Drops or the Hoods when descending ?

[asterix]

Comedy pilot is talking sense.

No-one who has really descended would say that they let the bike steer where it will (assuming they lived).

Try descending the Col du Tourmalet like that. Impossible. That was one of the greatest descents I'll ever do. Five cars pulled over to let me past on the hairpins No way would I have been 'caressing the hoods and letting the bike steer where it will'. If you could've you are a magician.

It may be true you don't lean on the drops, but you certainly want to be in control of them.

 

[peanut]

Comedy pilot is talking sense.

No-one who has really descended would say that they let the bike steer where it will (assuming they lived).

Try descending the Col du Tourmalet like that. Impossible. That was one of the greatest descents I'll ever do. Five cars pulled over to let me past on the hairpins No way would I have been 'caressing the hoods and letting the bike steer where it will'. If you could've you are a magician.

It may be true you don't lean on the drops, but you certainly want to be in control of them.

well thats the beauty of cycling . There are as many different riding styles as there are opinions.
You might have a grip of steel on the bars ...I do not. If you were to watch le T de F you would see that a large proportion of the peleton also descend with their finger tips on the top of the bars either side of the stem.

I suspect you are probably referring to steering rather than control in a straight line

 

[stoatsngroats]

Drops for me, on the hoods your hands are on the 'outside' and a slip could have you off, on the drops your hands are on the 'inside' making slips less likely.

IMO

Yep, this is my preferred hand position too..

If you try to grip tightly you risk losing control or having a tank-slapper due to fighting the bike's natural self steering mechanism.

I may misunderstand you here, but I think that this makes no sense...!

Comedy pilot is talking sense.

I thinkso too!

Each to his/her own though eh.....?

 

[peanut]

Yep, this is my preferred hand position too..



I may misunderstand you here, but I think that this makes no sense...!

I thinkso too!

Each to his/her own though eh.....?

Look up tank slapper and self steering mechanism or take a degree in engineering and all will be revealed. Can't do everything for you

 

[Keith Oates]

For fast descents and on rough surfaces I go into the drops, I find this better for getting my hands onto the brakes and as others have said there is less chance of your hands slipping off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nickwill]

Drops every time. Faster and better for control. I've got FSA compact bars on my new bike and I find myself on the drops twice as much as I used to be.

 

[col]

On old type drops and brake levers I used the drops on hills, but with the new setup on my virtuoso I did actually feel more stable on the hoods, and as I was leaning as if on the drops the side of my forearms were on the bars too, in a clip on type position. Whether this was due to the angle and seemingly thinner diameter of the bars on the drops Im not sure, but I felt safer at speed on the hoods with this bike. The brakes were actually easier to use from the hoods than from the drop position, as it felt like I was having to reach forward and up to get to the brake levers from the drop position, it felt awkward to me.