Multi-position handlebars, not drops, for general commuting?
01-22-08 | 07:31 AM
#26
Proxymoron
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Austin, TX
Bikes: Jamis Coda Sport, Marin Muirwoods
Thanks for the info keytree - I have the same issues with the same bike. What width did you get?
To the OP: if you decide to stick with a flatbar, I can highly recommend Ergon grips.
https://www.ergon-bike.com/en/index.html
My commuter is equipped with these, and hand numbness has decreased from a painful daily occurence to a minor, occasional annoyance.
A narrow flat bar in the right place for comfort can be a very efficient position. Not as good as drops but more comfy too.
Cheers
To the OP: if you decide to stick with a flatbar, I can highly recommend Ergon grips.
https://www.ergon-bike.com/en/index.html
My commuter is equipped with these, and hand numbness has decreased from a painful daily occurence to a minor, occasional annoyance.
A narrow flat bar in the right place for comfort can be a very efficient position. Not as good as drops but more comfy too.
Cheers
01-22-08 | 07:31 AM
#27
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From: Victoria, BC
Bikes: Bridgestone MB-5, Rocky Mountain Oxygen Race, Surly LHT, Specialized Roubaix Expert, Marinoni Sportivo, Steelwool Tweed
I think I will try out the Biomax bars. I haven't actually built up the bike entirely yet, it is my size, though. My impressions come from another bike with drop bars, which were narrow. I tried the Biomax bars at the LBS the other day and they seem nice. I seem to like bars with the ergonomic "bump" in the drops, the other so-called ergo bars just have a flat section that never seems to be the right size, and my hands would slide down it. The classic bend bars have more hand positions within the drops, for sure, but not really any positions where I can rest my entire hand, aside from the flat part at the bottom of the drops. So the Biomax bars are a compromise, with only one position in the drops, but a very comfortable one.
I'll probably go with a 100mm or 110mm stem, probably 110 as that seems to be standard, and it would put the overall length of the riding position slightly shorter than that on my hybrid bike. I assume that slightly shorter is better, because drop bars would need to be closer than flat bars in order to use the entire bar effectively.
I think my LBS will let me exchange stems if I don't like them, so there is really nothing to lose.
As far as bar height is concerned, my fork, which I got used, has a lot of steerer tube on it, and I can get the tops of the bars around the same height as the saddle, maybe an inch or two lower. Any higher than the saddle, and I think it defeats the purpose of having drops entirely.
Thanks for the help, everyone, the pictures especially were informative and helped me decide to go with drops.
I'll probably go with a 100mm or 110mm stem, probably 110 as that seems to be standard, and it would put the overall length of the riding position slightly shorter than that on my hybrid bike. I assume that slightly shorter is better, because drop bars would need to be closer than flat bars in order to use the entire bar effectively.
I think my LBS will let me exchange stems if I don't like them, so there is really nothing to lose.
As far as bar height is concerned, my fork, which I got used, has a lot of steerer tube on it, and I can get the tops of the bars around the same height as the saddle, maybe an inch or two lower. Any higher than the saddle, and I think it defeats the purpose of having drops entirely.
Thanks for the help, everyone, the pictures especially were informative and helped me decide to go with drops.
01-22-08 | 07:42 AM
#28
Senior_Member2
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,694
Likes: 0
From: Finlando NOT: Orlando, Fl
Bikes: Beater + Nishiki Bigfoot X-29
I love bar-ends, I have only tried these but they fit me perfectly. You can adjust the angle so its comfortable . Since I have a coaster brake I rarely move my hands from the bar-ends, even when steering through traffic.
01-22-08 | 08:12 AM
#29
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,563
Likes: 1,050
From: Berwyn PA
Bikes: I hate bikes!
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01-22-08 | 04:24 PM
#30
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 619
Likes: 1
That is a nice looking bike!
In other news, I just bought a set of Ritchey Pro Biomax bars on eBay for $1, which I think is a pretty good deal, considering that they are new :-P
When I asked the seller about the clamp diameter, he said it is 31.0, which does not exist. I assume he meant 31.8. Those bars come in both 26.0 and 31.8 versions, so I might have to wait until they show up to buy a stem.
For those that are curious, this is a road/fast commute build based on the following parts:
Fetish Cycles Inizio 56cm - $38 on eBay, brand new
Kestrel EMS Pro OS fork - $40 or so on eBay, used, but in good shape
The aforementioned drop bars
Sugino VP compact double - 48/36
Some 700c hybrid/touring wheels, I plan to run 700x28 tires, anything narrower is too narrow for the rims
Unfortunately the hub on the rear wheel is a 7-speed freehub, which kind of sucks, but I might just do the thing Sheldon Brown suggests and run 8 cogs from a 9-speed cassette on it, with the 9-speed spacers. I will probably end up with friction shifters for now. Later on, I will probably upgrade to a nicer set of wheels with indexed shifting of some kind. I am probably going with bar-ends on this bike, STI is very expensive to leave on a bike that will be locked up outside all day. If I get the right bar-ends, I can run them in friction mode now and indexed later on when I get the right parts.
In other news, I just bought a set of Ritchey Pro Biomax bars on eBay for $1, which I think is a pretty good deal, considering that they are new :-P
When I asked the seller about the clamp diameter, he said it is 31.0, which does not exist. I assume he meant 31.8. Those bars come in both 26.0 and 31.8 versions, so I might have to wait until they show up to buy a stem.
For those that are curious, this is a road/fast commute build based on the following parts:
Fetish Cycles Inizio 56cm - $38 on eBay, brand new
Kestrel EMS Pro OS fork - $40 or so on eBay, used, but in good shape
The aforementioned drop bars
Sugino VP compact double - 48/36
Some 700c hybrid/touring wheels, I plan to run 700x28 tires, anything narrower is too narrow for the rims
Unfortunately the hub on the rear wheel is a 7-speed freehub, which kind of sucks, but I might just do the thing Sheldon Brown suggests and run 8 cogs from a 9-speed cassette on it, with the 9-speed spacers. I will probably end up with friction shifters for now. Later on, I will probably upgrade to a nicer set of wheels with indexed shifting of some kind. I am probably going with bar-ends on this bike, STI is very expensive to leave on a bike that will be locked up outside all day. If I get the right bar-ends, I can run them in friction mode now and indexed later on when I get the right parts.
