Why do so many people still buy road bikes with drop bars but neverride in the dropped position?

SMS wrote:
Peter Cole wrote:

Short answer, I think most people have their bars too low. It makes
the bike look sporty, but they then can't comfortably ride in the
(even shallow) drops.

I don't think they don't have their bars too low simply because it looks
sporty, they have them too low because that's the way the manufacturers
sell the bike to them, with almost no extra length and spacers on the
steer tube. So to get the bars to the proper level they need to either
use a headset extender or buy an adjustable height threadless stem. The
former looks terrible and the latter is very costly.

I don't know, perhaps first-time buyers might make the mistake of buying
a bike with too low bars, but you'd think an experienced rider would
insist on a bike with perfect fit. I know I would.

Peter Cole wrote:
SMS wrote:
Peter Cole wrote:

Short answer, I think most people have their bars too low. It makes
the bike look sporty, but they then can't comfortably ride in the
(even shallow) drops.

I don't think they don't have their bars too low simply because it
looks sporty, they have them too low because that's the way the
manufacturers sell the bike to them, with almost no extra length and
spacers on the steer tube. So to get the bars to the proper level they
need to either use a headset extender or buy an adjustable height
threadless stem. The former looks terrible and the latter is very costly.

I don't know, perhaps first-time buyers might make the mistake of buying
a bike with too low bars, but you'd think an experienced rider would
insist on a bike with perfect fit. I know I would.

If I get another upright road bike, I will get it from a shop that is
willing to switch out stems, handlebars, seat posts and saddles to get
the fit right from the start. If the shop can't or won't do that, one
might as well buy online.

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
LOCAL CACTUS EATS CYCLIST - datakoll

Chalo wrote:
Bret wrote:
In very rough terrain, such as washboard on a dirt road, you
can hold the drops loosely and get a suspension effect without being
in any danger of losing control of the bar.

In very rough terrain, the bends above the drops can hammer your
wrists to a pulp. This I know from personal experience!

I am sorry now you have a pulp instead of your wirsts... ;-)
I use drop bars in my bicycles for almost thirty years in every terrain
and to me it is the most comfortable and reliable bicycle bar...


--
PoZdR
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++
"More experienced cyclists learn to "get light"
for a fraction of a second while going over rough
patches; newbies tend to sit harder on the saddle,
increasing the risk of pinch flats."
Sheldon Brown: 1944 - 2008
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++

Coaster wrote:

Chalo wrote:

Bret wrote:

In very rough terrain, such as washboard on a dirt road, you
can hold the drops loosely and get a suspension effect without being
in any danger of losing control of the bar.

In very rough terrain, the bends above the drops can hammer your
wrists to a pulp. *This I know from personal experience!

I am sorry now you have a pulp instead of your wirsts... ;-)
I use drop bars in my bicycles for almost thirty years in every terrain
and to me it is the most comfortable and reliable bicycle bar...

Well, I'll be waiting for them to take the two-wheeled world from
Beijing to Dakar by storm, then.

Chalo

In article
,
" wrote:

On Mar 9, 7:49*am, " wrote:
On Mar 8, 11:07*am, Lou Holtman wrote:





SMS schreef:

Yesterday on my ride across the GG bridge and into Marin county,
probably saw several thousand cyclists on road bikes (it was the first
non-rainy day in weeks). One thing that struck me is that for all the
fancy road bikes with drop bars out there, I never saw anyone riding in
the drop position. Since parts of the GG bridge path are quite narrow,
and there are a lot of inexperienced and unpredictable riders out there,
I saw a lot of maneuvers where the road cyclist would scramble to change
their hand position from the top, down to reach the brake levers.

I'm surprised that some of these riders don't install something like
Cane Creek Crosstop levers
("http://www.canecreek.com/crosstop-brake-levers.html") for when they're
riding in urban areas and the drop position is uncomfortable and
impractical.

Remember "safety brake" extension levers? Maybe those should be brought
back.

On the hoods should the most comfortable position IMO. In the drops is
for descending when really hard braking in needed or to get in a more
aero position. If your hands are on the hoods there is no problem even
on the Golden Gate bridge and you don't need those goofy safety brakes.

