Drop vs flat handlebars

Suffolkwheels
Suffolkwheels Posts: 167
edited August 2010 in Road beginners
Hi all

I ride a Giant Rapid 3; flat handlebars with bar ends. I seem to be the only road biker around without drop bars.

I find my handlebars comfortable, allowing me to climb out of the seat easily and change my hand position around on longer rides. But I keep wondering if I'm missing a trick somewhere, being the only one around!

Do drop bars simply allow a more aerodynamic position, or am I missing out on something else?
Giant Rapid 3

Comments

  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Hand positions are limited on flat bars, drop bars give a greater scope for different hand positions.
  • louthepoo
    louthepoo Posts: 223
    my good bike has drop bars but the commuting bike will have flat bars for comfort/ease of maneouvring through traffic. Thought i'd be the only one with flat bars :D
    Riding a Merida FLX Carbon Team D Ultralite Nano from Mike at Ace Ultra Cycles, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton 01902 725444
  • morstar
    morstar Posts: 6,190
    louthepoo wrote:
    my good bike has drop bars but the commuting bike will have flat bars for comfort/ease of maneouvring through traffic. Thought i'd be the only one with flat bars :D
    Wise move on the commuter front. I have a flat bar commuter that is otherwise road spec. Wouldn't for one second change it.
  • Ronnieg
    Ronnieg Posts: 26
    danowat wrote:
    Hand positions are limited on flat bars, drop bars give a greater scope for different hand positions.


    Hmmm.... I've yet to see more than a handful of roadies go past me not riding the hoods.

    I've got straight bars on mine. With the end bars i get a slightly more upright pose when going full tilt. Also i know when i need the brakes i can grab them and squeeze tight.

    I don't know what it is but i just can't get into drop bars like i had when i was younger.
    Another cyclist said to me that when you re-enter cycling at a later age the back position is a little more uncomfortable on the drops.

    horses for courses of course.



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    I look at my bike and I think.....wow! you are gorgeous (Boardman Urban Pro.........)
  • morstar
    morstar Posts: 6,190
    I think the hoods are a naturally comfortable position as your forearm is aligned in its natural position. I do find the flat bars require much more hand adjustment to keep comfortable after an hour or so but I fully acknowldege the benefits too. A handful of brakes is not to be sniffed at when in urban areas.
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    I have flat bars on my commuter bike, and its fine, for about an hour or so, then I start to find the limit of the available hand positions.

    My "proper" road bike has drops, and I have yet to find a limit on the available hand positions, even on rides exceeding 5 hours.

    Hoods are a very natural position, and I reckon I spend about 90% on them, but even so, its nice to have the rest of the available positions should I need them.

    Personally, a properly fitted road bike with drops is at least, if not a little bit more, comfortable (for me) than one with flat bars.
  • Suffolkwheels
    Suffolkwheels Posts: 167
    Thanks for all your thoughts on this. I commute a 22 mile round trip 2-3 times a week and ride for fitness evenings/weekends. I do suffer with a bit of lower back trouble too so given the main benefit of drops being hand positions, I'll stick with with me flats and their more upright position for now:D
    Giant Rapid 3
  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    Or you could buy a cyclo-cross bike. Best of both worlds.
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • wilshawk
    wilshawk Posts: 119
    I commute on a racer with drop handlebars, I like ridign on the drops when going downhill or doing sharp turns, its more secure, as you have a lower centre of gravity. As for general riding, I find the drop position too uncomfortable for anything longer than a couple of minutes, and the upright position is still more stooped than on flat handlebars, and also your hands are not on the breaks which is slightly risky, Im considering getting a hybrid for increased comfort.
  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    and the upright position is still more stooped than on flat handlebars, and also your hands are not on the breaks which is slightly risky, Im considering getting a hybrid for increased comfort.

    Why not a cyclo-cross then? Also it's brakes, not breaks.
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • wilshawk
    wilshawk Posts: 119
    Father Jack wrote:
    and the upright position is still more stooped than on flat handlebars, and also your hands are not on the breaks which is slightly risky, Im considering getting a hybrid for increased comfort.

    Why not a cyclo-cross then? Also it's brakes, not breaks.

    forgive my ignorance (and spelling), but Im not familiar with cyclo-cross bikes, are they a new thing?
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    louthepoo wrote:
    my good bike has drop bars but the commuting bike will have flat bars for comfort/ease of maneouvring through traffic. Thought i'd be the only one with flat bars :D

    I find the narrow bars of my touring bike makes it more comfortable and easier manouvering through traffic than my MTB. The extra width of the MTB bars just gets in the way and quicker steering is more useful than inch precise steering on the road imo.

    The only real issue is that my tourer has old style brakes which only really work properly from the drops. But then I'm often riding on the drops anyway and it isn't a bother to change position.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • careful
    careful Posts: 720
    Flat bars do not allow a natural relaxed posture. When your posture is relaxed your knuckles face outward from the body, not forwards (apart from George W Bush). It is also very good to be able to change posture from time to time. This is a lot easier with drops. I returned to cycling after severall lapsed years. Flat bars seemed the obvious choice especially as I had some back problems. One long tour cured me of that; I was desperate for a change of hand position. I switched to drops and would never go back. Straight bars do give better control so they are good choice for off road and short commutes
  • sparkins1972
    sparkins1972 Posts: 252
    I ride a flat barred Ridgeback Genesis Day 02 whcih must be about 6 or 7 years old. I upgraded the forks to Ded black magic and it handles and rides superbly. It has Cane Creek bar ends which are comfortable. iI can ride comfortably on it for about 35 miles after which i find hand positioning becomes more uncomfortable when compared to a drop bar. The second thing is definitely the aero position especially into a head wind - i ride with a mate on a drop bar and I can keep up with him when he is on the hoods but when we turn into a headwind he just goes into the drops and I lose hand over fist. i bought the Ridgeback as a commuter bike, for which it was brilliant, but now that my riding is more long distance country rides I am looking to get a drop barred bike before next season.
  • Weejie54
    Weejie54 Posts: 750
    I've always used drop bars for long distance - maybe because my long distance bikes have had drop bars. Mark Beaumont went round the world with butterfly bars. It's obviously up to the rider - and you don't really know until you've tried them all.
  • Lillywhite
    Lillywhite Posts: 742
    You will only have a 'sit up and beg' style of riding with a straight bar fitted on a road bike.

    However, traditional road bars given a far better range of positions. For what it's worth I never ride on the bottom of the drops preferring instead a variety of hand positions on the brake hoods and sometimes with my hands on the bar tops when I'm climbing but remain in the saddle. Even if you only ever ride with your hands on the hoods you will have a greater aerodynamic style of riding without giving any back problems

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