No, I just think that blindly mimicking the setup of every other bike locked up in a tree outside of whatever dreadful bar one frequents is boring and in this case particularly stupid.

There are plenty of reasons not to put high performance parts on your bike but I can think of none beyond conformist aesthetics to misuse this specific bit of over priced componentry. Can you? LOL you spent a lot of money to look just like everyone else and your bike rides worse for it. Sounds pretty pathetic to me, but I guess if that's your idea of fun go ahead.

It constantly amazes me at how pissy people get when their aesthetic choices are pointed out as such. Look, the only rational argument for pista drops or deep drop stems on a road bike (ie, a track bike on the road) is aesthetics. Everyone's bike is a balance of aesthetics and performance and both are (at least in my mind) totally valid things to base decisions on. That said, trying to pass off the purely aesthetic aspects of your bike's set-up as anything more than that is just... ridiculous. The only thing pista drops have going for them over std road drops or ergo bends is the fact that they look cool. While you may not necessarily find them uncomfortable, unless your wrists and arms are unlike any other human's, they aren't going to be more comfortable or more efficient or more anything. They just look cooler. That's it. Accept it and embrace it. When mean ol' Dutret comes along and says, "your bars are a fashion accessory," just tell him, "indeed!" and live a happy life.

Hell, I spent $80 on a gold stem for my bike because I think it looks cool. I'm not going to pretend that it offers anything other than the fact that it's gold. It's a fashion accessory. I'm fine with it.

OK, let me be a bit more specific: With the bars, saddle and bb placed withing the norms of road or track geometry and a rider that is not freakishly proportioned hoods will always be better then the drops for climbing simply because they are higher. Higher means more air to the lungs and better use of muscles.

Why is everyone focused on dutret? Gyeswho is the troll here. Do a post history. He riled everyone up about Aerospokes, took a break, and came back to stir the pot over drop stems for his second act.


It never fails to amaze me when so many fall so quickly into the spider's web.

I don't think he's a troll, necessarily... I'm pretty sure he posted similar questions on the NY board as well. Seems more youthfully enthusiastic than explicitly troll-y... maybe I'm just a sucker fly though?

Oh boy I don't know where to start. First of all I don't even OWN a drop stem. Read my posts. I was just making a casual observation in response to the question posed by the op. The road stem in question I got for next to nothing actually. Secondly I don't own track drops either, I don't know where you are getting this from. Mcatano I have no problem admitting a regard for asthetics, rather I take exception to someone taking someone elses preferences so seriously and referring to me as a "trend chasing ****up". I have no problem with the way you said it. Whose got issues here? Me who is obviously jumping on the bandwagon. I mean c'mon do you realize everyone on this entire board is riding a bicycle? Parish the thought. I'm such a follower. I should think of something much more original as a means of transportation/way to look cool. I'm thinking hot air baloon. I know where I can find plenty of hot air anyway.

You are still assuming that all climbing is the same. There are variations in the length of the climb, steepness, desired speed, etc. Yes, the hoods will put you higher than the drops, but the flats will put you even higher. Flats work fine for sustained climbs. The hoods are really great for standing because you can swing you bike side to side, but you can get a similar position without hoods by holding onto the bends for short bursts out of the saddle. And there are times when climbing in the drops is better...even assuming a normal bar position. If I really want to blast up a short hill without loosing speed, I stay in the drops and hammer up. Of course I can't sustain that for long climbs but it works awesome for small hills. But thats the beauty of road drops with a reasonably angled stem...options.

bike fit is a very personal thing and if you truely use your bike for utilitarian purposes you will know something of bike fit because you want every function of the bike to be available and usable for you if everyone goes by a general style or asthetic i.e. deep drop stem which in most cases prevent one from using two of the three hand positions for more than a few seconds than the bike is not fit properly to the rider hense damaging the utility of the bike


get over it they are stylish and that is all if you really ride your bike is usually not set up with something you can't use

on my track bike I can ride all day in the drops and never know it and I have track bars this is because I have fit my bike to me 100%

the ultimate fixed gear
don't get a Kryptonite though - someone might steal your hot air balloon.

Fortunately, I heard the Swedes have secret, hidden Hot Air Balloon tracks that they race on for money - and there is a website you can buy used Hot Air Balloons:
www.e-balloonbank.co.se

it's the next big thing!

Where did I said anything about flats? Ok, fine if you are sprinting up a really short hill at 20+mph the drops may be better. I guess I don't really consider that a climb.

that bike is RIDIC

Where did I said anything about flats? Ok, fine if you are sprinting up a really short hill at 25+mph the drops may be better. I guess I don't really consider that a climb.

dang im 19 by the way and im just asking because i was curious. is it a crime to question the reality around you? Im not here to start a debate i just was wondering why because to me it seemed a bit out of function to have drops that low and ppl claim it to be the most comfy thing in the world. Some may say it is comfy and very few some it is but most is def not the case. I ask a question because i am not 100% sure and figure since this is a forum i would get an answer from someone else more experienced than I. Some folks are so hostile and stressed. Sorry if i add to it by asking a seemingly "stupid" ? but that is the function of a ? to seek an answer even if i may be ignorant of something.

that does it, i am selling my track bike and buying a hot air balloon...

btw, graeme obree has an autobiography called the flying scotsman and i recommend you all go read it. rumor has it they are turning it in to a movie, and i cant wait to see it.

Already made apparently, and shown at a film festival. MGM bought distribution rights, should be out this summer.

+aliens.

i never knew "track drops" were so useless.

+1
Starring Jonny "Sick Boy" Miller

awesome. thanks for the update.

kudos to mcatano for saying something extremely sensible.

you're using the forum for what it is for. carry on. just realize there is a forum culture and it is a bit insane. don't take any of it too personally, a good deal of it is said in jest.

I bought a Nitto Dynamic as a fashion accessory and it's a perfect option falling between "Eww..is that a Zoom?" and "You ****ing idiot, you can't breathe!"

How about, people do what makes them happy. As long as that thing does not including *****ing about what makes another person happy.

Look at the size of that chain ring!