Bar & Hood position (result pics added)

♠ChumBucket♠

Is this the correct position on this bike? This how mine came. if you look at the top of the bars, they drop down to the hoods. I would have thought the top should be more level? It's a little uncomfortable with it pointing downwards & think I would prefer that part to be more flat/level.

phil_smeeth

I think they look ok. Does it feel like too much of a stretch when you're on the hoods?
If you level the top of your bars with the saddle, your hoods/levers will be quite high. So if you ride on the drops you might have trouble reaching the brakes.

Ride hard

If you put a ruler under the bottom of the drops it should be inline with the bottom of the shifter, so yours looks about right.

There are loads of different types of bars you can get to suit your riding, so if you want something that's more flat/level then you should get a replacement. I've got a compact bar thats shape means there is no drop to the hoods (if that makes sense).

cougie

It's up to you how you have it. Don't listen to any rules. Sean Yates didn't.

♠ChumBucket♠

Ride hard wrote:

If you put a ruler under the bottom of the drops it should be inline with the bottom of the shifter, so yours looks about right.

There are loads of different types of bars you can get to suit your riding, so if you want something that's more flat/level then you should get a replacement. I've got a compact bar thats shape means there is no drop to the hoods (if that makes sense).

Thanks for the replies, do you have a link to some of these bars?

declan1

Yours are compact drops. Just unwrap the bar tape, rotate the bars up and put the hoods down until they're inline with the tops of the bars.

♠ChumBucket♠

declan1 wrote:

Yours are compact drops. Just unwrap the bar tape, rotate the bars up and put the hoods down until they're inline with the tops of the bars.

Thanks. Daft question time-

Can I reuse the same tape after?

Ride hard

I stand corrected re the compacts!

For the record I've got these Eastons that came as standard on my Cube http://www.wiggle.co.uk/easton-ea30-aero-road-handlebar/

Yes, you can resuse the tape after unwrapping.

Monty Dog

Ride hard wrote:

If you put a ruler under the bottom of the drops it should be inline with the bottom of the shifter, so yours looks about right.

That was the old-school rule for traditional bend bars where we rode mainly on the drops. Modern convention is to mainly ride on the hoods - it does depend on the make/shape of the hoods and bars. Shimano are designed for a slight upward inclination like the photo whereas SRAM and Campagnolo have a more level hood position.

racingcondor

I would unwrap those bars, rotate them up until the tops are horisontal and move the shifters down until the hoods are flat but it is personal preference really. You won't be able to reuse the bar tape again though.

slowbike

racingcondor wrote:

You won't be able to reuse the bar tape again though.

Really? Why not?
I've recently redone the wrapping of the top 1/2 of my tape where it came loose (through use) - it re-wrapped fine and just needed some new tape to finish it. It won't last the same time again because the tape is worn and needs total replacment.

Daz555

cougie wrote:

It's up to you how you have it. Don't listen to any rules. Sean Yates didn't.

This.

You should have your bars and hoods where they suit you best. For me, I like my bars so that the top is horizontal and not dipping away from me and my hoods so that I have a nice comfortable wrist angle when I'm holding on to them.

♠ChumBucket♠

racingcondor wrote:

I would unwrap those bars, rotate them up until the tops are horisontal and move the shifters down until the hoods are flat but it is personal preference really. You won't be able to reuse the bar tape again though.

This is exactly what I was looking to do.

Thanks everyone for your comments & input, I'm not used to "proper" road bikes.

♠ChumBucket♠

I've made the changes & it's made a "significant" difference!! Feels much better now, made a bit of a pig's ear with the re-taping but hey ho.
Pics don't quite do it justice, you can see how much movement more by looking at the bottom of the drops.

Before & after-

declan1

That's much better - you should notice a big difference in comfort now!

itboffin

That looks better, did they ask you if you wanted the stem flipped that way up when you bought the bike?

bushu

Thanks mine looks similar i think now, first time sitting t'other evening in drops was very uncomfortable
Slight bar tilt thanks to you guys and i'm not over stretching my torso or folding myself in half to get down to them
still lots to learn.. may even try shorter stem when i understand quill stems :?

♠ChumBucket♠

itboffin wrote:

That looks better, did they ask you if you wanted the stem flipped that way up when you bought the bike?

That's a Deda 70mm stem, the bike came with a 100mm one. I flipped it just the other day in an attempt to get a more comfortable position, I might put it back now I've moved the bars. I'm used to a MTB & new to road bikes, been making adjustments to get a more comfortable position. I also need to adapt myself to the new bike.

cyberknight

The OPs second pic looks exactly like my bars do, theres no hard and fast rule but looks like whoever built that bike needed an eye test when they put the bars on originally

goonz

Interesting, didnt know you could move the drops on the bar...may have a look into mine.

I also dont find it totally comfortable when in the drops so maybe this is what I need.

♠ChumBucket♠

Just been out for a nifty 15 miles & bars are SO MUCH better!! Happy days.

Thanks again for everyone's input.