Flat vs drops

dugliss

I`m sure this has been done to death on here but as I`m new I was wondering if someone could list the pros and cons of both as everytime I see anyone looking into getting a flat bar bike the advice is to get drops!! I`ve got one of the 2008 Boardman hybrids which I like although I`m not overly confident with the steering at high speed but I`m not sure if that`s just me. I also suffer from numb hands, would drops help with this or is it just because I hold on too tight

roger_merriman

Much less than one would think.

drops give more hand positions and can vary from quite low to higher on one bar.

a flat bar has more powerful brakes made for it.

in terms of is one faster or better control, really nothing in it, wide riser bars on MTB's do give lovely control for low speed manoeuvring, but equally cross country/road flat bars, with low position will be fast air cutting position.

for road use I like drops, they give me more positions for my hands and roadie gear fits etc.

sarajoy

I think it depends whether you're likely to get into cycling in a big way.

Nearly everyone here who does lots of riding for leisure as well as commuting will tell you you'll want a road bike for road riding in no time - and this includes the drops for multiple hand positions (and I gather more comfort - yo might indeed be holding on too tight!).

I however run a flat bar (with bar ends) roadish bike which I am perfectly happy with - it's all very familiar to me - and much as I think drop-bar bikes look quite cool, I don't need one.

lost_in_thought

Drops allow more hand positions. That's basically the main argument for them for the average cyclist - you can ride on the tops, with your hands knuckle-forward a la flat bars, on the corners, on the hoods thumb-forward, or on the drops, or anywhere in between. This will help if you get numb hands - when you get a numb foot, what do you do? Move it! Drops allow you to do this.

Look! A picture!



Thanks Sheldon.

People often say (wrongly) that you have to have a lower riding position on drop bars. Not true, you'll see some very aggressive racing bikes set up with the drop bars very low for aerodynamics, but it's not a given - see my tifosi in the link in my sig for example, it's very upright.

Drops are also (generally) narrower, which I find better for my shoulders, I feel like I'm doing big arms a la eddie izzard on flat bars...

There's also a lot of people who say 'oooh well the brakes aren't as effective on drops'. Rubbish. Of course they are. If you actually ride them in the drops, they're more effective than they need to be! If you're really keen to have the options, you can also get interruptor brakes on the tops. Sure, very few bikes have both drops and disc brakes. Do you really need disc brakes? Of course you don't.

And on drops you can get out of the wind if it's hella breezy or you're descending and a good deal braver than I am. :oops:

And note which groups of cyclists ride on drops and which on flats.......... :twisted:

rolf_f

I have flat bars on my mountain bike. You need them on a mountain bike as you need lots of control to steer accurately over roots etc. You don't need anywhere near that kind of control on a road bike so I struggle to see the benefit. Obviously, the narrower hand positioning does make drops feel more twitchy but that is just something you get used to and quickly!

Furthermore, in traffic, narrow bars are a godsend. My ideal commuter bike would be mostly MTB but with drop handlebars (with interruptor brake levers so you can brake off the tops effectively - and a front disc brake as they are much better than caliper for stopping power but more annoying with it so V brakes on the back!) - however, no-one agrees with me hence you can't buy such a bike

gaz545

lost_in_thought wrote:

see my tifosi in the link in my sig for example, it's very upright.

Your hoods look like they are in an uncomfortable position :shock:

amnezia

I used to get numbs hands with a flat bar hybrid, went away when i switched to drop bars.

supersonic

I used to do my commute on flat bars, and do all road riding on flat bars.

Because that is what I prefer. And that is what it boils down to for most. I like wider bars, and flat bar shifting and brakes. Bar ends can be useful though.

lost_in_thought

gaz545 wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

see my tifosi in the link in my sig for example, it's very upright.

Your hoods look like they are in an uncomfortable position :shock:

Yeah, it was taken pre-actually-setting-it-up-properly. It's also got an awful, awful saddle, and is the wrong way round!

bigmat

More hand positions on drop bars, although you can get barends on flat bars which give a similar range.

@ LiT, do you actually ride with your hands in positon 3?! Looks slightly odd, although I'm sure its possible.

