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

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.

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.

Lou

On Mar 8, 10:07 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 took the extension levers off of my bike. They were really only
good for very modest, mushy, slow-down-a-little braking anyway. I
couldn't lock the wheels with them. They interfered with a good grip
on the hoods. They rattled. And they looked goofy :-)

I only ever ride on the tops in the most casual circumstances,
anyway. I'm with Lou: The hoods are where it's at, and the drops are
for getting aero (headwinds or making the most of a descent).

All that said, I'm sure a lot of people would be better off with a
different style handlebar.

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.

don't you have braze-ons for your steel handlebars?

troll.

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.

They were pwetending. If you're gonna dwess up as a Tour de Fwance
champeen, you gotta use dwop bars. But nobody says you hafta use
'em.

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.

In their day, those were called "suicide levers" or, more amusingly,
"turkey wings". They allowed you to access the brakes from the bar
tops, but they didn't allow you to use the lever's full travel from
that position. So they lulled riders into complacency while letting
them down when they needed their brakes most.

Cross levers are the new turkey wings. At least they work better
now. The jive turkeys who buy drop bar bikes and don't use the drops
are the same low quality items as in the old days, though.

Chalo

In article 6c19739a-809e-47d6-bbc9-
,
says...


On Mar 8, 10:07 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 took the extension levers off of my bike. They were really only
good for very modest, mushy, slow-down-a-little braking anyway. I
couldn't lock the wheels with them. They interfered with a good grip
on the hoods. They rattled. And they looked goofy :-)

I only ever ride on the tops in the most casual circumstances,
anyway. I'm with Lou: The hoods are where it's at, and the drops are
for getting aero (headwinds or making the most of a descent).

All that said, I'm sure a lot of people would be better off with a
different style handlebar.


I probably ride the hoods most of the time, occasionally tops, occasionally
drops. Certainly riding around town its mostly on the hoods so the car in
front who's driver is talking on the cell phone (illedgal in California) is about
to cut over one lane to get to that parking space right in front of you or
some such other stupid thing, will make you slam your brakes or veer off.
Just a little ranting here, happened again yesterday. Some woman in a SUV
cut me off right before an intersection so she could make that right turn on
red light and she was on her phone. I pulled up right next to her and just
looked at her. She wouldn't look at me, but she'd make that big effort to do
me in. Funny world.

On Sun, 8 Mar 2009 10:59:46 -0700 (PDT), Chalo
wrote:

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.

They were pwetending. If you're gonna dwess up as a Tour de Fwance
champeen, you gotta use dwop bars. But nobody says you hafta use
'em.

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.

In their day, those were called "suicide levers" or, more amusingly,
"turkey wings". They allowed you to access the brakes from the bar
tops, but they didn't allow you to use the lever's full travel from
that position. So they lulled riders into complacency while letting
them down when they needed their brakes most.

Cross levers are the new turkey wings. At least they work better
now. The jive turkeys who buy drop bar bikes and don't use the drops
are the same low quality items as in the old days, though.

Chalo

Dear Chalo,

1947 Tour de France winner Robic:

http://images.google.com/hosted/life...af b0faa7c1bb

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

On Mar 8, 11:51 am, 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.



The biggest problem with drops are the advent of mtbs and that culture
influencing people to buy road bikes that are too small, thus making
the drops a heroic reach. My last two 60cm bikes were purchased
against the opinion of two different shops that thought I was too
short to ride such a "large" bike at a measly 186cm.

Also a problem, IMHO, is the disease known as "ergonomic". Those style
drops are uncomfortable for human hands for long periods as there's no
traditional long flat.

On Mar 8, 1:49*pm, Dan O wrote:
On Mar 8, 10:07 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 took the extension levers off of my bike. *They were really only
good for very modest, mushy, slow-down-a-little braking anyway. *I
couldn't lock the wheels with them. *They interfered with a good grip
on the hoods. *They rattled. *And they looked goofy :-)

I only ever ride on the tops in the most casual circumstances,
anyway. *I'm with Lou: *The hoods are where it's at, and the drops are
for getting aero (headwinds or making the most of a descent).

All that said, I'm sure a lot of people would be better off with a
different style handlebar.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Those extensions used to be called 'Safety Levers'.
We call 'em Suicide Levers.

Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycles
http://OldRoads.com

In article ,
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.

Thanks, Lou. You saved me the trouble.

--
Michael Press