hand position on drops...I just don't get it

mesteph

My first time riding drop bars this week and I am struggling to get used to it. At what position on the bars should I be able to reach the brakes comfortably? At the angle I have the bars now I can reach them when I am riding on the hoods but don't feel as if I can apply full pressure on them. When I have my hands down in the drops I can barely reach the brakes at all. I do have small hands which doesn't help but I'm not sure at all of how they should feel so any advice/experience would be appreciated

hipshot

A photo of your bars would be helpful - you might need to adjust the position of your bars or levers.

However it does feel a bit strange the first time you use the drops and you do need more reach to get to the levers.



Practice is key, there is definitely a technique to it and you will get more confident the more you practice.

mesteph

thanks for the reply, I did look up some pictures when I was setting up the bars but just didn't feel great when out on the road, almost uncomfortable to apply brakes from either position. Will get some pics up tomorrow.

Mikey23

Does take getting used to. I don't find it a natural position at all and rarely use it except to give my arms a rest

SPOC

I've found the bars/drops 10 times more of a pain in the arse for the right feel than getting the saddle height right since riding a road bike.

The main problem I was finding was once the hoods felt like they are in the right position, the drops felt odd and then vice versa when experimenting, I kept going from feeling too stretched to too cramped.

You do get used to the drop position though in time and even after a few months of riding I've found myself more flexible and can comfortably ride in the drops for longer periods.

mesteph

SPOC wrote:

I've found the bars/drops 10 times more of a pain in the ars* for the right feel than getting the saddle height right since riding a road bike.

The main problem I was finding was once the hoods felt like they are in the right position, the drops felt odd and then vice versa when experimenting, I kept going from feeling too stretched to too cramped..

Yep, that's the exact problem with me. Set the bars so they are comfortable in one position and the other feels uncomfortable. Reassuring to know it's not just me though, will give it a few weeks

majormantra

mesteph wrote:

Yep, that's the exact problem with me. Set the bars so they are comfortable in one position and the other feels uncomfortable.

That's why there are so many different drop bar shapes - there might be one that suits you better than what you have now.

desweller

What shifters do you have? Some Shimano models can be fitted with shims that bring the brake levers closer to the bars for those of us with small hands.

mattshrops

Realistically most of us hardly use the drops. set yourself up for comfort on the hoods and the tops. Drops are good for racing or in a chain gang etc. and when you're giving it all you've got comfort isn't the main priority.
I know the pros do it fairly easily but, well, they're pros -no?

+1 for shims if you have small hands.

desweller

mattshrops wrote:

Realistically most of us hardly use the drops. set yourself up for comfort on the hoods and the tops. Drops are good for racing or in a chain gang etc. and when you're giving it all you've got comfort isn't the main priority.
I know the pros do it fairly easily but, well, they're pros -no?

+1 for shims if you have small hands.

I don't really agree with this. What's the point of having drops if you can't use them? I use mine all the time; if the bike is competently set up then you should be able to use both hoods and drops in comfort.

dabber

Another thing to consider is you position when in the drops. If you are riding with your elbows locked (and your arms straight) your hand position to get onto the levers will likely involve putting your wrists in a somewhat uncomfortable position. If you ride in the drops with bent elbows your hands will be positioned better.

mattshrops

DesWeller wrote:

mattshrops wrote:

Realistically most of us hardly use the drops. set yourself up for comfort on the hoods and the tops. Drops are good for racing or in a chain gang etc. and when you're giving it all you've got comfort isn't the main priority.
I know the pros do it fairly easily but, well, they're pros -no?

+1 for shims if you have small hands.

I don't really agree with this. What's the point of having drops if you can't use them? I use mine all the time; if the bike is competently set up then you should be able to use both hoods and drops in comfort.

As do I. I figured the guy might need some encourgement and probably after hes been riding for a while will be able to himself and wonder what all the fuss was about. The suns shining and i thought i would be nice.

Pickled Pig

DesWeller wrote:

mattshrops wrote:

Realistically most of us hardly use the drops. set yourself up for comfort on the hoods and the tops. Drops are good for racing or in a chain gang etc. and when you're giving it all you've got comfort isn't the main priority.
I know the pros do it fairly easily but, well, they're pros -no?

+1 for shims if you have small hands.

I don't really agree with this. What's the point of having drops if you can't use them? I use mine all the time; if the bike is competently set up then you should be able to use both hoods and drops in comfort.

+1

Remember you only need to get one finger on the bottom of the lever, where braking force is much greater than near the hoods due to distance from the fulcrum.

rolf_f

Pickled Pig wrote:

DesWeller wrote:

mattshrops wrote:

Realistically most of us hardly use the drops. set yourself up for comfort on the hoods and the tops. Drops are good for racing or in a chain gang etc. and when you're giving it all you've got comfort isn't the main priority.
I know the pros do it fairly easily but, well, they're pros -no?

+1 for shims if you have small hands.

