Time on the drops

[AndyPeace]

Around 40/50% at a guess. I have compact bars and was under the impression that's what they're made for, spending more time in the drops. Comparing to some of the responses above I'm wondering if I should lower my stem.

 

[raleighnut]

I need my hands at the front of the drops for proper braking (can't get enough leverage from the hoods), so hands are there quite a lot in town and on downhills.
Drops proper when going into the wind, but maybe only 10-15% of a ride overall.

+1 for braking & the occasional steep climb but I prefer "bullhorns"

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Hardly ever, most of the time is on the hoods. Normally hit the drops if it is a decent descent - hence why hardly ever as it is pretty flat around here.

 

[dodgy]

On a typical circuit of say 30 miles (weekday spin): On the headwind leg, 25% on the drops, on the tailwind leg, 95% on the hoods.

 

[HLaB]

I'm barely ever on the drops but will drop to them (no pun intended) when there's a stiff head wind, a long flat or sometimes just to change my position on the bike. Although on TT's before I fitted tri bars I'd use the drops for the whole 10 mile course.

 

[SquareDaff]

It depends on what sort of effort level I'm wanting to put into a ride. If I'm on a casual Sunday ride then I spend most of my time on the hoods. If I want to go quickly then the reverse is true. I ride one of the newer style "sportive" bikes so riding the drops is easier though.

 

[vickster]

Not if you have the flexibility of a plank of wood like me

 

[GrasB]

Around 40/50% at a guess. I have compact bars and was under the impression that's what they're made for, spending more time in the drops. Comparing to some of the responses above I'm wondering if I should lower my stem.

If that's you in your avatar your drop position close to my hood position

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Fairly evenly with tops and hoods

 

[e-rider]

it depends - on my bike I rarely use the drops. However, when observing Sportive riders that frequently use their drops, I tend to notice that this is usually the riders on bikes with extremely long head tubes, so although they are using the drops, this is ultimtaely becasue the handlebars are too high in general and the drops are not that low! IMO drops are for the Pros and the youngsters with good backs!

 

[e-rider]

Around 40/50% at a guess. I have compact bars and was under the impression that's what they're made for, spending more time in the drops. Comparing to some of the responses above I'm wondering if I should lower my stem.

the guy in the Avatar supports my earlier post about people with high bars using the drops more - those bars are mega high!

 

[AndyPeace]

If that's you in your avatar your drop position close to my hood position

It's an old picture from before I was fitted for the bike. The stem is has 3 X10mm spacers under it! When I was fitted we dropped it down to 1 10mm spacer and on the hoods that worked well for me but I found the drops unnerving...it is my first road bike. It's nearly a year on now. Over the Autumn/winter I raised the stem 1 more spacer. I'm feeling more confident with handling the bike now and have a bit better flexibility.

 

[Steady]

0% at the moment. Took me a while to transition to the hoods even, so next stage to master is the drops which feel as awkward as the hoods use to.

 

[Saluki]

Not often. Sometimes downhill when I need a bit more braking power than I can get on the hoods. If I am trying to beat a PB on a ride I'd go on the drops but not that often in reality. I am a bit in shape for the drops TBH (Round is a shape and its the shape that I'm in)

 

[RedRider]

30-40% or more depending on conditions. I think my set-up's relatively old school (steel/ horizontal top tube/ bar-tops around 10 centimetres below seat and the 'Belgian-style' deep drops a further 16. It gives a definite difference in position.
Watching the racing on telly it seems most pros on modern set-ups tend to spend most time on hoods but those hoods are way below the level of their seat.
I'm no expert, like.