Flat Bars on a Road Bike
Ellie82
Posts: 59
Just a quick question, I haven't yet tried out a road bike and im a bit concerned that drop bars are going to be too much of a difference after riding my mountain bike. I do need to try it out first but if it is, can i simply put flat bars on it? Or is that a big no no.
I'd really like a trek 1.9 8)
I'd really like a trek 1.9 8)
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Leave the drops as you can ride on the brake hoods.
It's not often ypu actually ride on the drops.
Some decend on drops.
I only use the dropw in very windy weather, for sprinting and accelerating.0 -
I have drooled over the Trek 1.9 - it's a beauty!
+1 to oldwelshman - I was of the same feelings as you until I tried one out. Just need to buy one now!Ned Flanders: “You were bicycling two abreast?”
Homer Simpson: “I wish. We were bicycling to a lake.”
Specialized Rockhopper Pro Disc 080 -
Just ride on the brake hoods - or even the bar tops - I don't see the point of flat bars as you can get the position riding on the bar tops or hoods - but you loose the option of the drops0
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Ok thanks everyone, im only asking because when I went in the shop and he kept trying to put me off getting a road bike and to get a hybrid saying the road bike will be too much of a difference with drop bars and the brakes arn't so good :roll: , but I dont fancy a hybrid0
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Sounds like he was trying to sell off what he has not sold much of but I could be wrong :roll:
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Ellie82 wrote:Ok thanks everyone, im only asking because when I went in the shop and he kept trying to put me off getting a road bike and to get a hybrid saying the road bike will be too much of a difference with drop bars and the brakes arn't so good :roll: , but I dont fancy a hybrid
The Bar issue aside - never buy a bike you don't fancy !0 -
Keep the drops. My father in law bought his first road bike with flats due to the same concerns you have. Now he bitterly regrets it.0
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I bought a flat bar road bike - not a hybrid but a 'proper' road bike with flat bars. The whole experience has really been good for me. I have a road bike too, and if you want to just ride road thats great, but I commute 25 miles a day too, and the FB road bike is a boon for that. At first it added about 5 mins to my 40 min ride to work, but now I have changed my riding style a little, its back down under 40 mins and I feel alot safer, particularly once I hit traffic.A Flock of Birds
+ some other bikes.0 -
Ellie82 wrote:Ok thanks everyone, im only asking because when I went in the shop and he kept trying to put me off getting a road bike and to get a hybrid saying the road bike will be too much of a difference with drop bars and the brakes arn't so good :roll: , but I dont fancy a hybrid
Biggest mistake I ever made cycling-wise was to listen to some sales jonny tell me I wanted a hybrid. If you want a road bike, go and buy a road bike. As others have said, you can ride on the hoods, with thumb & forefingers either side, or on the hoods with palms gripping the tops, or relaxed with the hands on the bars at the curve, or closer to the centre, as well as on the ends of the drops of further round nearer to the brakes. There are so many options that limiting yourself by opting for flats is pointless. Realistically you'll you use the drops once in a blue moon but the tops of the drop bars will give you more than enough options.
Don't be misled by the brakes being worse story either. The brakes on my current road bike and the last three have been fine, more than enough for stopping in time. If you can lock your rear and stand it on the front wheel, they're more than good enough. Sounds like this sales guy is trying to offload you with something you don't want, with an eye on you coming back in 6 months or a year to buy another bike, the one you wanted in the first place.0 -
Yeah your dead right, i wont be happy if i dont have a road bike i really like. Might try and track down another stockist in my area.
Going to take up your advice on dropbars, im sure i will get used to it0 -
There is a much wider variety of positions with drop bars than flat.
Go and get your Trek 1.9!0 -
it feels like Christmas, i cant wait. How sad am I 0
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Not sad at all - just... addicted!
Buy it, buy it, buy it!
I'm excited for you!
And don't listen to the sales guy - you know what you want - so buy it!
Do you get my drift? Ned Flanders: “You were bicycling two abreast?”
Homer Simpson: “I wish. We were bicycling to a lake.”
Specialized Rockhopper Pro Disc 080 -
Woo hoo!
Pictures when purchased - That is the forum rule. Please see the OCP guidelines in the Workshop sub forum 0 -
will do. Thanks everyone. 0
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Those OCP guidelines are not inspiring me to post any photos, come the time :shock:
However, my OH is a photographer - 8)Ned Flanders: “You were bicycling two abreast?”
Homer Simpson: “I wish. We were bicycling to a lake.”
Specialized Rockhopper Pro Disc 080 -
To be a succesful road-nazi you must adhere, or the secret service known only as SR11 will condemn your purchase no matter how good.0
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There are RD!
WHOAHHHHH!
Hang on a minute...
I'm sure there was a sniper on that Lamaload descent...0 -
Silly question, but why would the bars affect the brakes? Its the brakes/blocks and wheel rims that affect braking not the h/bars. Dodgy LBS 0
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They were probably saying that as hybrids often come with disc brakes...0
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If they said that they are truly pants! The majority of hybrids come with V brakes, which are a little more powerful than a road caliper, but not massively so if the calliper is set up right. As everyone else has said go for the road bike. It's not meant to be similar to your mountain bike.... that's the whole point of buying a road bike as well! Grrrrrrr @ rubbish bike shops!0
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The larger tyres on hybrids stop you a lot quicker than 23c.0
