A 4" drop is pretty good to begin. Riding in the drops should make a really big aero improvement just as long as you have your arms bent.

Too many people that say they ride in the drops a lot either have their bars high to behin with or ride with straight arms. In either case it's not aero. You'll also see people on the hoods with bent arms and flat backs that are more aero than other riders in the drops.

Since you got the burn sensation you are using muscle groups differently, which is good.

Good thread. Losing weight is definitely going to help me, but my biggest hurdle is definitely neck soreness. Did a metric century on Sunday and my neck is still a bit sore from it, and I was only in the drops for a total of maybe 5 minutes.

I don't really know as I don't use a computer. If it made a difference, it would likely be small enough that my crude distance/elapsed clock time speed measurements would be too inaccurate to reveal the distinction.

Riding in the drops requires less effort, once you get used to it. My old Trek was scary in the drops. Also when I started my legs banged into my gut. I lost weight and it got easier. I'm much more comfortable in the drops on my new CAAD. I can usually go up a gear and maintain the same effort, or stay in the same gear and reduce effort.

If you've been fitted for just riding on the hoods, your setup may be slightly off too (saddle tilt, set back, height, etc.). On my last road bike, I was set up by my buddy who owned the shop. He smacked me when he said "get in a comfortable riding position" and I put my hands on the hoods. He knew how I rode, and expected me to get set up for maximum efficiency while using the drops. I complied.

As with others, gradually increase time in drops and lose weight if you've got any flab around the middle.

Last weekend I found the perfect place for practising riding in the drops.

I wasn't in the drops for the whole 70 mile ride (segment), but quite a bit.

https://www.strava.com/activities/718263879

(Loaded touring, 3rd day in, whew. This doesn't count going the other direction )

Seems like riding with aero bars would be more comfortable on a long ride. Maybe not as low as the drops but low enough that the triathletes use them. Then again the Time Trial bikes use them too and they are lower than the Tri bikes.

The huge advantage of using the drops a lot. Less lost training time from spills happening because you hit something and you either lost control or your hands slip off the hoods. Quite simply, the drops are the most secure way to hold the handlebars. Even with completely relaxed hands, it takes a lot to dislodge them. True, a little less aero than arms bent, forearms parallel to the ground on the hoods, but that position should only be used when you can see up the road and you aren't to tired too react to what you should have seen.

I set bikes up to be ultimately comfortable in the drops, then position the hoods to optimize them. I also position the drops far enough forward or down that I can ride with my back close to horizontal with my arms almost straight. This means I have a comfortable bike that I can ride upwind for an hour or two tired (and will still be safe after I become considerably more tired ). Yes, the hoods would be faster for that long upwind haul, as would close drops and bent elbows, but when the bent arms gets too old/tiring, aero goes completely out the window whereas the long reach to the drops can be done in relaxed state for hous keeping my back low. For endless upwind stretches, that counts for a lot!

Ben

I ride in the drops 60 - 70% of the time. It is definitely far more efficient than riding on the hoods. However,
1) you have to be fairly trim to be comfortable. It will let you know if your gut is in the way. And
2) you will find out quickly just how far your age related cervical degeneration/arthritis has progressed. I find as I tire I tend to focus about three bike lengths out with reasonably frequent glances further down the road. Of course, if you are group riding you have to be aware of what is happening in the group so focus is different.

The neck is the first to go!

I think keeping your back flat is pretty important to riding comfortably in the drops. I had a yoga instructor say to "lead with the heart" when stretching which is basically the same thing as keeping your back flat. I find that the saying comes to mind often when I'm tired and my back starts to hunch.

use the drops when you need them - when you don't need them, ride higher.

The core muscle comments are 100% correct. Always keep your wrists straight, always keep your elbows bent, always keep your shoulders relaxed.
Consciously support yourself with core muscles. Ride in your core muscles. When you lean on your hands, you're riding in your neck and shoulders. Braking is the only time you should be supporting yourself with the bars.

I have some friends that like to use aero bars. I have not tried them. However, almost all of the better, or maybe faster is a better description, group rides do not allow riders in the aero bars. Some will not let a rider join that even has them on the bike. A rider in the aero bar position does not have the control needed in a fast group. No group rides, no problem.

If bars are properly setup then drops may not be as fast as hoods. Forearms parallel to ground with hands on hoods *should* have the back in the same position as hands on the drops and a little less arm in the wind.

You can also get very aero with forearms on the top of the bars. Definitely not for in the pack.

