Daddy Wags

Last year when I was bike shopping, the local Giant bike shop was over-the-top enthusiastic about the Anyroad. Even after explaining to the staff that my drop bar days were behind me and I had already test road the Salsa Vaya and Casseroll, they still insisted I try one out. So I did and still preferred the Escape. So, not to be defeated so easily, one of the techs insisted on setting up the bike specifically to me. So off I went a again on a more extensive ride. Same conclusion. I bought the Escape.
The Anyroad is certainly a step up over race oriented bikes for comfort and versatility but the Salsa Vaya is the jewel in the crown for that type of bike in my opinion. But you will need a couple thousand dollars to bring a Vaya home.

steve_cay

All opinions are valid guys!

I think it has been proven enough that drop bars are more efficient for long road trips, where speed matters, and you need to conserve as much energy as possible to reach the end. They offer better aerodynamics, more hand positions, and an efficient peddling stance.

Flat bars are just more comfortable and natural for some, and offer a more relaxed upright position, and a better view of the surrounding. Also better leverage for tough terrain, and the breaks are always right there under your fingers.

I had been ridding a road bike for 25 years, and enjoying some trails where it was just wrong to bring the road bike. So I got a "Dual Sport" type of hybrid last year with flat handle bars. Very enjoyable for the trails ... and guess what, I never bring to road bike out anymore, even when I bike on the road!

The other day I tried it out again to see what I have been missing ... I did feel less comfortable in the hunkered over stance, with narrower arm spacing. The staring at the road under me view was less pleasant. And not being able to use the brakes when on the top bar became annoying fast. Let alone I had to fear every pothole and crack on the road again!

For leisure, exercise, and getting out in the woods, i believe I made a good choice in the flat bar hybrid! If I predominately rode with a group of strong cyclers where I could hardly keep up, or did races, obviously a drop bar road bike would be in order.

Wanderer

And, that Fastroad looks pretty sweet, too!

2702

That narrow stance of the shoulders on road bikes is always whats keeps me from hanging on to my prior road bikes. Its just gets old and odd feeling to me after the 1st hour. Its like my upper body is tortured in a way and I am no way NFL size shoulders.

MRT2

Drop bars come in different widths. When I was getting fitted for my last bike, a Salsa Casseroll, the owner of the shop told me he thought I would benefit from wider drop bars. He didn't even charge me for the handlebar swap. So instead of hunching over, my arms go straight down at exactly shoulder width. I probably catch a little more air than had I stayed with the narrower bar, but it is comfortable.

ColonelSanders

How wide are your dropbars?

Do you have a link to them by any chance?

MRT2

I use the Salsa Short and Shallow, and it comes in different widths. I think I have the 44 cm size. When I was helping my friend with his road bike last month, I was shocked how much narrower his drop bars were than mine. I want to say his bars were closer to 38 cm, and he is a big guy!
Salsa Short & Shallow Road Drop Handlebar (100001702) at CambriaBike.com

Golfster

Congrats on the bike, OP!

I ride my road bike 2-3 days per week, with rides ranging from 40-75 miles each. When I don't have time to dedicate to a road bike ride or don't feel like shaving my legs, rubbing in cocoa butter, donning the full kit or clipping in, my flat-bar hybrid is the perfect alternative and has allowed me to increase my riding frequency to closer to 7 days per week. For me the choice addition of a hybrid resulted in a bonus of riding time.

quicktrigger

I guess I missed it as well. You bought a bike you like with drop bars. Think others could like it too. Not for me, but nothing wrong with that.

FTR, the CoMax looks good on paper. Wonder if they will have it in more colors next year?

QT

ColonelSanders

It is good to see there are width choices in that Salsa range, from 38 to 46 cm.

sgtrobo

yeah, I have the same issue with narrow drop bars. Salsa Woodchippers come nice and wide, all over 40+ cm, and the drops flare noticeably outward

7oakacres

Here is my Giant Anyroad before and after pics. I love this bike!!!

