Re:
A mate has classic north road flats on his Mercian run about.
2008 Mercian Fixed by rebalrid, on Flickr
A mate has classic north road flats on his Mercian run about.
2008 Mercian Fixed by rebalrid, on Flickr
Drops are they well.....right ?
- Thread starter velomaniac
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flat bars and
wait for it
bar ends!
wait for it
bar ends!
Re:
Drop bars are not essential to 'look right' on a road bike. Sadly the mass of low level hybrids made
flat bars on 700c road bikes a bit naff. A good purpose built hybrid should have a longer top-tube
than a road bike to account for the fact you will never dive into the hooks. You can offset this with
a longer stem though to give a similar reach without bending your back and curling into a ball.
Drop bars are about aerodynamics too. Here's one class rider that clearly sacrificed comfort for aerodynamics.
Drop bars are not essential to 'look right' on a road bike. Sadly the mass of low level hybrids made
flat bars on 700c road bikes a bit naff. A good purpose built hybrid should have a longer top-tube
than a road bike to account for the fact you will never dive into the hooks. You can offset this with
a longer stem though to give a similar reach without bending your back and curling into a ball.
Drop bars are about aerodynamics too. Here's one class rider that clearly sacrificed comfort for aerodynamics.
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Joe_Rides
Senior Retro Guru
I never used to get on with drops but I think they can be really comfortable when set up right. Most bikes I find have the stem too long and too low. I try and have the hoods about level with the saddle. That way the drops are the lower stance (but not MEGA low), and riding on the top of the bars is in a "sit up and beg" fashion. 3 totally different positions.
When blasting down a hill I find being on the drops gives a control at 30mph and above (especially when there are speed bumps!)
I don't ride in a city though and would be slightly fearful on the drops around heavy traffic.
When blasting down a hill I find being on the drops gives a control at 30mph and above (especially when there are speed bumps!)
I don't ride in a city though and would be slightly fearful on the drops around heavy traffic.
torqueless
Senior Retro Guru
Re:
You have to define 'road bike'.. To me, 'road bike' is a distinct category from 'roadster' or 'tourer'. It implies something lightweight that was designed to cruise at 25mph, burdened only by the rider, which in turn implies an upper body position optimised for cutting down wind-resistance rather than one optimised for admiring the scenery.
With that in mind, these kind of bikes look 'right' when the stem is lower than the saddle. Imo it doesn't matter much whether the bars are flat or drops.
For contrast.. we have all(?) seen a photo of a nice old Colnago or something, probably not serviced since 1978 when it was last raced, with the seat post slammed down as far as it will go under a comfy padded saddle, the stem raised as far as it will go, the (drop) bars angled back as far as they will go, and a shopping basket on the front.
That is how you negate the aesthetics of a road bike, but it makes practical sense if you retired from racing in 1978 and were left with a Colnago. Why buy another bike just to go shopping?
You have to define 'road bike'.. To me, 'road bike' is a distinct category from 'roadster' or 'tourer'. It implies something lightweight that was designed to cruise at 25mph, burdened only by the rider, which in turn implies an upper body position optimised for cutting down wind-resistance rather than one optimised for admiring the scenery.
With that in mind, these kind of bikes look 'right' when the stem is lower than the saddle. Imo it doesn't matter much whether the bars are flat or drops.
For contrast.. we have all(?) seen a photo of a nice old Colnago or something, probably not serviced since 1978 when it was last raced, with the seat post slammed down as far as it will go under a comfy padded saddle, the stem raised as far as it will go, the (drop) bars angled back as far as they will go, and a shopping basket on the front.
That is how you negate the aesthetics of a road bike, but it makes practical sense if you retired from racing in 1978 and were left with a Colnago. Why buy another bike just to go shopping?
Ian Raleigh
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All my road bikes have dropped bars but I never go on the bottoms because I can't because of a Back problem.
At times I think about fitting straight bars on one of the bikes.
At times I think about fitting straight bars on one of the bikes.
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Re:
Velo orange do a great range of 'Road' bars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... handlebars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... handlebars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... handlebars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... handlebars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... handlebars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... ars-22-2mm
Below is a picture of my Mercian fitted with the Left bank bars
Velo orange do a great range of 'Road' bars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... handlebars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... handlebars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... handlebars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... handlebars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... handlebars
https://www.velovitality.co.uk/collecti ... ars-22-2mm
Below is a picture of my Mercian fitted with the Left bank bars
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Only time it actually becomes an issue is if you've made a balls up of the set up of the bike and can't actually use the bars properly.Joe_Rides":1ee1a7ph said:
Too low, too far away etc.
Unfortunately, two things have happened. Poor bike fit "specialists", and people who like to copy the pros.
(~20 years experience of commuting in all conditions, both weather and traffic levels!)