I don't really agree with this. What's the point of having drops if you can't use them? I use mine all the time; if the bike is competently set up then you should be able to use both hoods and drops in comfort.

+1

Remember you only need to get one finger on the bottom of the lever, where braking force is much greater than near the hoods due to distance from the fulcrum.

Plus another. If you don't use the drops you might as well go for a cow horn type setup. Drops are great for descents, cycling into the wind, change of hand position, quicker braking - I reckon I use them about a third of the time when I'm riding solo and I don't get why you wouldn't unless there is some physical reason.

But as said, there are variables such as bar shape. And an inability to reach the drops comfortable could also be down to an overlong stem or a frame that is the wrong shape for you.

mattshrops

mattshrops wrote:

DesWeller wrote:

mattshrops wrote:

Realistically most of us hardly use the drops. set yourself up for comfort on the hoods and the tops. Drops are good for racing or in a chain gang etc. and when you're giving it all you've got comfort isn't the main priority.
I know the pros do it fairly easily but, well, they're pros -no?

+1 for shims if you have small hands.

I don't really agree with this. What's the point of having drops if you can't use them? I use mine all the time; if the bike is competently set up then you should be able to use both hoods and drops in comfort.

As do I. I figured the guy might need some encourgement and probably after hes been riding for a while will be able to himself and wonder what all the fuss was about. The suns shining and i thought i would be nice.

:?:

ShutUpLegs

^
Why are you replying to and contradicting your own comments :?:

mattshrops

You're right. -op spend some money on new bars , then go and get surgery on your hands. And i dont actually care if you only bought your first bike yesterday -you should be in the drops at all times otherwise you are a commuter.Oh yeah and i cant be bothered to read someones reply so i'll just post about whats already been answered anyway. Anything else you want to know??

desweller

mattshrops wrote:

You're right. -op spend some money on new bars , then go and get surgery on your hands. And i dont actually care if you only bought your first bike yesterday -you should be in the drops at all times otherwise you are a commuter.Oh yeah and i cant be bothered to read someones reply so i'll just post about whats already been answered anyway. Anything else you want to know??

Bit overtired are we?

mattshrops

bit bored of www.pedant.com

mesteph

oh dear, what's happened! ha ha. Anyway, what's with the shims you speak of?

desweller

Shimmy, baby.

Monty Dog

Firstly, it make take you a while to develop enough flexibility to reach the drops comfortable. To say that you need to ride on the drops all the time is rubbish - it depends on how you set up the bike in the first place. For road racing, most folks set-up the bar height to ride on the hoods as it keeps the brakes and the gears in easy reach and only use the drops for full-on efforts during climbs, sprints etc. Old school was to ride on the drops - but the top of the bars was typically level with the saddle and brake hoods were small and uncomfortable to hold for a long time.

rolf_f

Monty Dog wrote:

To say that you need to ride on the drops all the time is rubbish.

Lucky no one said this then :wink

Monty Dog wrote:

Old school was to ride on the drops - but the top of the bars was typically level with the saddle and brake hoods were small and uncomfortable to hold for a long time.

It wasn't so much that the hoods were uncomfortable (though they were) but that the brakes were not very effective when operated from the hoods. Only when aero levers came in (around the late 80s I think) was it sensible to expect that you could do a quick stop from the hoods. Aero levers shifted the pivot upwards.

centimani

Different drops do make a huge difference, the trouble is, most of us find out which are best by accident.
Just got ITM carbon wings, and they are vastly different to the ones on my Bianchi, i spend more time on the drops now than ever before. Buti didn't know they would be good, they looked good, they were shallow....they could have been rubbish, thankfully....
Even on the drops there are two positions to use....palms parallel with the road, ie on the tail end of the drops, this is good for cruising, or crank the wrists , move your hands toward the levers, so your palms are almost facing forward (pretty much like the sky rider in the photo above). This gives you access to the levers, but is more uncomfortable after awhile.
Even then, the comfort on drops is affected by headtube height. My Ribble sportive (naturally) has a tall headtube, this helps comfort generally, but stops you bending double (an exaggeration I know) to use the drops, it brings the bars to you somewhat.

simon_masterson

Rolf F wrote:

It wasn't so much that the hoods were uncomfortable (though they were) but that the brakes were not very effective when operated from the hoods. Only when aero levers came in (around the late 80s I think) was it sensible to expect that you could do a quick stop from the hoods. Aero levers shifted the pivot upwards.

Exactly. The return springs help too. I like things that are good because they are old, but non-aero levers I cannot endorse and my old pair I used to use won't be going on a bike again; I do not accept 'period correct' unless the bicycle is a museum exhibit! Switching to aero levers was a huge improvement. Much more comfortable, much nicer action, much easier to stop, no cables flapping around. I'm assuming that brifters are even more comfortable still; I have never yet used them.

Having said that, there is something worse: Extension (suicide) levers! My brother has just bought himself a lovely old road bike and it is sadly replete with these obscenities. I've already informed him that they have to go.

AchillesLeftKnee

Drops-related question...