Oh, and braking IS generally better with flat bars - braking from the drops on drop bars offers equivalent feel, but then how often do the drop bar users actually ride on the drops?

lost_in_thought

MatHammond wrote:

More hand positions on drop bars, although you can get barends on flat bars which give a similar range.

@ LiT, do you actually ride with your hands in positon 3?! Looks slightly odd, although I'm sure its possible.

Oh, and braking IS generally better with flat bars - braking from the drops on drop bars offers equivalent feel, but then how often do the drop bar users actually ride on the drops?

Erm, hold the hoods? It's how I ride most of the time...

bigmat

Oops, meant number two - I guess it could be one of those "I've been riding for 6 hours and can't get comfortable, maybe I'll try this..." options.

seanoconn

Ooh contentious issue. If your not doing any off road riding and want to use the bike for more than the odd leisure ride then drops is the way to go. A road bike is called so because its the best option on the road. Fast, efficient and greater comfort on longer rides. Took me three months of regular riding to get used to drops after my hybrid but loving it now.

Short rides, drops or flats, it dosen't matter. Anything longer, drops no question.

supersonic

But some road bikes have flat bars.

lost_in_thought

MatHammond wrote:

Oops, meant number two - I guess it could be one of those "I've been riding for 6 hours and can't get comfortable, maybe I'll try this..." options.

Ahhh the corners... It's definitely doable. I don't know any people who ride there by default though. I ride there occasionally.

seanoconn

supersonic wrote:

But some road bikes have flat bars.

Good point but why do most road bikes have drops?

supersonic

Because a lot of people prefer them.

But there is also a lot of flat bar road bikes. Because a lot prefer them too.

Choose what suits you best.

Stevo_666

dugliss wrote:

I also suffer from numb hands, would drops help with this or is it just because I hold on too tight

I guess the only way you'll find out is to try a drop bar bike - if you can find a bike shop that will let you have a test ride of one for at least as long as it usually takes for you to get numb hands that should do the trick.

Personally I've never suffered from numb hands on mine. Maybe check your riding position - are you putting a lot of weight on your hands?

prj45

I'm just about to get a drop barred road bike (after spending my life on flats, save for about six months when I was 20).

Will let you know what I prefer, I think it's gonna be flats though.

seanoconn

supersonic wrote:

Because a lot of people prefer them.

But there is also a lot of flat bar road bikes. Because a lot prefer them too.

Choose what suits you best.

I'd give drops a serious go, at least a few months if most of your riding is on road but if its just not comfortable much better to ride with flats than not at all.

Oddjob62

MatHammond wrote:

Oops, meant number two - I guess it could be one of those "I've been riding for 6 hours and can't get comfortable, maybe I'll try this..." options.

I spend a lot of time in that position, mainly because my bars of choice on my commuter are bullhorns. That's pretty much the "standard" position with them.

warthog562

I suppose depending on your location this is where using companys like evans comes in handy you can test ride many bikes then just walk away saying you'll think about it. might give you an idea before you spend your hard earned cash.

PBo

seanoconn wrote:

supersonic wrote:

But some road bikes have flat bars.

Good point but why do most road bikes have drops?

personally, i feel that the drop bars is the most visually obvious (to a non-experienced cyclist) aspect of a road bike, but not the most defining feature.

geo, gearing, wheels/tyres probably all more important to the performance of a road bike than bars.

look, i can't believe this doesn't get asked by every hybrid v road bike newbie to this forum, but i have bitten the bullet, and will risk the oceans of scorn and ridicule which will pour forth.....

....but how the hell do you actually use the brakes/shifters, when not in the drops?????? (which even avid roadies admit is most of the time).

roger_merriman

PBo wrote:

seanoconn wrote:

supersonic wrote:

But some road bikes have flat bars.

Good point but why do most road bikes have drops?

personally, i feel that the drop bars is the most visually obvious (to a non-experienced cyclist) aspect of a road bike, but not the most defining feature.

geo, gearing, wheels/tyres probably all more important to the performance of a road bike than bars.

look, i can't believe this doesn't get asked by every hybrid v road bike newbie to this forum, but i have bitten the bullet, and will risk the oceans of scorn and ridicule which will pour forth.....

