heffdiddy

I have been riding for a little over a year. I generally ride MUP that stays fairly steady with cyclists and runners. Almost everyone I see rides with their hands on the tops. I ride in the drops for about 80% of my ride after I get warmed up. I think it is more comfortable and I can ride faster.

Is there something I am missing? Which way does everyone here prefer?

achoo

Yeah, you WERE missing out on the self-absorbed handwringing over inconsequential bull**** that's prevalent here on Bike Forums.

It's a bike. You ride the ****ing thing.

gregf83 

It's impossible to tell how your bike is set up. Most people don't find riding in the most aero position with a flat back the most comfortable. If you find it more comfortable you may just be very flexible or you could have your bike set up such that riding in the drops doesn't get you as low as possible.

Cyclists riding on a MUP are not concerned with speed and the added visibility of riding higher is generally safer.

shoota 

It's likely just a positioning thing. Your bars are probably set up high. Just a guess

danmc

Ignore this guy. Even if you find riding in the drops more comfortable, if you don't get a consensus here you need to change your position to one which is highly uncomfortable but approved as being hip by the majority.

RJM

Sounds to me like your bike is set up fine as long as you are comfy on it. Riding in the drops gives you more stability along with an aero benefit and the ability to use the brake levers with the most leverage. I see no problem with spending the majority of your time in the drops.

datlas 

Everyone is different. If you are truly most comfortable in the drops, ride them. But I agree this suggests you may have your bars too high.

Most of the roadies I know spend about 10% on the tops, 80% on the hoods, and 10% in the drops.

But as was so eloquently posted above, you should ride the way that suits you best.

therhodeo

I would say this is true except in the cases of guys who have their bars too high in the first place. I've ridden with guys here who's drops are higher than my hoods with basically the same size bike.

wphamilton

Individual preference and what you're used to. I've been riding the drops more since spring started, and now the drops are more comfortable and the hoods less comfortable than they were, to the extent that I prefer the drops for pure comfort. The only difference that it's a little harder to breath. It's as if the fit changed drastically, but nothing changed. Our bodies adapt to how we train.

It's not a matter of the bars being high. My stem is all the way down and flipped over, because it feels better not for aesthetic reasons. I say ride it the way you like it, that's why we have drop bars after all and not bull-horns.

PS, you're going to see more of a mix of casual riders on the MUP, even all decked out ones, than on the road. And even those roadies riding on the hoods, some of them if they want to can put the hammer down considerably faster than on the MUP. They're just tooling around, and a position that's comfortable at a higher level effort can be aggravating going slow. So I wouldn't read too much into that.

heffdiddy

My bars are not high, I just prefer the feel of being lower. I guess I made it seem like I was asking for everyone's opinion on how I should be riding.

I was only asking how everyone else rides.

eja_ bottecchia

That will never stop people here from: 1. telling you how to ride, 2. telling you what equipment to buy and 3. telling you how to spend your money.

To answer your question I ride about 70/20/10--hoods/drops/tops.

Hope this helps.

fietsbob

If I am riding all day, most of it is on the tops, but Im An old guy and not in a hurry anymore.

Smokehouse

Pretty much this...

post fit, I can comfortably get in any position. Normal riding...definitely on the hoods. In "fast" situations I use the drops as it really gets me low and I can really get into it. This is not a comfortable position prolonged though (at least for me). Uphill (sitting) or temp switching position during the long rides? Tops for sure, but that's probably only 10-15% of the time.

Do what makes you comfortable...screw everybody else. A comfortable position helps morale and will help you grind the miles better. For us mortals, there really is no "correct" position for riding, just a comfortable one.

john.b

Climb on the tops, descend (or into the wind) in the drops, ride on the hoods otherwise.

znomit

Slam it until it's painful. Then post pics. That's the 41 way.

8086bruce

I'm also 70 hoods 20 drops and 10 on the flat.

OldsCOOL

I dont like what headwinds do to a ride (love hills) unless I'm creating my own. To do that efficiently over most of the ride I'm in the drops. Hills, I'm on the tops just off the hoods.

RPK79

68% hoods 19% drops 13% tops

snidely

Holy ****, you keep some detailed ride logs! Is that function available on Garmin Edge?

Dunbar

Even shallow drop bars have 12-13cm of drop so you either ride with pro levels of drop or these guys have their bars setup considerably higher than saddle height.

Will Goes Boing

You said your bars are not high, but my bet is they are. If your setup is even mildly aggressive you wouldn't want to be on the drops 80% of the time. As somebody already mentioned my hood position is lower than most people's drops. When I go to the drops.... I do it solely for the purpose of speed.... it is anything but "comfortable".

StephenH

Mostly hoods, sometimes flats, not often drops, usually cranking into a headwind or trying to go faster.

The fatter you area, the less comfortable it is to get in the drops, so that affects the situation. Age may as well.

turky lurkey

[(d((1-.15)*t)/dt) *100]% on the hoods, other than that i'm in the drops

zymphad

Definitely something I had to get used to, but I agree. It is more comfortable on my arms and hands and easier once I got used to it. And I ride with a flat stem slammed. I wouldn't worry about what others think, they just be jealous they're not flexible enough

Though I do think a lot of BF members ride in the drops as well. There are certainly enough threads about drop handlebars to suggest that, since the shape of the drops matter so much to many of the forum members.

If I'm commuting in the city? I ride in the hoods all the time. I need the best peripheral vision and awareness, and for me that's on the hood. I don't want to risk not seeing a pedestrian or driver scurrying across. And I'm not in a rush, better to be careful I tell myself, it only takes one crash to put me in the hospital or paralyzed or dead...

Dudelsack

Yeah, me too.