What is it about drop handlebars?

[John the Monkey]

"Drops" covers a multitude of styles & shapes also.

My "quick" bike has a set of wing bars on, which have a flattened top area - these are really comfortable. My tourer has a more conventional set of "anatomic" bars. I've also ridden (and liked) bars with the traditional "Belgian" bend that you tend to see on older bikes. And then there's shallow drops, flared drops, etc etc etc.

I like drops, although I'm another who mostly rides on the hoods now. The hood position (with thumb forward) is more comfortable for me that the thumb towards the frame position of flat bars, and personally, I'd not go back to flat bars again (although the Brompton has them, it's only ridden for short distances). The option of getting down out of the wind is a nice one to have also.

 

[tyred]

I think my main issue with drops is that I'm quite a broad-shouldered chap and I have never found a set of drops which are as wide as I would like. The ones on my Pug are ~17" and I would like them wider but very little seems to be available to suit my budget. Most second hands on ebay seem to be around 40-42cm.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I think the ones on my Galaxy are 44cm. Wide enough for me, anyway and I'm big in the shoulders too.

 

[swee'pea99]

You remind me of my own personal 'style bugbear' - the couriers you see around town sporting wee stubby flat bars, barely wider than a fist - what's all that about then eh?

 

[MacB]

I think my main issue with drops is that I'm quite a broad-shouldered chap and I have never found a set of drops which are as wide as I would like. The ones on my Pug are ~17" and I would like them wider but very little seems to be available to suit my budget. Most second hands on ebay seem to be around 40-42cm.

Ahem, the Midge bars are 58cm/23" wide in the drops

 

[Keith Oates]

I ride flat bars on the FCR I currently use to commute to work and find it OK. Into a head wind I drop down on my forearms to get out of the wind but the total one way journey is only 25 Km. Over the Chinese New Year I went back to Vietnam and was riding the TCR of non stop distance between 60 and 70 Km each day and found the drops so much better. People say being on the hoods most of the time is one position but for me there are three hood positions 1. with the raised bit of the hood resting between thumb and forefinger, 2. with the knuckle of the forefinger resting against the base of the hood and 3. clenching the whole hand around the hood to get leverage when pulling on the bars to go uphill or keep a high cadence on sudden rises in the road. Then you have the tops of the bars to use for a change and the drops themselves into the wind. Over longer distances I perfer the drops to the flats but that doesn't mean I dislike flats and as someone else has said we are all different and have different riding styles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[buddha]

I've recent gone back to drops on all but one bike (mtb). Flat, riser and even on-one mary bars were hurting my arms over longer distances.

Moving to drops has also given me extra motivation to shift the belly

 

[MacB]

Moving to drops has also given me extra motivation to shift the belly

A good point often ignored, buy an off the peg road bike, with the short steerer and big drop from saddle to bars. Then enjoy your riding as your knees pound in to your belly

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Moving to drops has also given me extra motivation to shift the belly

Wasn't that why the compact frame was invented!

 

[MacB]

Wasn't that why the compact frame was invented!

you actually want the Assos Lycra Corset, it's not part of the performance range as breathing is nigh on impossible, let alone riding. But you look much better for the 10 minutes you can last wearing it.

 

[Keith Oates]

I thought a big tummy was to give you a boost of power on the down stroke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Smokin Joe]

I couldn't ride more than a few miles with flat bars. Last time I tried it my wrists were killing me, I've never suffered any discomfort using drops.

 

[John the Monkey]

Surely a teardrop shape to the upper body is more aerodynamically efficient? Hence the big belly could help...

 

[Fnaar]

Surely a teardrop shape to the upper body is more aerodynamically efficient? Hence the big belly could help...

It would help to have a massive arse and a pointy head, too!

 

[jethro10]

But don't be an arse by thinking that there's some sort of snob-value in using them - or inverted snobbery about not using them.

I think he may be right. I often ride a cheapy MTB. Non racers always say hello. About 99% of racers ignore me, odd ones have been known to shout abuse.

Oh, older folks, there is one couple in particular, 60's I guess, chat all the time. We have a conversation over several weeks, it's kinda cool! They have dropped bars

How/Why can that be? It's certainly a pattern.
Jeff