Where to hold on drop bar?

[novetan]

I’m new to road bike which I just purchased with drop bar. I noticed pros will grip the most bottom bar during downhill for aerodynamic effect and top bar during cruising (even at reasonably high speed). But do they grip the bottom end when chasing on the flat. I tried doing that for abt 1 km distance and already felt quite straining on my shoulder and neck. Maybe I’m not season enough?

 

[HLaB]

The majority of people ride on the hoods 90% of the time (if not more) its more upright and for me feels better for braking and I only drop into strong headwinds. The other position I like is on the flats more upright again but away from the brakes and less nimble but it gives your hands a rest.

 

[gavintc]

The majority of people ride on the hoods 90% of the time (if not more) its more upright and for me feels better for braking and I only drop into strong headwinds. The other position I like is on the flats more upright again but away from the brakes and less nimble but it gives your hands a rest.

I agree with HLaB. Time on the drops is actually quite small and like him I alternate between the hoods (most of the time) and the tops (mostly when climbing).

 

[ColinJ]

The lower and flatter you can get your body, the more aerodynamic it is so that is why the drops exist. That may be fine for young, supple and very fit pro riders with bike positions ideally set up for them - there are some pro riders who can power away for hours on the drops - but for the rest of us, as HLab posted above, most of the time is spent in a more comfortable upright position.

I am also hampered by a beer belly which gets in the way when I get down on the drops! I was much more comfortable doing it when I was slim.

 

[Norm]

There are at least 5 hand positions available on drop bars, as well as the drops, hoods and tops, I find the bends comfortable and similar to bars-ends on a flat-barred bike. There's another position which is holding the top of the brake levers, like a bull's horns, which was briefly referred to here as the Norm Position because no-one else seems to have a name for it.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I've recently discovered that holding the tops of my bake hoods with the flats of my palms nicely stretches my back on long rides. I'd be screwed if I hit a pot hole though.

 

[potsy]

There are at least 5 hand positions available on drop bars

6 if you count 'no-handed'

 

[ColinJ]

6 if you count 'no-handed'

8 if you count hanging onto cables (as some pros used to do), and holding onto the stem (which nobody in their right mind would do, unless the bars had just snapped!).

 

[Peteaud]

top right pos for me

 

[Typhon]

A mixture of the two on the left hand side for me for when I'm riding at a steady pace on relatively flat roads. When I'm going for it or going steeply downhill I use the drops and when I'm going uphill I put my palms flat somewhere on the bar, generally a variant of the top left position.

I think it's really just down to personal preference and what feels comfortable for you. But as Colin says, the flatter your body is the more aerodynamic you'll be and the faster you'll go.

 

[ayceejay]

A variation of the top right position is to not wrap the thumbs around the 'bar which I find more relaxed when 'cruising'.

 

[Big boy]

i removed my drops as i didnt feel very steady while braking and using hand signals at the same time.
The roads around here are Quite bumpy, i now have flat bars with bar ends.
For me it feels a bit safer, + i still have a few positions to stop my fingers going numb.

 

[cyberknight]

If you have the cajones on a long fast descent then some pros sit on the top tube like this, not i have not tried it and prefer the ass as far back on the saddle on the drops ala pantani .
another hand position i like when on the beans is to have my wrists resting over the tops with my elbows almost in a TT position but you need to be sure of the road and what other riders are doing but its great for a big pull to get a split in a club run back together.

 

[Mapster5]

Wherever is comfy for you pal

 

[MattHB]

About 70% drops for me when on my own, hoods 100% in a group, drops 90% if I'm on the front of the group (so I don't embarrass myself!).

I worked down to the drops over the last 3000 miles and, especially since I've been doing Pilates, find it very comfortable indeed.