Position on my bike...

bear baun

When i ride in the drops i feel like i am reaching down quite alot and i am quite uncomfortable. It also feels like i am hunched over and after a few hours in the saddle i get some pain in my back :? I was wondering about putting maybe a spacer in to rise the handlebars? or would that not solve anything and i jsut need to get used to riding in the drops? cheers

thatkidduffy

I have a similar issue when on the drops, though I feel like my thighs are pushing up into the bottom of my stomach. been thinking about a compact bar.

jangle

How long have you been riding the bike? There would be a certain amount of getting used to the position but if it it persists then a compact may help. I found the gap between the hoods and the drops too much, leading to both the problems described. I got a compact handlebar and that solved it for me. I got a FSA Omega Alloy Compact Handlebar for about £24 as a tester but ended up sticking with them.

frenchfighter

Riding in the drops is slightly uncomfortable relative to other positions, but a spacer or two or three will definitely help. You could try lowering your saddle too, but only if your legs are more stretched than cramped.

Baytt

+1 for FSA Omega Compacts,

i was in the same position as yourself. These work wonders and dont cost the world

thatkidduffy

I was looking at the FSA Omega actually. seems like a bargain, and if it doesn't fix the issue, I'm not particularly out of pocket.

John.T

frenchfighter wrote:

Riding in the drops is slightly uncomfortable relative to other positions, but a spacer or two or three will definitely help. You could try lowering your saddle too, but only if your legs are more stretched than cramped.

It should not be. If the bike is set up right you can use all positions. The drops may seem different if you do not use them much but you should still be able to stay on them for several miles with no trouble. No point in having them if you can not use them. Compact bars will help. I use Bontrager VRs and like them a lot.
Careful with the spacer. If there are none above the stem then that is as high as the stem will go. You may be able to 'flip' it.
Never alter the saddle position to try to rectify bar faults. Getting the saddle right, both height and setback, is the first thing to do when setting up a bike. Then make the rest fit that.

justresting

I fitted a Planet X compact and found the short reach & drop made a vast difference to my comfort.