The more power you put out the lower you can put your bars, the less weight is on the bars. IMO - most that copy an aggressive racing position do not have the power to take the weight off their hands.

How about a group ride of aero bar riders?

On the off chance that you're not being facetious - in a paceline or fast group ride you need fast access to your brakes in case there's something happening ahead of you that requires immediate reaction. That's not possible if you're on the extensions on a TT/tri bike or on aerobars on a road bike.

They can all meet later in rehab to discuss their crashes!

Yes it certainly is. I have Syntace C2 clip-on aerobars on my road bike. On long even descents being on the aerobars is slightly faster than being in a deep tuck with my chin on my stem. On cold days or in the rain, aerobars are also far warmer. Also more comfortable and save upper body strength. Bridging gaps on aerobars is a real eye-opener.

Of course you can't use them when you're closer than say 15' to a rider in front of you, but they're pretty useless then anyway because you're in the draft. My practice is to pull for long periods or ride solo on them. I ride hoods in a paceline, except 2nd and 3rd wheel I ride the drops. Doncha just love it when guys pull on the hoods? Kills me. Rolling pacelines, no aerobars, mostly in the drops.

Our tandem is fitted for aerobars in both captain and stoker positions. I can ride hoods in a paceline while Stoker rides her aerobars.

IMO riding in the drops is pretty much for pro racers. I dont know how many times I have had to yell at someone in the drops, riding with their head down on bike trails.

That's why I like my endurance geometry/fit (without a slammed stem). I can ride down in the drops pretty much as much as I want and if I want to take in the scenery can pop up to the hoods. I also find climbing out of the saddle I can go longer in the drops than the hoods. It seems like my weight is more forward when I am in the drops, not sure if that is what makes the difference.

scott s.
.

I looked and the pics of the Transonic. It has what I think are called compact handlebars with very little runout in the drop position. A cheap fix is to add a set of bar extenders. I put them on my bike and they made a world of difference in hand comfort.

As was mentioned above clipon aerobars add both comfort and speed with no extra effort. Maybe not such a good idea in the middle of a paceline but great when it’s your turn to take a pull out front. I don’t think they are allowed in UCI sanctioned events, but they only take a minute to take off.

>Of course if you have carbon bars, ignore my advice.

Too much drop
A lot of riders on my group rides have too much drop to their bars. They rarely use the drops, spending all their time on the hoods.

Yes. Using a level, I have about two finger widths between the top of the saddle and the top of the bars. About 1 3/8 inches. And even a little less drop on my all-day, light-touring bike.

I switch between the hoods and the drops to give my hands a rest. The drops are all on my palm, the hoods are more on the V between my thumb and fingers.

Holding the top part of the shifters with the side of my palm and the outside three fingers lets me have my forearm parallel to the ground, and is even more aero than using the drops. But you need smooth roads--I had both hands bounced right off the bars when I hit an unseen dip in the road. Luckily, my hands fell right back onto the bars, it could have been ugly.

Campagnolo shifters are obviously designed for this, with the outside of the top of the shifter curved in to allow a comfortable grip.

Yes, shallow drop bars are just right for me, too. I can switch to the drops with just a slight downward movement of my body, or angle my forearms more and drop my body and head even more.

Yes, much better control on very rough roads. And it's easier on my hands, since the load is spread out over my whole palm.

More control on fast downhills, too. And I'm better positioned for hard braking if necessary. I use the front brake to panic stop, and keep my weight back. If I use both brakes, the rear will lock up, skid, and start fishtailing.

I like the new Campy levers. I suppose other brands have a bit of a knob too. I would imagine the next generation will have a bit more sticking out the top.

With my old Universal brake levers, I never was comfortable braking from the hoods, but the new brakes seem much more suited for it.

However, if it is a hard descent hitting some unwieldy speeds, it is in the drops, or any other situation where I expect to need extreme control and potential braking. Still, the hoods are very good.

I make a conscious effort to spend some time in the drops on just about every ride. When riding into a headwind it really is like free speed. The problem for me is that I generate less power in the drops than on the hoods and after a while my cadence starts to suffer. That's why I know there is a real aero benefit since even when putting out less power my speed is either the same or faster.
If I could figure out how to maintain my power output in the drops then I would have something.

I enjoyed a 35 mile group (5 riders) ride today with some very good pace line riders. I did use the drops when I pulled. Not really much wind, but I wanted to work on the drops. There really are a couple of free MPH while in the drops.