take A Look mirror for glasses after trying several, good mirror glass and easy to adjust and they stay adjusted (<$20 on Amazon). Sal uses a helmet mirror which did not work for me as I travel with bikes and gear and they get bumped, etc., two guys use bar end mirrors and swear by them but they always seem dirty to me and in the way, We do have a garmin user but we are lucky to ride in a sparsely populated area and might see 4 or 5 cars max on a ride. So all will work and one might be your preference.

I have a bar end mirror on my drop bars and it's very good. It's a Hafny Drop Bar Bike Mirror and the blue coating is worth every penny.

I mostly ride in the city, so mirrors, yeah.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...27a7ed337d.jpg

I should have been more clear in my original post, but I have since had time to reflect further plus many of your responses have helped me better organize my thoughts. It's not a physical issue so much as a confidence issue, I still do rolling mounts and dismounts, I'm not THAT far gone, yet. :50: But I am feeling the miles and I know my days of being able to do that are numbered so I need to prepare for it sooner than later. Certain bikes have become harder for me to do rolling mounts and dismounts on with any confidence in part due to their low speed handling characteristics. They are also not much fun to ride at the lower speeds I ride at these days so I will be focusing more on my vintage and modern MTB's rather than my vintage road bikes since I'm still very comfortable and confident on the MTB's. I'm not giving up on drop bar road bikes totally just the ones with less stable low speed handling since I'm a low speed rider LOL. Some of them I have no issues with but some with more race oriented geometry are starting to make me nervous. One in particular down right scared me during a test ride, I was not expecting that type of handling from it as I have what I thought is a nearly identical frame one year older from the same manufacturer that I absolutely love. However, they turned out to have VERY different handling characteristics. I will be carefully evaluating each bike one by one to decide if I'm OK with them and if not do I want to invest in them to make them "OK" for me. I'll try to judge the non-functional bikes on the functional ones most like them before proceeding with building them. I will also ask for input on here from those that have the same bikes as to what I might expect as far as handling. Unfortunately I have a large selection to choose from so when it's all said and done I will probably still have too many bikes LOL.


I'm keeping the original 27" wheels on mine because they are in great shape plus I don't have enough 700c wheels to go around. While the selection of wide 27" tires isn't huge there are a few 27 X 1-3/8" (35mm) tires available including one of my favorites the Continental Tour Ride and I will be ordering a pair of those in the very near future to get it back n the road.


Same here, I always ride the tops and while I might be more comfortable on some of them with flat bars no drop bar bikes will be converted to flat bar in the making of this saga. But now that I know how to make them work effectively a few mid-level bikes may get retrofitted with the dreaded turkey levers and there is always the option of CX interrupter levers, I just wish they were more vintage looking. If I'm not comfortable with the way they handle and it can't be cured with basic changes like larger tires and fitting adjustments they will be rehomed. I suspect I may be keeping more of my lower to mid level bikes than upper level as they were usually built with frame geometry for more casual riding to begin with and I'm OK with that if that's how it pans out. Besides, I've always been a I'll get there when I get there rider, I don't "need" anything more than that.

It has been almost a year since I broke my hip. The hardest part of coming back was to get my leg over the seat when getting on or off the bike. Riding in the drops caused hip pain so I would alternate for the first few months , forcing myself back to my normal riding position. I would look for a curb or a wall to help me get on and off my bike , it was very annoying . I was stretching and doing the exercises that I was taught in physical therapy. I can now ride like I used to without too much pain but it was a long , hard road back . I will be 70 in a couple of months and the only thing that has changed is my bike preference . I have sold the bikes that were on the small side and one that had a long top tube. I prefer a tight geometry for my long legs and short torso but still down in the drops most of the time. I still keep the top of the bars just slightly lower than the seat.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...85454518d.jpeg
This is very comfy for me, set up like my others. ItalVega

Is it a mortal sin to quote yourself, or just a venial sin?
Regardless... Cycling Plus magazine used to have a column on stretches and exercises that build core strength and flexibility. I was perusing the ones that I had saved, and this one seemed to address the sort of neck stretches that I was thinking of....


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0429de2c20.jpg

Steve in Peoria

I got a cheap amazon basics wobble board and spend time on it every day for ongoing balance practice

I'm still riding the same drop from saddle to bars on my race bikes. Problem for me is they no longer ride at race speeds. :p
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...53dcc3137.jpeg
Full disclosure: When some of them get overhauled I'm looking at 170mm cranks instead of 175 cranks. Ohhh, and freewheels with more than a 26 big cog. The Bianchi has a 170crank arm and 30 tooth big cog for the 53/42 rings.

warning! Off topic question ahead!