Bag302

I made a thread about my Anyroad Comax and wasn't sure which forum to put it. Here's the link with lots of pics and my thoughts on it - https://www.bikeforums.net/recreation...oad-comax.html

Animal157

Has anyone put a different set of bars on their Anyroad? Like a Jones H Bar or a trekking bar?

my current ride is an Escape 3 that I've set up with a bar with slight rise such that my grips are now about three inches higher than my seat.

im just curious if anyone has gone down the anyroad path but swapped out the drop bars for something like a jones or trek bar setup. Anyroad looks like the next step, but not sure my bulging disc will tolerate a drop bar.

MRT2

You can set up drop bars as high as you set up flat bars. But if you want something like the Anyroad but with flat bars, you can always get the Giant Fastroad.

aksot

hi, I wonder what is the size of your bike and how tall are you because I am going to order one without testing before.
Thanks

Animal157

I thought about that: wider tires on a fast road or different bars on an Anyroad. My concern is that it looks like the head tube on the fastroad is shorter and/or lower than the anyroad. The overall frame geometry on the anyroad is more of the level to upright position than the lean down fastroad, no?

Next step is definitely to ride them both, but curious if there is anyone who has experience or pictures with an Anyroad converted to a trekking or flat bar setup.

I would definitely give the drop bars a try for a while before swapping them out and I hadn't thought about raise drop bars up.

thanks!

RickGr4

I gotta be honest here. I have been posting in this forum for about three months. I have been paying casual attention to this particular thread. My apologies to the original poster in advance for steering this thread off topic.

I am getting really tired of the handful of people in this forum trying to tell me I am stupid, dumb, young or inexperienced just because I have a WELL FOUNDED AND EXPERIENCE BASED PREFERENCE for flat bar or city bar hybrid bikes. I own three bikes. One of them is a drop bar bike. I try to ride it often. It's not comfortable FOR ME. You can tell me I am wrong until we are all blue in the face and you still won't sell me or change my opinion.

I have actually spent much more time in other forums than this one. But I consider myself to have an understanding of forum "etiquette". I also have experience with overly opinionated forum "know it alls" because I used to be one of those people. But I grew up.

When I first joined this forum, I noticed the "hard core roadies" almost right away. As time has gone on, I think a handful of these forum roadies have exceeded the boundaries of any acknowledged or accepted forum etiquette.

Simply put, I happen to think there is a handful of forum members that hang out here who might want to consider toning it down just a notch or two... or simply refrain from posting in this particular forum.

PS. Canadian Giant. I am becoming a big Giant fan. Congrats on your new bike!!!

sgtrobo

MTB threads get derailed because someone has the audacity to like 29" tires. or 26" tires. or 27.5" tires. So a group of "really intelligent people" decide to tell this person that they lack skills/aren't serious/need to learn how to ride/etc

or perhaps there's a preference for dropper seat posts, so of course, you will be told that you obviously are a newb or that you lack skill because you ride a dropper post, etc.

it's the basic arrogance that exists as a result of anonymity. Internet-created anonymity encourages the a$$hole to come out in some people and they will speak in ways they wouldn't normally speak when in the presence of others. You're 100% right.

i prefer drop bars on my road bikes. You prefer flats. My opinion doesn't affect your riding, and I'm not wrong. Your opinion doesn't affect my riding and you're not wrong. Somehow, for some reason, not everybody seems to understand that basic concept

altondavis2

There is more to the AnyRoad than the dropbars. I was able to find one and when you stand over it, the short distance to the dropbars, the seating position
gives it a really different feeling. The LBS warned me that AnyRoads sell fast and that they have a tough time getting unsold bikes in stock.
I'm going to stop back by tomorrow and see if I can get a ride on it. If they still have it I'll post my feedback.

Greenmeenie

Sweet looking bike. Congrats. I really like the look of both the anyroad & fastroad. But I want the flat handlebars of the fastroad and the thicker tires of the anyroad. Can the thicker tires of the anyroad fit on the fastroad? If so problem solved. :-)

cale

Drop bar riders are smarter.

mcours2006

I don't make it a habit of posting to four-month old threads, but I saw the Anyroad today on a HS track where my kids were doing laps on their bikes. I was quite struck by the geometry of the bike. It looked quite radical, at least for a road bike. I chatted with the owner for a few minutes, who admitted it was his first 'real' bike. He offered me a ride around the track.

Very nice looking bike in mat grey.

badger1

fify

cale

I can live with that, as long as the delusion continues. Haha