Drop handlebars

Hoping for your advice,
Currently I part commute 5 miles or so,and am looking to increase to 10,then go the whole hog,of 18 miles each way.I'm 56,overweight,though I'm pleased to say I've lost 14 pounds since taking up cycling,18 months ago.
My problem is that I ride a Carrera Subway 8 commuting bike on road and towpath,with straight handlebars.I'm told and have read that drop handlebars are far better for comfort,muscle development and back pain/problems.
What do you all think,and would it be plausible to put drop handlebars on my Subway 8?
Thanks,
Keiron
Currently I part commute 5 miles or so,and am looking to increase to 10,then go the whole hog,of 18 miles each way.I'm 56,overweight,though I'm pleased to say I've lost 14 pounds since taking up cycling,18 months ago.
My problem is that I ride a Carrera Subway 8 commuting bike on road and towpath,with straight handlebars.I'm told and have read that drop handlebars are far better for comfort,muscle development and back pain/problems.
What do you all think,and would it be plausible to put drop handlebars on my Subway 8?
Thanks,
Keiron
k.curtis
0
Posts
You could change the bars on the Subway but you'll probably have to for out for new brake / gear levers so it won't be cheap.
The second issue is the top tube length - generally much longer on a hybrid than road bike, leaving you far too stretched out on the drops. You might be able to adjust the position by moving the saddle forward and getting a shorted stem, but this might not be enough. I reckon you could cobble something together but it might not be super comfortable.
I would also recommend a cross bike (perhaps second hand to keep the cost down). Or most touring bikes will be fine on towpaths and there is lots of choice there including some fairly cheap ones.
However it is getting old and I'm thinking about getting a new bike next year, and I'm looking at a road bike, my only issue will be the handling in traffic, as I ride into central london, during rush hour
* 46 = Happiness
My geuss is that if you are riding a lot on the towpath then the more upright position of the flat bars makes sense. We wouldn't want to read of you ending up in the canal!
On a 10 mile road ride you are just getting to the length that makes drops more sensible.
Chris
Kieran, I'd go with this one. Cheap and quick to do.
Best thing is it somehow upsets all the 'purists'. I was going to get flat bars and bar ends on the MTB, but stayed with bar ends on the riser bars 'cos it seemed to upset them so much! :twisted:
Rich
A Vision of a Champion is someone who is bent over, drenched with sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when no one else is watching.
They may look a little 'strange' but worked wonders for the hand numbness problems I was having. Currently £35, though you can occasionally find them on ebay for around a tenner.
Also check out the Mungo bar on their site. Which is half way between a flat and a drop bar - if that's possible.
Was half considering swapping to drop bars (they were £7.50 on wiggle) - I guess you have to get new brakes, and gear switchers - or could I use my old gear changers, on the bars, near to the stem? I know it'd be ugly, but I don't mind!
And how come V-brakes won't work with drop bars? :shock:
I've got On-One Midge bars which are great, and use Bar end shifters and Dis Compe 287V levers. the whole conversion cost me about 90 quid though. It would have been a lot cheapr to do the bar end thing, but the MIdges are fab...
However, it is possible to rig up a half decent gear system with MTB thumb shifters. I placed mine right below the brake levers and they were fine to use when on the drops although no good on the hoods. I was quite pleased with that system for a year or two and it was only my frustration with the brakes that made me get rid of it.