Moving from flatbar to drops ?

redhanded

I've only ridden flat bar bikes (mountain bikes and hybrids) for the last 20 years but am considering getting a bike with drop bars for commuting... basically because I think I would like to try something different.

I've test ridden a couple of drop bar bikes and it basically felt.... weird... probably because I'm so accustomed to flat bars. Going down on the drops felt really low and with the narrower hand position, the bike felt less manoeverable.

I'm guessing that I would get used to this after time... but the thing I am more concerned about is that part of my commute is through pretty heavy and slow moving traffic. I generally cover the brakes at all times in case of errant pedestrians, drivers and other cyclists and there is usually quite a lot of weaving through the traffic.

I could be wrong but my feeling is that a flat bar bike would be better for this type of traffic but the drop bar bike would be more fun when the road ahead is clear... so I am still undecided.

What are others experience of moving from a flatbar to drops, particularly if you commute through heavy traffic?

kelsen

You don't need to use the drops just because you have them. In fact most people don't and use the hoods the majority of the time which allows the brakes to be covered.

The transition from flat bar will feel strange initially, but you'll soon get used to it. I don't think a road bike is necessarily less manoeuvrable in heavy traffic as long as it's the right size for you. One thing I would definitely take into consideration is toe overlap with the front wheel as it will affect your ability to weave through traffic.

ThatBikeGuy

I did this and found it fairly easy, the narrower bars help a lot for weaving through gaps, just make sure the bike is the right fit for you else it may be uncomfortable after a while.

Also different hand positions mean you can cover the brakes when needed and go onto the drops if you really want to get some speed up.

night_porter

I too was unsure whether I would like it so I bought a 2nd hand set of bars complete with sti Tiagra levers to suit my hybrid (27 speed) This enabled me to "convert" to drops for about £100 plus some work on my part.

It felt awkward at first but because it was relatively cheap I thought I would stick at it for a couple of months to see if I liked it. One of the strangest things was having very thin bar contact, just tape instead of chunky ergo grips.

Eventually, I liked it so much that I bought a "proper" road bike for commuting during the summer months and use the converted hybrid for winter because it has wider tyres and stronger brakes. As I ride about 5,000 miles a year on my commute I didn't think it was excessive to have 2 bikes for it.

I enjoy my riding much more now and I have even bought a carbon roadie for my non-commuting days off rides. I am not a racer (I am 55) and have only been back into riding for the last 4 years but I can easily manage 50 milers averaging 17(ish) mph and it gets kind of addictive.

Give it a try, stick with it, you will enjoy it and probably ride more like I do.

Vivica

I was in a similar position to use, doing my commute on everything from full suspension mountain bikes, to electric ladies bikes!!

Swapping from flat to drop bars was so scary that i bought a Tricross, with brakes on both the drops and the flats.

In reality - i needn't have worried at all, i adapted to the drops in literally 15 minutes, and was perfectly comfortable in no time.

Just go for it - you'll never look back.

Ngalbrai

Another convert here. Felt weird and unstable at first but now that I am used to it would not go back. One fear I had in transition was road bike brakes not being as effective as vees in the wet, so I got a drop bar with disc brakes (Kona Honky Inc) its a bit heavy but the brakes are awesome.

Used to get some wrist pain but drops sorted that, many more hand positions, plus narrower bars make it more maneuverable through traffic i find.

If I were still in UK would investigate the Genesis disc braked drop bar commuter jobby, looks good.

Noclue

I use a cyclocross bike (Genesis Vapour) for commuting as it's still fast/light enough to do 50 mile+ rides but the slightly more relaxed geometry and interuptor brake levers on the flat part of the bars make it ideal for city traffic, many cyclocross bikes now come with disc brakes as well making them even better as the stopping power of them is much better than traditional cantilever brakes.

I also ride a proper road bike so the comparison is easy for me to make, the crosser is much better at low speeds and in traffic, and also the bigger tyres that you can use on a crosser suits commuting much better as well.