Hand position on drop bars?
 

Just curious. What is the hand position you use/like the most on you drop bar road bike, Hoods? Bends?Tops? Drops? I ask because I notice that on different bikes I prefer different positions despite the bike similar bike fit on all three bikes. On my Domane I favor the bends and tops. On my Mazama touring bike I prefer the hoods. On my Spcialized Lanster single speed I also like the hoods. the only time I am on the drops is to fight a headwind or when I come down a steep, fast hill.

specifics?
 

Are the set ups quite different from each other? or all the same?

Being in such a variety, what is the style of drop bar bend in each case..?






.

Drops, almost exclusively. I used to be ramps/hoods 90% of the time, but evolved away from that over the last year or two.

I spend much more time on the hoods than any other area. I do change positions frequently and use pretty much the whole handlebar, just not as much as the hoods. I also change position in each one of the specific areas, forward or backward, side to side, straightening, bending the arms and just sort of rolling my shoulder hands or wrists. I have spinal and shoulder issues and even just making small adjustments helps to minimize the stress/fatigue factor. Along that same line I use a more relaxed set up on my bikes. Like bikes themselves, what you like and are comfortable with are very personal. I think for most people that is an ongoing adaptation from bike to bike.

I'm about 50/50, hoods and drops between three bikes with three different fits - a road bike that's about perfect, a single speed that's a bit more aggressive (smaller frame and lower stack), and a gravel bike that's a bit less aggressive. :)

I probably end up using the drops just a bit more on the road bike. I'm more likely to climb in the drops on the road bike or gravel bike than the single speed, and more likely to hit rollers in the drops on asphalt vs. gravel. Always drops for descending, unless on ice.

Tops? Never.

That's awesome :)

I always feel weird in a paceline when I notice that I'm in the drops and everyone else is on the hoods. For a lot of riding, the drops just seem more comfortable.

Drops unless it's a slow ride with no to little activity from other obstacles

The OP was the one asking the questions.

Hoods almost exclusively...or down on the clip-on aero bars, which is easier on the wrists (but only when safe to do so).

l rode on the drops more with my last bike as it had compact bars...haven't gotten around to buying them for this one yet.

OP obviously a Roadie , I'm Not.
 

Several, varies, that's why they were chosen..
Bike touring , has my day long upright ish posture favoring..

Randonneur bend bars,
the last long tour I had a custom fabricated stem ,
combining 2 narrow ones,* to be as wide on the top, as my road bike
(road, Nitto, From an early MB1.. drops parallel, bottoms flare
(bar end shifters)


previous..
(Specialized badged Nitto) set they were narrower... drop flares , bottom parallel
sizing is across the bottom, so a 46 bottom but 38 top..


Now I mostly use trekking bars or straight bars ,
With Ergon Grips/bar end shifters ...
with IGH Drivetrains.. not derailleurs..

* having them come apart was an advantage in packing the bike
in an airline carton, to fly across the Atlantic , to tour , over there..


carry on kids.. :50:




....

Hoods 99% of the time.


-Kedosto

Yes

80% hoods, 15% the flats and 5% on the drops...just the way I roll I guess

At a cruising pace I'm usually down grabbing the tips. I like bars with long tips. On one set of bars I actually bought some Control Tech 20mm bar extensions because they were too short.

Compact geometry has nothing to do with stack height. Bars today tend to be lower because that's the modern "look". Which is also why most riders have their hand glued to the hoods. My vintage bikes have almost all had shorter head tubes than my modern bikes.

+1 without spinal and shoulder issues, but with hand issues.

I use them all, and adjust my position regularly on long rides. Often I don't even put my hands on the bars, but rest my forearms on the tops of the bars. This makes me a little more aero, and gives my hands a little break (which is necessary on rides longer than 100 miles). The reason to run road bars is to offer a variety of positions for a variety of riding positions.

Hoods 60% of the time
Tops 20% of the time
Drops 20% of the time

Are newer bikes using actually lower bars, or is there just less spacer height and so it seems like the bars are lower?

I ride 63-65 cm road bikes. With traditional horizontal top tube geometry, the stack height is close to the seat post height which is the bike measurement.
the same stack height on a modern frame can be had woth a 58cm seatpost.

For me it depends on the bike.
X4, I'm virtually always in the drops. It feels weird on the hoods as the brake levers are on the downward portion of the bars. When I'm on the hoods I have this uneasy sensation of going over the front of the bike.
Ti Mega tube, I have a set of Cinelli Spinacholi (?). I'm getting to really like these things. In this case I rest my forearms on the top of the bars and I rest my hands on the Spinocholi's.
Carbon Cross, virtually all the time on the hoods.

I generally ride on the Tops, or the 'shoulders' where the top starts to bend forward, or drops if heading into a strong wind. Never on the hoods since my bars are deep drops, and the brake levers are waaaay out front. In fact my old Fuji doesn't even have hoods!

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...536bd1fd59.jpg

Mostly the hoods, but I'll mix it up, especially on long rides. Usually I'm in the drops on descents or when riding into headwinds.

Generally on the hoods is where I spend most of my days (that or the playground) but since many of my bike use Ergo top section bars I also will spend some time there because it is also comfortable. I am not often in the drops but I am not a flexible person especially these days. If I had any vintage style bars I don't know where I would want to keep my hands, I generally dislike those bars because of the positioning. I know they worked for Merckx but as much as I love Eddy, I am not him and will never even be an iota close to him.

Mostly hoods.

Drops on downhills and fast curves. Mostly for better control and emergency braking (lots of deer and other critters where I ride).

Tops with hands near the stem on slow grinding climbs, especially into the wind.

I've tried the theory that the hoods are as aero as the drops, maybe more so, when keeping the forearms as parallel as possible to the ground. Seems to work. So I use that on flats and moderate downhills into the wind too. Easier on my back and neck too. At 61 with several old back and neck injuries, it's more comfortable and still reasonably aero. Works even better with the more ergonomically friendly handlebars and extended hoods/grips.

I spend about 1% of my time on the drops. The rest of the time is split on the tops, bends and hoods, moving my hands around frequently. I was thinking about this the other day while riding and thought that I should be riding my bike that has bullhorn bars more.

Hoods on my Trek 75%, drops 25%,, and on my old Fuji drops 100% - no hoods and closer to the shift lever.

53% Drops
35% Forearms on ramps (similar to TT position)
7% Misc., tops, no-handed
5% Hoods
:D