Do any of you more knowledgeable types know if being in the drops makes use of significantly different muscle groups than riding on the hoods? The problem I'm having with the drops at the moment is, although comfortable to ride in, it feels like I'm having trouble putting the power down in the saddle once in them which, at the moment anyway, is kinda defeating the point on anything other than a fairly funky descent.

Cannock Chase

Don't know what bars you have but I bought the FSA Omega Compact Bar and I love it. It totally transformed the ride on my Sirius road bike. My Trek Madone has a compact bar which is good, but not as comfortable as the FSA. For the sake of £25-30 for the bars and a roll of bar tape I'll probably put one on the Trek as well.
http://www.fullspeedahead.com/products/199/Omega-Compact

tiredofwhiners

AchillesLeftKnee wrote:

Drops-related question...Do any of you more knowledgeable types know if being in the drops makes use of significantly different muscle groups than riding on the hoods?

The more you bend over, the tighter the angle in your hips so you would expect to have some reduction in power output, but the lower profile should reduce your aero drag more than the loss of power loses you. You probably feel you're less effective but are going faster.

The alternative is to go for a TT/triathlon bike which has a different seatpost angle, thereby opening up the hip when in the aero/drop position, as appropriate. Its one of the reasons why the angle of the seatpost is different for TT bikes.

rolf_f

Simon Masterson wrote:

I do not accept 'period correct' unless the bicycle is a museum exhibit!

Then you should keep away from old bikes! Leave them to others who respect them! There is nothing wrong with non aero brake levers on a day to day basis. They don't brake well from the hoods but then you don't try to brake from them (aside from to regulate speed). Aero levers themselves are not as good as the current generation of levers. As for comfort - I find non aero similar to aero and both not as good as current. The hood design didn't really change that much externally when aero came in. As for the exposed cables - not only do they look cool they are more intune with the practical simplicity of old bikes.

As for museum pieces - this is my Dawes Horizon (after a particularly tough commute!). I've probably put 10,000 commuting miles under it in the last three years into central Leeds. It isn't a museum piece - it's a bike, a real bike. And it's transport. It would get aero levers over my dead body!

simon_masterson

Rolf F wrote:

Simon Masterson wrote:

I do not accept 'period correct' unless the bicycle is a museum exhibit!

Then you should keep away from old bikes! Leave them to others who respect them!

Never!!!!!

I prefer to respect them enough not to leave them that way.

Really however, below is my beloved Ernie Clements-era Falcon. As far as I'm concerned it is the coolest bike in the world. It was my dad's, and I can remember often gazing at it in wonderment as a tot. I'm pretty sure he bought it in the early '80s, but Ernie Clements supposedly left the company in the late '70s so I'm not sure of the exact vintage. The bike fell out of favour with him some years ago as he isn't a 'road cyclist' to any degree, and he wasn't happy with the dysfunctional brakes (now replaced; proactive approach). This also unfortunately reflects the fastidious care and attention (lack thereof) that the bike has received over the years, and the fact that it's been kept outside at one point...

It's had a few component swaps during its lifetime (cranks, chainrings, pedals, saddle, one wheel), so it wasn't 'original' when it came into my hands. I've replaced the saddle, chainrings (worn), freewheel (I killed it stone dead), rear wheel (axle snapped going into corner; ow), handlebars (bent; replaced with nice old Cinelli 'bars and stem), headset (corroded), brakes and levers; I also have a pair of SPDs that I've been meaning to put on, but I like my clips too.

I happen to think that 'vintage hotrod' bikes, as mine is steadily becoming, are among the coolest there are, but nevertheless I'm glad of all of the improvements, and will eventually put on a pair of nice 700c wheels (probably 7 speed freehub), give it a colour-matched respray with replica decals and a full compliment of braze-ons, a headset adaptor and modern stem and 'bars, and maybe even a black seatpost to match everything else. Some would say the bike isn't worth it, but I disagree.

Rolf F wrote:

There is nothing wrong with non aero brake levers on a day to day basis. They don't brake well from the hoods but then you don't try to brake from them (aside from to regulate speed).

The problem is, I do. I spend a lot of time in the drops, but I would hate to go back to being unable to brake from the hoods now. Particularly when riding in heavy traffic, I find it invaluable.

Rolf F wrote:

As for the exposed cables - not only do they look cool they are more intune with the practical simplicity of old bikes.

I respectfully disagree . I think they look right on '70s and earlier bikes, but even then I find them dated and messy looking. Anything from the mid '80s onward has to have aero levers in my book; even old ones if you must. New brakes tend to look a bit out of place on old bikes too, but it'll look even less cool after it's been under a lorry!

Rolf F wrote:

As for museum pieces - this is my Dawes Horizon (after a particularly tough commute!). I've probably put 10,000 commuting miles under it in the last three years into central Leeds. It isn't a museum piece - it's a bike, a real bike. And it's transport. It would get aero levers over my dead body!

Very nice. I'm afraid I would definitely put aero levers on a bike like that.