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Climbing/Sprinting in the Drops

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Climbing/Sprinting in the Drops

Old 06-26-10, 07:40 PM
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Climbing/Sprinting in the Drops

The other "drops" thread got me thinking about a question I've had. Which is:

For people who climb and sprint in the drops, what handlebars do you use?

Watching an old video of Pantani, he climbs standing with his hands in the drops. When I try to climb (or sprint) in the drops, the upper bend hits my wrists.

Are there handlebars that extend far enough past the upper bend to allow the bike to rock back and forth while standing when you're using the drops (without tilting the bars past horizontal level)?

Other than that minor niggle, I'm absolutely sorted on my bikes. For now.
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Old 06-26-10, 08:04 PM
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I'm pretty sure he used classic bend bars that allow more wrist clearance while in the drops. With these bars you can also put your hands farther back on the drops compared to anatomic style bars which pretty much have one position.
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Old 06-26-10, 08:43 PM
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I tried it a few times (climbing like Pantani). Seemed pretty pointless to me. Just stay on the hoods. Sprinting is a different story.


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Old 06-26-10, 09:03 PM
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I do that a lot, and use 3TTT rotundo.

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Old 06-26-10, 09:26 PM
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I feel very comfortable climbing in the drops, and especially like the position out of the saddle. I love the Deda Newton classic shallow bend because it has nice long (and straight) flats. Anatomic bends are too weird for me, mainly because you lose that nice long flat space on the ends that more traditional bars have. I'm sure anatomic bends work well for many people, I'm just not one of them.

A random example:

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Old 06-26-10, 10:58 PM
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I do steep climbs in the drops. I use FSA Omega compact bars. Less steep ascents I use the hoods.
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Old 06-27-10, 05:33 AM
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I use "crit bend" bars. They sweep forward pretty quickly, leaving more clearance for the forearms. Even when I used them, on regular bikes (52-53.5 cm top tubes, on a 50-52 cm frame), I'd bruise my forearms pretty badly in very intense sprints.

With regular bars (i.e. any drop bar), I'd bruise my forearms in even casual sprints.

With a better fit frame (56.5 top tube) and my old crit bend bars, I have yet to see a bruise (although I've felt pain from hitting my forearm).

Post on crit bend bars:
https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...-40-41-cm.html

Post with pictures:
https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...for-crits.html
Note how the bars sweep forward almost immediately.

Crit bend bars are like shallow drop track bars. I'm still waiting for someone to come out with a new crit-bend bar. After I found a few bars online, I spent a few hundred dollars buying up some NOS so I would have reserve bars. I'm still using two Mavic bars (2 diff bikes) from 1997, with three 3ttt Gimondi bars and 2 Cinelli 65-40 bars in reserve. I also have a couple 3ttt Gimondi bars which I would reserve for indoor use only since I'd fallen on them a few times.

The 3ttt are heat treated alum bars, typically about 200 grams. The others are heavier, maybe 300+ each.

cdr
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Old 06-27-10, 06:09 AM
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Thanks for all the great replies! One reason I'd like to explore climbing in the drops is weight distribution. When I do steep stuff on my Parlee, the front end is really "light", i.e., it tends to lift off the ground unless I cantilever my body way over the front end.

Also, I think that I may be able to better utilize my upper body in providing leverage.

I'll also check with my fitter (the guy who manages my favorite shop) to see which of the bars mentioned he may recommend.
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Old 06-27-10, 08:09 AM
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I occasionally climb in the drops but mostly when it's rolling hills and there is speed already involved. My bars are the FSA Omega Compact, which I absolutely love for every hand position. I like the upper part of my hand/wrists contacting the bars sometimes because of the added control I feel it gives me while rocking the bike back and forth. I don't know if that makes sense or not.
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Old 06-27-10, 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by mzeffex
I do that a lot, and use 3TTT rotundo.

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Old 06-27-10, 08:33 AM
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Occasionally, I do low cadence seated climbing in the drops. With respect to sprinting, I think a lot has to do with how much one throws the bike from side to side. I am a trackie so I do not throw the bike very much in a road sprint. Although, a couple of my track buddies have posted bruised wrist photos on Facebook they claim are from sprinting. I think it is from being tied to the bed post.
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Old 06-27-10, 08:45 AM
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Also, whether your wrists hit the bars is a function of how you grip the bars and bend your elbows. If you cup your wrists slightly and bend your elbows, your wrists are moved away from the top of the bar.
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Old 06-27-10, 09:00 AM
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i would say 90%+ of my climbs are done from the drops:

current bars of choice:
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Old 06-27-10, 09:19 AM
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Loving my Rotundos as well. I was talking to a gentleman in a bike shop who really enjoyed his PRO classic bend bars, even mentioning that they bend a bit earlier than most, even comparing them to a crit bar.
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Old 06-27-10, 10:00 AM
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I ride in the drops and I climb and sprint in the drops. I have 3TTT classic road racing bars or similar on my bikes. No problems with clearance.
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Old 06-27-10, 02:36 PM
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I heard Pantani liked to climb in the drops, so sometimes he rode custom made frames to have the bar higher than standard.
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Old 06-27-10, 06:04 PM
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I never really see people climbing in the drops but I can see where you are coming from with the weight distribution thing.
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