I am baffled by drop handlebars.

[Sharky]

Do you still have your flat bar bike?
Start by comparing positions, using a metre stick and plumb lines. Saddle needs to be in exactly the same on both bikes, relative to the bottom bracket. Then the handle bars, relative to the saddle should be roughly the same to the part of the bars that you plan to hold for most of your riding. If there are some large variances then I would look to see where changes are needed. For the majority of riders, the most comfortable position is holding on the "tops" usually the brake hoods.

To master the new position and brakes & gear levers etc, investment in a basic turbo trainer could be the solution, I usually experiment with minor changes on my turbo and also following an accident which left me a bit nervous on the open road for a while.

 

[steveindenmark]

Its all a matter of time and practice.

 

[cyberknight]

Weight to far forward?this photo shows hnds on hoods with more weight over legs.

 

[mjr]

my wrists are contorted to a weird angle

Handlebar rotation or hood position probably wrong.

and half my bodyweight is bearing down on my hands,

Saddle probably too far back.

and there's no way to reach the brake levers. I've got average sized hands but I can only reach the top part of the brake levers with two fingers and it requires a stupid amount of effort to squeeze the brake levers.

Again, sounds like lever position or lever reach is wrong.

I prefer my Dutch bike for most things, but road bikes are rideable.

 

[Brand X]

Do you still have your flat bar bike?
Start by comparing positions, using a metre stick and plumb lines. Saddle needs to be in exactly the same on both bikes, relative to the bottom bracket. Then the handle bars, relative to the saddle should be roughly the same to the part of the bars that you plan to hold for most of your riding. If there are some large variances then I would look to see where changes are needed. For the majority of riders, the most comfortable position is holding on the "tops" usually the brake hoods.

To master the new position and brakes & gear levers etc, investment in a basic turbo trainer could be the solution, I usually experiment with minor changes on my turbo and also following an accident which left me a bit nervous on the open road for a while.

I don't have a road bike yet, it's just that I got to thinking about it while I was browsing in a bike shop on Saturday. I won't buy another bike until next Summer (I now have 6 bikes crammed into the shed since I bought a Raleigh Twenty yesterday) but you've got me curious; maybe you and MJR and Cyberknight right, maybe I just had the bike set up all wrong and my posture/position was wrong. I'll have to try riding a road bike again to find out.

Thankyou all.

 

[cyberknight]

Handlebar rotation or hood position probably wrong.

Saddle probably too far back.

Again, sounds like lever position or lever reach is wrong.

I prefer my Dutch bike for most things, but road bikes are rideable.

I would say its hard to say without seeing the OP on the bike but normally to much weight on hands is the saddle is to far forward pushing the weight over the hands or to longer stem .

 

[raleighnut]

I've never got on with the modern set-up of a too small frame and hanging onto the brake lever 'hoods' as a riding position, I'd much rather hold the handlebars.
My preferred hold is on the bend of 'drops' with my thumbs pointing forward and the brake levers a lot further down the curve than is fashionable now, OK you need to change hand position in order to brake but I suppose I got used to that over 40yrs ago.
You can see by the 'wear' on these where I usually hold em,

(note to self- I must get round to re-taping those handlebars)

 

[mjr]

I would say its hard to say without seeing the OP on the bike but normally to much weight on hands is the saddle is to far forward pushing the weight over the hands or to longer stem .

Could be either - depends how far wrong it was - but position was unbalanced anyway.

 

[cyberknight]

I've never got on with the modern set-up of a too small frame and hanging onto the brake lever 'hoods' as a riding position, I'd much rather hold the handlebars.
My preferred hold is on the bend of 'drops' with my thumbs pointing forward and the brake levers a lot further down the curve than is fashionable now, OK you need to change hand position in order to brake but I suppose I got used to that over 40yrs ago.
You can see by the 'wear' on these where I usually hold em,

View attachment 148044


(note to self- I must get round to re-taping those handlebars)

http://bikeretrogrouch.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/changing-positions.html

 

[Brand X]

@cyberknight. Bookmarked! That's an interesting blog post.

 

[cyberknight]

My bike set up is 3-4 cm of drop but i tend to ride like this most of the time

 

[MichaelW2]

There is no rule that demands drop bars be used in a low, stretched out position. I prefer the bars about 1" below my saddle, some people like 3 or even 6" lower and some even prefer them set higher than the saddle.
You can get drop bars with different width, drop radius and drop profile. Smaller radius bars with elliptical curves are very comfortable.
You can set the brake levers on the bars in various position up and down, and in rotation.
People with very small hands sometimes have issues reaching the brakes, esp if their bar setup is wrong.

 

[MarquisMatsugae]

Mountain Bike.
It's the only solution

 

[vickster]

Mountain Bike.
It's the only solution

For touring?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

For touring?

Off piste mountain touring maybe

I think you made a good observation before that has been rather overlooked.

Cross Top levers (along with a bike that fits) may well be a good idea for someone unsure of drops and gives a comfort zone option while getting into the swing of riding in the drops or on the hoods too.

@Brand X, if you need a little more room for a drop bar bike, I've always fancied a Raleigh 20