I spend quite a long time on the drops and I am quite comfortable on
them. Granted that I don't have them half a yard below the saddle. My
bars are about an inch below the saddle. So, being on the drops is
quite comfortable. Riding alone, at a good speed or against the wind,
is is also easier.- Hide quoted text -

Me too. I probably ride 25-35% of the time in the drops. More when
going into a headwind. But I also notice most bikers do not use the
drops. Many a ride I've been on riding along in the group into a
headwind and everyone around me is sitting bolt upright with their
hands on the hoods catching the wind like a sail. Always seems odd to
me. My tops are about 3 inches or so below saddle height.

I spend plenty of time at the ends; at low speed too. Over
rough pavement being at the ends absorbs road shock. The
ends are cantilevered and the hooks are good for flexing.
50 mm saddle down to tops.

--
Michael Press

On Mar 10, 1:29*am, Chalo wrote:
Bret wrote:

In very rough terrain, such as washboard on a dirt road, you
can hold the drops loosely and get a suspension effect without being
in any danger of losing control of the bar.

In very rough terrain, the bends above the drops can hammer your
wrists to a pulp. *This I know from personal experience!

Chalo

I've never had any problem with my wrists using drop bars. With the
flat bars on my MTB, my thumbs get very sore from the vibration when I
forget to keep them clamped to the bars in rough terrain.

Bret

Peter Cole wrote:

I don't know, perhaps first-time buyers might make the mistake of buying
a bike with too low bars, but you'd think an experienced rider would
insist on a bike with perfect fit. I know I would.

It's much harder to achieve "perfect fit" now than in the past.
Adjusting both height and reach might require a new fork in addition to
a new stem.

Sheldon's solution is one way,
"http://www.sheldonbrown.com/org/brown/pages/01brown-2-bar.htm" but not
everyone will appreciate the level of elegance.

On Mar 8, 4:51*pm, SMS wrote:
Yesterday on my ride across the GG bridge and into Marin county,
probably saw several thousand cyclists on road bikes (it was the first
non-rainy day in weeks). One thing that struck me is that for all the
fancy road bikes with drop bars out there, I never saw anyone riding in
the drop position. Since parts of the GG bridge path are quite narrow,
and there are a lot of inexperienced and unpredictable riders out there,
I saw a lot of maneuvers where the road cyclist would scramble to change
their hand position from the top, down to reach the brake levers.

I'm surprised that some of these riders don't install something like
Cane Creek Crosstop levers
("http://www.canecreek.com/crosstop-brake-levers.html") for when they're
riding in urban areas and the drop position is uncomfortable and
impractical.

Remember "safety brake" extension levers? Maybe those should be brought
back.

It is probably significant that the billion or so people who ride a
bike because they have to rather than choose to -- all use North Road
style bars. Only those who choose to ride as a lifestyle (i.e.
fashion) statement use drop bars. It is an affectation and, like most
uncomfortable affectations -- self-flagellation for Catholics comes to
mind -- observed in the breach by all except the truly obsessed. --
Andre Jute

On Mar 10, 11:33*am, SMS wrote:
Peter Cole wrote:
I don't know, perhaps first-time buyers might make the mistake of buying
a bike with too low bars, but you'd think an experienced rider would
insist on a bike with perfect fit. I know I would.

It's much harder to achieve "perfect fit" now than in the past.
Adjusting both height and reach might require a new fork in addition to
a new stem.

I don't get it. Why would you need a new fork to achieve a "perfect
fit?" If you are starting with a new bike, and assuming it uses a
threadless steerer tube, just don't cut the fork and use alot of
spacers both above and below the stem. Then adjust accordingly. If
your stem needs more height than allowed, you need a bigger bike. If
it uses less steerer tube, then you'll have spacer between the top of
the stem and the headset cap. What's so difficult?


Sheldon's solution is one way,
"http://www.sheldonbrown.com/org/brown/pages/01brown-2-bar.htm" but not
everyone will appreciate the level of elegance.

Agree, not everybody wants or needs this type of setup.

Brewster Fong wrote:
On Mar 10, 11:33 am, SMS wrote:
Peter Cole wrote:
I don't know, perhaps first-time buyers might make the mistake of buying
a bike with too low bars, but you'd think an experienced rider would
insist on a bike with perfect fit. I know I would.
It's much harder to achieve "perfect fit" now than in the past.
Adjusting both height and reach might require a new fork in addition to
a new stem.

I don't get it.

Yes, we see that.

Why would you need a new fork to achieve a "perfect
fit?" If you are starting with a new bike, and assuming it uses a
threadless steerer tube, just don't cut the fork and use alot of
spacers both above and below the stem.

The manufacturers routinely ship the bikes with the steerer tubes cut
too short.