As I was reading the other excellent thread about placement of levers, I began to wonder: how many of you fine folks ride the drops (if you have drop bars), and how often do you do so. As I thought back to my past 35 years of riding "10-speeds", I have to say I rarely find the need or the desire to ride low down - not to say it doesn't happen, but I'm talking normal everyday riding.

I find myself about 70% on the hoods, 25% on the top flat portion, and maybe 5% on the flats. Now I'm old so its more uncomfortable for me to ride the drops these days, but I recall that over the years, unless I was really honking along in a high gear, or trying to get the most out of a long smooth downhill, I never used the drops.

What about you folks?

Mark

I'm about the same as you.
I'm only in the drops in strong headwinds.

I never ride the drops. Also never stand up.

Maybe you should try a different style bar. Flipped north roads give a nice compromise between the hoods and drops position, and are nice to ride around in town too.

I only ride on the Tops of the bars like 10% of the time, I pretty much split my time between the drops and hoods. For what its worth, I ride aero brake levers on all my bikes.

Yup

Aaron

I find that for me it depends on the size of my gut at the time. For example:

If its around 39" maybe 10% on the drops. I dont even get on the hooks when I am like this.

If its about 32" I would guess 75% on the drops. 5% on the hooks when there is headwind or really short and steep inclines/declines. I just feel more comfortable and "supported" on the drops, when I am thinner.

I don't ride the hoods that I can remember. I am sure I ride them sometimes, especially if I am anticipating braking, but I just cant remember the last time I did it. If I do it has to be for a very short amount of time. I don't really know right now.

I encountered a cat twice last Saturday about 30 mins between sightings and both times he was riding on locked elbows on the centers of his drop bars. Don't be that guy.

i'd say about 60% flats behind the hoods, 35 on the hoods. the rest in the drop.. for headwinds and trying to catch whoever just passed me

40 hoods, 40 flat, 20 drops. I like my bars high enough that it's actually not super uncomfortable to ride in the drops. I feel you get a better range of choices that way.

This week I'm riding almost 100% on the flats though because I pulled something in my neck and it's been killing me.

You must be joking, or all your bikes are on trainers, or what??

My daily ride is a noodle bar with aero hoods and I'd say I'm 60% hoods, 25% top, and 15% drops. I always hit the drops when I go down any hills or when I catch a tail-wind. Sometimes I'll hit drops when pumping through a massive head-wind as well.

+1. Although occasionally I shift to the drops if the word "glutes" should cross my mind.

Probably 40% tops, 40% ramps, 20% drops. Mainly for headwinds or just a change of pace.

75% hoods or on the flats behind them. Inclines/hills I'm up on top - so maybe 25% of the time. Drops - not very often. With the brifters I'm on the hoods most of the time - they're bigger/thicker and more comfortable. On the bikes with the aero-levers I'm usually on the bar because the levers are smaller and are not nearly as comfortable.

I don't think that really is what the OP would want. We're talking about road bikes here. Like most people I ride the hoods or just behind about 80-90 percent of the time, the drops get used in strong headwinds, on down hills and for all out out of the saddle sprinting. I will occassionally go down to the drops on a long flat if I can find one around here. I am on the flat straight part only as a position on long climbs.

Was it a fixed gear?

I set up my bikes to be comfortable (for me) on the drops.

Drops -- 45%

Hoods -- 50%

Top -- 5%

When I see people (and they're about 98% guys) who spend a lot of time out of the saddle, methinks:
a) that person's saddle is too low, and
b) they're trying to impress by staying in too high a gear.
Spinning is where I'm comfortable, and you can't do that out of the saddle.

I can't tell you how many "racer-wannabee" types I spin past on uphills. If I'm in a peckish mood, I mutter "lower gear, man" as I blow by them.

Are there really any HILLS in NYC? LOL!

Good for you, Charles, to offer encourage to the "wannabees"! I've been to my not so LBS several times in the past several weeks and this young fellow, about cudak888 and Banjo Mole's age, has been very helpful, but he keeps asking me, "Are you a Weekend Warrior?" Each time I tell him to take a look at my overweight, really middle aged body, and tell him, "Who would want to send this into battle? I just like riding!"

On Topic: I've never logged my drops vs. tops vs. hoods vs. flats time. I'm too busy keeping an eye out for pot holes, frost heave cracks, and NH wildlife.

You are correct, though I was a bit curious about Northroads for the AO-8 since it has such relaxed geometry.

+1 for me!!!!!

And PB: I don't log my time either - more of a guess.....but I honestly find on the drops my neck (and gut) is uncomfortable enough that I am not looking up the road as much as I should.....so its harder to avoid those potholes, sharp stones and presents from the bovines.

Mark

On drop bars, I'm mostly on the hoods, a bit on the flats, and only in drops when I want to be more aero. That's one reason why I like Tektro aero levers, as they're very comfortable to grip, particularly when climbing.

And on the standing or seated question, I stand to climb because I'm too lazy to shift and want to keep a consistent cadence. That comes from years of riding a single speed.

Neal

I started reading this post trail to see if I would find what I was expecting. And I did. I found several posts of folks saying that is was uncomfortbale riding on the drops due to comfort reasons from being overweight and/or having an increased waistline. That certainly is true, but please don't blame that condition on middle-age spread or slowed-down metobolism. Sure, there are valid medical reasons, but that's not what I am addressing here.

I ride the drops a lot, and for extended periods, becuase it is comfortable for me and I like to take advantage of the aero position when needed. Believe me, I was overweight twice in my lifetime, and three years ago, at 56, I refused to accept the easy-out answers of getting older and slowing down of metabolism, etc, etc. Those are just excuses. I am now 59 and am able to maintain a 29" waist by daily exercise and just plain eating right. No magic formulas, just common sense of LESS INPUT and MORE OUTPUT. Every single day of the year, I exercise. No excuses. Usually I run 4-5 miles and/or ride 25-40 miles. Plus, I work full time. It can be done. I am in the best shape of my life. My resting heart rate is 48 and I have lots of energy.

I am not trying to preach here, but please don't believe the myths that middle-age spread is pre-determined. It is not.

Thanks for reading my rambling if you have made it this far.

I ride in the drops a fair amount, most often on long flats. For fast downhills, I tend to be in the bends, covering the brake levers (just in case I get scared...), if I want to be more aero there, I just bend my elbows.

Riding in the drops can be comfortable when you get used to it. These days, my stem is 2 inches lower than the saddle. I think that some people feel an obligation to be hammering when on the drops, which inhibits used of them. Sometimes, when I have been off the bike a lot, I pointedly force myself to ride the drops a bit to get used to it again.

I've also largely given up riding out of the saddle in deference to my aging knees. Maybe it looks ridiculous spinning up a hill in a super low gear, but if the gear is there, I'll shift down to it and stay in the saddle.

Watch pro road cyclists and see how much time they spend in the drops. Other than during a sprint finish, they also spend most of their time on the hoods.

The more time you spend in the drops, the more you get used to them. And when the wind is blowing, they are nice to have.

It's more efficient to stay seated on a climb but I still stand now and then to break the monotony.

If I'm in the drops, I'm either bucking a headwind, or trying to catch up to another old guy who just passed me! Usually on the hoods, the tops if going slower than usual.

I switch off to keep it interesting. The drops are pretty comfy to me because they require even less reach. Unfortunately, my older 8-speed Ergo levers are pretty far away when I'm in the drops. Modern Ritchey Classic road bars and old Campy levers don't really go well as far as spacing goes! Still, I try and ride in the drops to change it up and not forget how!