Multi-position handlebars, not drops, for general commuting?
 

I am building up a road frame, and I like to ride fast, but I don't like drop bars much. This is for a number of reasons, namely that my wrists seem to be uncomfortable in any position (especially on the hoods or corners, where they seem to be cocked at an angle relative to my forearms), and also that I have scoliosis and cannot stand bending far enough over to use the drops.

I don't like the butterfly/trekking bars, the hand positions are either too far away or too close. I am interested in moustache bars, and also in different bar-end attachments, and also possibly in bullhorn/TT/"fixie" bars.

Ideally Scott would never have stopped making the AT-3: http://sheldonbrown.com/scott.html


At the moment, I have some flat bars, and I might switch them over to the new bike from my old one. They are standard mountain bars, and I have them set up so that they are at the same level as my seat. Any lower than that, and my back is curved down too far and it starts to ache. I will probably add accessories to them if I keep them.
I have seen some Cane Creek bar ends that look interesting: http://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...+Bar+Ends.aspx

Can anyone share their setups for multi-position bars? I'm interested in any suggestions that I have not thought of, so long as the bars remain at the level of the seat. Can anyone with moustache bars chime in and let me know if they really stretch you out when you ride the centers?

The mustache bars will stretch you out a bit more if you ride on the curves. They also tend to run a little wide. So, if you're riding in close traffic, they might affect your ability to maneuver effectively. I like them, and think they offer many useful positions, but I prefer drops.

I also ride bullhorns. They offer fewer hand positions. They also stretch you out if you ride on the horns. They're not as useful as drops when you're climbing, in my opinion. If you ride with the bars at saddle height, they will not really be useful. You could just add bar ends to your straight bars and get essentially the same effect.

If the drops hurt you, and you cannot ride with the bars below the saddle height, you might consider that the frame may be a little too small for you. Unless there's a medical/age reason, you should be able to ride with the bars slightly below the saddle. Your back should not curve 'too far', as you put it, if the bike fits you, although some curvature of the back is expected. You can get drops with more 'spread' in the drops, this should make it more comfortable.

stem too long? bad fit on drops?

Drop stem, risers with neon Ourys.

Ben's Cycle sells a product on ebay that's somewhat similar to the Scott bars .

I must add, though, that it really sounds to me like you're making some error in setup with your drop bars. I've tried most of the oft-suggested alternatives, and found nothing that matches the comfort of a wide set of drop bars. It's a matter of getting and adjusting a stem that puts them in the right place.

Flat bars with barends are a cheap, simple, multi-position setup. Do barends work for you?

Another fan of non-drop bars on the road here -- nothing wrong with drops/they make a great deal of sense, esp. re. aerodynamic positioning, but I just don't seem to get on with 'em.

So, fwiw, my take:
1. If you like wide bars (I don't), as in more than, say, 24", then you need substantial back-sweep for natural wrist positioning. Many options out there for this from the mtb world.

2. If you like narrowish bars (well under 24"), which is what I use (Easton flat [non-riser] cut down to 22"), then backsweep not so important; I've found that a minimal sweep flat bar, with Ergon grips and bar ends, works very effectively. The 'control' (brakes/shifters) position of an mtb but with the ability to change hand positions (e.g. mimic 'riding on the hoods' etc.).

Sorry to sidetrack the post, but your problem seems to be more about bike fit than bar choice. For example, the comment about drops being too low. There's no reason you couldn't get the drops high enough to be comfortable in them.

You're right though, I think drop bars are a poor choice for someone who's not going to actually use the drops.

My suggestion is to decide what angle you think your wrist/hand would be comfortable with. Flat bar, rise bar, something with a mild sweep, north roads style bar, moustache, etc. From there, work on the height and reach you need to get them comfortable.

Just like the comment above about bullhorns stretching you out... well, initially, bullhorns were used on bikes with very low bar heights, effectively reducing the horizontal reach. As someone who rides drop bars IN the drops, I would want to drop about two frame sizes to use bullhorns.

Anyway... I would rather see you focus on finding one good position than worrying about multiple ones.

IMHO, you can get bar ends that are longer and offer more hand positions for way less than $50 - For example, http://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...+Bar+Ends.aspx.

Here's a set of moustache bars for $20. If you decide you don't like them, then at least you're not out a huge chunk of cash. http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...B%20Handlebars

More multi-position handlebar options:
http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30...ory=602&type=T
http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30...ory=862&type=T

I hope those links helped!! Good luck!

Look at an Albatross bar ?

My wife has some hand/wrist motion limitations,
she has used both an On-One Mary bar and Origin 8 space bar (they are similar)
with grip shifters (her Cannondale T-2000) is set up that way.

Another possible choice is the Jones H-bar ($$$) or the Titec H-bar copy.

Try a drop like the Nitto noodle in a wide 48cm size. Use a shorter stem (shortest you can find). Use "cross" secondary levers.