....but how the hell do you actually use the brakes/shifters, when not in the drops?????? (which even avid roadies admit is most of the time).

they work fine from the hoods, so fine.

TheStone

On a long ride I'll use all of those positions. Better for the hands, wrists and lower back.
Get numb hands on long or multiple day rides with flat bars.

PBo

roger merriman wrote:

PBo wrote:

look, i can't believe this doesn't get asked by every hybrid v road bike newbie to this forum, but i have bitten the bullet, and will risk the oceans of scorn and ridicule which will pour forth.....

....but how the hell do you actually use the brakes/shifters, when not in the drops?????? (which even avid roadies admit is most of the time).

they work fine from the hoods, so fine.

but.....how?

roger_merriman

PBo wrote:

roger merriman wrote:

PBo wrote:

look, i can't believe this doesn't get asked by every hybrid v road bike newbie to this forum, but i have bitten the bullet, and will risk the oceans of scorn and ridicule which will pour forth.....

....but how the hell do you actually use the brakes/shifters, when not in the drops?????? (which even avid roadies admit is most of the time).

they work fine from the hoods, so fine.

but.....how?

hands around the hoods, fingers curl around the brake/gear lever. it's well, at your finger tips.

Kieran_Burns

PBo - it really becomes 2nd nature quite quickly:

Thumb wrapped over the bars, two or three fingers curled around the brake lever, and GRIP. Most of the work is done by the lower (est) finger and I can lock the wheels on my Tricross quite easily.

Changing gear is even easier, it's the lightest flick of the 2nd finger (big one ) on the lever for shifting up and index and 2nd finger for shifting down, and thumb wrapped around bars.

If you seriously want a demo pop to an LBS and ask. I did when I was trying to work out how to use brake shifters for the first time.

FrankM

I have both a road bike and an MTB but use an MTB for commuting because--

(a) I prefer to be more upright so as to get a better view of the road;
(b) the brakes are infinitely more powerful, especially in the wet.

It may not be quite as fast as a road bike (although you can fit slicks and a road cassette which helps) but as I said on the other very similar thread, the main job of a bike for commuting should be to get you to and from work safely.

In my view it all boils down to what you're going to be mainly using the bike for, which is why I also have a road bike for cycling at weekends when there's no rush hour.

rolf_f

PBo wrote:

roger merriman wrote:

PBo wrote:

look, i can't believe this doesn't get asked by every hybrid v road bike newbie to this forum, but i have bitten the bullet, and will risk the oceans of scorn and ridicule which will pour forth.....

....but how the hell do you actually use the brakes/shifters, when not in the drops?????? (which even avid roadies admit is most of the time).

they work fine from the hoods, so fine.

but.....how?

This threw me a bit until I tried a modern bike - in the old days*, you couldn't brake from the hoods - the type of hood with the cable coming straight out of the top of the hood is pivoted differently (lower down) and you simply can't get the leverage from the hood. Besides, the hoods weren't really used as a normal riding position then - we either rode from the drops or the tops and if you had a cheapish bike, there would be a lever connection to the hood to allow you to brake from the top.

That didn't give as much leverage and these days, people seem to call them suicide levers though I'm not sure why. I think it is because they are big girls blouses but anyway, quality bikes never had them. We got by just moving to the drops if we needed to brake but we were much harder back then

* Old days = late 70s, early 80s

FrankM wrote:

I have both a road bike and an MTB but use an MTB for commuting because--
(a) I prefer to be more upright so as to get a better view of the road;

Drops don't mean you are any less upright than flat bars. Putting drop bars on your bike won't change the height of the head tube!

Ian.B

As well as reasona people have already mentioned, I prefer drops because it seems to me a more natural hand/wrist position.

Try standing up with your arms by your sides, then raise your arms from the elbows. What position are your hands in? The right position for gripping drops. To put your hands in the right position for flats you then have to rotate your wrists by 90 degrees, and that doesn't seem to me a good position to hold for maybe several hours at a time.