It depends on your commute. Fortunately mine is on good roads without a lot of traffic, dedicated bike lanes and a good portion of the ride is on the roads I take for weekend rides. Hence the standard road bike curl is fine. I would imagine in a congested city, there might be a different answer.

I've tried ergo bends a couple times and never quite liked them. The flattened part of the drop may fit into the hand a little better, but it puts the lever slightly further away, all else being equal.

So my favorite classic-style handlebar is the Nitto B115. It has a sharper bend at the rear corners, giving a little more straight length on the tops and ramps for your hands. (That's the thing I couldn't stand about the GB Randos that Darth Lefty loves, they're narrow and curved every which way on top, so I couldn't find a good place to put my hands except the drops!) The B115 also has an 8-10 degree flare to the drops, making them more comfortable in a couple of positions, to Stewart's point.

I'm presently trying to sell the Cannondale that's attached to the GB handlebars that Scott sent me. Once my heart surgery recovery is finished, I'm allowed back on DF bikes, and the autumn-winter sales start, I'm planning on buying a new road bike. I'm between M and L and usually have bought L. I'm going a size down to M this time and maybe then I won't be riding tops-or-drops like a 70's bike with turkey levers. Instead I'll be able to ride on the hoods like modern bikes are supposed to be. In that case the shape of the brifters might really be more important than the handlebars.

I usually buy my bars from Satori as they usually make them in the same factory as other brands and they come in every conceivable size, thickness and shape.

Also, one of the largest supplier of adjustable stems and QR stems for much better storage options (page 38/39).

https://www.satoribike.com/lib/dl_fil...2020-view1.pdf

I don't care for drop bars on my commuter because of the need for sudden movements to avoid pot holes, debris in the road, pedestrians who walk into the street while staring straight down at their phones, etc....

I find the flat bar gives me more control on those jerky motions than a drop bar.

But that's me.

The ergo bars that came on my Randonee aren't ergonomic for my hands, but I put gel pads under the tape and kept riding them.

The bars that came on my Fuji were damaged a while back, and the bike shop found some that were close to the same shape. They look like the classic round bar shape, and they're a good fit for me.

Either bike can go on a long weekend road ride, depending on how much it looks like rain, and I don't bother to switch bars.

Yeah, these Tektro levers I bought for the drop conversion are ergo-type, the hoods are super long. I think they're intended for use on a compact type bar with less reach. My bar tops are already 3" below saddle and I like them there well enough but then the drops are too low. I have some concerns I'll probably have to explore about my large hands fitting on a compact bar.

All I've known up to this point is tops and drops with this exact bar, on 3 different bikes made in the 70s/early 80s (prior to current commuter). I suppose if I were to pretend I were looking at a picture of somebody else's bike, I'd probably say "how can you reach the hoods?".



Side note: I'm very encouraged by your recovery and positive attitude. Back in 2013 while I was still lurking BF and before I really got bit by the bike bug, I had the adductors in my left leg removed along with a lemon-sized sarcoma. Prior to that, I had only been riding about 500 miles a year, just on the trails and with my kids and stuff, but my leg was pretty jacked up for about 2 years and I didn't ride much at all, maybe 100 miles a year. It would be a tough thing for me to stay off the bike now.

Quick reminiscence - I remember the first time I rode my work commute after the surgery. It was similar to my current route just longer, we lived deeper into town and I worked a little further out in the country, 14 miles each way. I felt like a beast. My leg hurt so bad LOL. It was around that time I really got "bit". I could only do the ride a couple times a week but I did it as often as I could.

what's that like? I guess jogging is out? Do you need a cane?

I was on crutches for a month or so and limped for the first couple years but eventually adapted. The bike has helped a lot. I have to pace myself. I have to take care of my legs, I can't just hop on and pedal willy nilly like mad anymore. Lots of stretching, strengthening, massaging, and ibuprofen helps. Bike fit became pretty important once I started commuting every day. But most of these things I think are par for the course for pushing 40, and for cycling in general. I may be delusional, but I still think my best cycling days are yet to come. I haven't really tried jogging much yet. I bet it would hurt.

Personally, I'd use an Origin8 Pro Fit ATB stem with 31.8 clamp to give you more bar options. This will raise the bars at the same time.

I prefer the Salsa Cowbell handlebar which is available in many sizes. However, I don't have a lot of different drop bar experiences.

I have several bikes with drop bars that I ride to work, but none is designated as a commute bike. I prefer a traditional round but it's all so personal that it's hard to suggest a bar that I like that you'll like too.

If I raise the bars, I'd only want it to be a cm or two. Prior to the current road stem I was using a 25 deg riser stem (see pic) and the bars were too high, more or less level with the saddle. I've been considering the Cowbell.

There's a few on ebay and a few on amazon, not real easy to find here but looks like good stuff!

My commute is 15.5 miles one-way on mostly MUP and some surburban bike lanes. I use Easton EA50 ergo bars, 40cm width (but actually 38 c-t-c), 80mm reach and 125mm drop, with Profile Designs Airstyke clipons. New bike is getting Zipp Service Course 80 Ergo bars, which are same dimensions in the 38mm and still clipon compatible, but with drilled Di2 holes.

I've got a few different bars on the bikes. Tradition round one from the 1980's, ergo, regular shallow drop and reach, and two with flattened tops. The last two are my personal favorites as the flat tops provide a bit more area for the hands when riding on the tops. And they look better.

GEAR QUESTION: Drop bar commuters

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phamilton

Drop bar commuters:

Which bar do you use?

Why?

Classic bend, ergo, compact, what have you? ...

Maybe there are some characteristics specific to commuting that might dictate a different drop bar choice than for, say, sporty group rides or touring or something else? That’s why I’m asking here.

Personally a question I never considered after decades of year-round cycle-commuting, even after

I always raise my bars using a longer stem or tube extender, not just for commuting

Too long, didn't drool (yeah, right!); looks like you'll ride almost any bar as long as it has a Nitto Technomic stem or something like it?

lol, but what does "didn't drool, yeah right" mean? you don't like them or you do? ... got those long stems from Harris Cyclery Newton, MA many years ago. just checked their website & quickly found the brand you mentioned. could be the same as what I bought Nitto Technomic Stem (tall) 22.2mm Quill with 26.0mm Clamp

but yeah, I've done a lot of experimentation & I try to adapt to what monster I wind up with. the drop bar ends n the MTB didn't last long. not entirely sure any of them "fit like a glove" tho. current bars on the Bottecchia are pretty comfortable, but wouldn't say I was in love with them

I wonder if that is what I found and my local co-op I worked at. Part of my incentive of working there was to earn enough points to score that gorgeous handlebar. I love the curvature of it, the slight rise, the long grips at the bottom of the drops.

Based on your post I tried to google it, and found this Schwinn Le Tour
. The reach and drop are shorter than it looks in this picture - those long bar ends are a little misleading in the photo.

Looks like compass is the closest to this, although some gravel handlebars (notably the Salsa flared bars) seem to have a similar design theme.
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2015/...ur-handlebars/

[MENTION=200675]chas58[/MENTION], here's a little more info on them: VeloBase.com - Component: GB Randonneur