The noodle bars are flat behind the hoods. The drops are shallow. If you get the really wide ones they are incredibly comfortable without compromising power or control. They aren't so wide that they are in the way trying to get through tight areas. If using a short stem, riding the hoods gives a comfortable, reasonable, slightly-aero position. Using the horizontal section you are upright. You still have shallow drops for a less aggressive aero position. You won't be sorry, these are by far the most comfortable bars with the greatest choice in riding style. On a bike you need lots of position options depending on speed, power, comfort, visibility, wind, etc. I've never seen any other bar come close to the 48cm noodle.

My sprung brooks is just slightly higher than my bars (before I plant my fat arse on it)

more views of nitto noodle riding positions

I bought them at velo orange, they are the widest made, 48cm. $54. Under that PITA not-worth-it leather is Fizik Bar Gel and Tape, which is awesome. The brake hoods are Cane Creek but I felt like I had more power with my old shimanos. The short 65mm stem is a nashbar cheapo. So are the cross levers.

Anyone have any experience with shallow ergo drops, like the Ritchey Biomax?

If I've got the story straight, the bars on eBay used to be sold as GT Brahma bars. I bought a set of the GTs way back in the mid '90s, and recently transferred them onto my commuting bike. I was unhappy with the fit and comfort of my bar ends. I have been very pleased with these now; they have been great for the commute. They offer an extra hand position or two, use regular mountain-type brake and shift levers, and I think they just look cool. I wrapped mine in some extra-thick synthetic bar tape.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2252/...ab80dd34_m.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonmile...7600061861035/

I ride with these on two of my bikes (the Scott bars). I've added aeros for more positions. I recently went to the Trekking bars, and like them even better as I no longer need the aeros.

Have you thought about using the drop handlebars and raising them up to make them more comfortable?
also you might need a wider drop handlebar due to your statement about riding the corners makes your hands turn in...

I know of one guy that said that he raises the handlbars so that the drops are at the same height as the seat... the only problem with that is you might have to spend some money for cables because they are unlikely to be long enough for you to do that... (I have thought about doing that myself actually but I guess laziness has kicked in and I don't find my current setup uncomfortable...)

I'm using 46cm Salsa Bell Lap bars on my X-Check. (Stock bars on the complete setup from Surly.) The tops are fairly flat out to the hoods and the reach isn't that far. A big plus is that the drop section flares out a couple of cm from the top of the bar, so the drops don't put your hands at an odd angle. The way this tilts the hoods in slightly keeps my wrists from angling weird when riding the hoods.

It does sound like you need to look into properly adjusting your stem before chucking your drops in the bin. I spent a lot of time trying to set up my old bike properly, and never quite got it right. A pro fitting when I bought my new bike revealed that I'd been moving my bars the totally wrong direction on that old bike, and that's what was causing my back pain. Work with your LBS, explain the issues with your back, and get fitted for your particular ride positioning.

Well, he's building up the bike so he has some flexibility, cables presumably aren't an issue yet (?). One possible temporary option is to get a multi-position integrated headset like comes on some lower end road bikes (like, say, mine). I really liked it when I first started riding because I didn't know what the hell I was doing, so it was easy to move it around until I learned what worked for me. I put it up until the bars are a little lower than the seat, and about even for longer rides.

I think you can buy these things, but if you have a good relationship with a LBS ask them if they have any left over, because a lot of people get them replaced immediately when they get a new bike.

Drop bars are just a type of bar, there's no innate reason they need to be higher or lower than another kind.

I put the Ritcheys on my Fantom Cross and think they`re great. I had trouble getting comfortable on the hoods and drops before but the Biomax bars have a shorter reach, drop, and the flats are slightly flared toward the rider. Very comfortable and a big improvement in every way. I had my choices narrowed down to the Ritcheys and the Salsa Pocos but found a better deal on the Ritcheys. Hope this helps.

Ditto.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2340/...fca2f5b170.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2282/...616ad8979f.jpg

+1 on the Nitto Noodles (46cm) and cross levers. I have both on my two bikes and would not use any other. I used to ride moustache bars and found the noodles to be more comfortable.

[IMG]http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ikePics209.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ikePics175.jpg[/IMG]

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.
http://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

Schwiiiiin schaWIIINNNGg. Are there more pics of that thing on BF?

Nitto Mustache bars! I have them on two of my bikes, a vintage Motobecane Grand Touring, and my current newer road bike. They offer many hand positions, are comfortable, and would be great for commuting situations. Most people do not ride much in the drops, especially as one gets older and less flexible. I use bar end shifters on my newer bike, and it is handy to reach vs. the down tubes on my Moto. Set up the mustache bars higher then the saddle. I used a Rivendell Nitto Dirt Drop stem which works great. People either love or hate these bars. I do have an Albatross bar I want to put on a hybrid bike I have. I bet they are good also.

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.