.... can I ask where you got those gloves??
I've been looking for some proper "classic" gloves.

thanks!
Steve in Peoria

Altura is the brand - no memory where purchased. Soft leather palm, no real padding.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8dc3c17c87.jpg
I kinda prefer a tough leather on my palm.

I have this mirror for my drop bar bikes. I am unable to move my left eye to the left, making looking over my shoulder useless. This little mirror has given me so much more confidence and a sense of security.

I like the ones from aero tech...classic look with gel https://aerotechdesigns.com/extra-pa...ing-glove.html

Those are nice, how robust, tough?

@styggno1

I have used Take a Look mirrors for for quite awhile now, they go on your glasses but I recently figured out how to make it work on my helmet so I don't have to move it around.

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...cyclist-mirror

I was never one for slamming stems, but neither have I made the move to raising the handlebars above the upper limit of a standard quill. Still, with 70 staring me in the face next year and my perpetual numb hands, a result of abuse heaped on them 50 years ago as a bike mechanic, I am not ruling out a more upright riding position in the future. A couple years ago I was looking at a Raleigh Team Pro that I had built up for my wife with a Technomics stem, but which she had managed to never even once ride (she prefers upright bars or, better, the tandem), and I asked "Over the years, how often would you say you have ridden on the drops?" Her answer set me back--"Never. I've never ridden on the drops." Duh--why didn't I know that after 45 years?

I am reminded of the need to become more consistent with stretching exercises, accepting that it's a "Use it or lose it" proposition. Being on our second border collie, I get daily reminders of the importance of stretching, especially before any physical activity. I find myself favoring the two road bikes with tires over 30 mm wide, which is not a surprise since it's 5 miles to pavement. If I'm trying to get somewhere, I still enjoy the response and feel of 25 - 28 mm tires on pavement, but the numbers tell me that it doesn't make much of any difference to be riding 38s, even on pavement.

At some point, I'm going to build up a bike with fatter tires and more swept back bars that offer multiple riding positions without drops and see how it goes. I have been riding mountain bikes since the '80s, but they don't offer multiple hand positions. Converting one of those 26" wheeled MTBs into an off-road trekking bike might be a low-cost way to dip a toe into the water.

I have found that if I don't, then very soon, I can't. I suspect that I am more limited in range of motion than most on here. Since elementary gym class, I have not been able to touch my toes without bending my knees, wrist extension is limited to 30 degrees, etc, for every joint. And like many on here, my body has been opened up a few times for upgrades. This is to say that the O.P. should get back on the bikes he likes to ride and ride often. But if he wants to abandon drop bar road bike riding for shorter, slower, upright riding, on fat tires, he is free to do so. My apologies for delivering the tough love. :giver:

[QUOTE=styggno1;23315114]Ageing is really individual. At 60 I still have no problem at all with saddle to bars drop or reach. Having the set up exactly as I have had since I was 25. The problem is my neck. Not pain or anything like that or looking forward - but turning my head to look backwards (other cyclists, cars, etc.). I have realized I need a rear looking mirror. On the bike (bar end) or on the helmet or glasses. Does anyone have something to recommend?

I have and use this mirror. I think it works well:

https://berthoudcycles.fr/en/153-rear-view-mirrors

I see people using all kinds of mirrors. I suspect the differences among them are minor. They all have some downsides and present compromises.

A handlebar mirror may be difficult to locate especially on drop bars. Also, needing to sweep your handlebar to point the mirror would make you turn, so to correct that, you can use a convex mirror, and then it's distorted. These are not major problems, but you have to consider them.

An eyeglass or helmet mirror can work, but because it's close to your eye, it does not show you the world directly behind you. To use it, you must turn your head a little.

I used to use eyeglass mirrors, and I found the best one was the Take-A-Look. It allows many adjustments.

A couple of years ago, I switched to a helmet mirror, specifically the HubBub mirror. It costs a bit, but it has been worth it for me. I sometimes ride in the rain, and my glasses get foggy in the rain. My prescription is mild enough that I can afford to take my glasses off in the rain. This is one reason the helmet mirror is good for me. The HubBub is extremely sturdy. You have to bend it into shape with pliers. It takes a lot of effort. I can drop my helmet (not on purpose), and the mirror will not be knocked off or damaged. I expect it to last a long time.

Both eyeglass and helmet mirrors require practice, and I don't just mean for the initial week or two. I mean every time I get on the bike, I have to aim and look a few times. It's a bit like checking your mirror before you start driving a car, but it takes a little more effort. But it's totally worth it for me. I'm so aware of my conditions that I have had people behind me remark that they NOTICE how aware and predictable I am!

In your first couple of weeks of using a mirror (of any kind) use it to learn that it is NOT safe to make a maneuver. If you look and see no danger, that does not mean it is safe; it only means you don't see the danger. Keep turning around to be sure before you change lanes or whatever.