View Single Post
Old 03-02-20, 09:29 PM
  #13  
rm -rf
don't try this at home.
 
rm -rf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: N. KY
Posts: 5,940
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 974 Post(s)
Liked 512 Times in 352 Posts
It's hard to say from your photo. Can you make a photo taken from farther back, aimed directly at the stem, with the camera held exactly horizontal?
Assuming the photo is level left to right: If it was my bike, I'd keep your same bar rotation, but move the hoods up the curve just a little more. It does depend on how much drop you have from the saddle.

What works for me:

I have my bars set a little higher than some riders.
This setup works great for riding in the drops and on the hoods. I use the drops as just another hand position. Drops are great for headwinds, of course. But also on rough, bumpy roads, for hand comfort and bike control. I get better braking control in the drops, too. I probably ride 35% drops, 50% hoods, 15% tops. I really like being able to switch hand positions (and get a little more aero in the drops).

My setup:
The top of the bars are about 1 to 1.5 inches below the top of the saddle.
The bar ends point to a spot a few inches lower than the rear caliper brakes. Somewhere in the middle of the seat stay is often a good starting point.
The base of the hoods are angled upwards slightly.

Setting up:
with bar tape removed:
I sit on the bike in a doorway.
I shake out my arm and hand to help relax into a neutral hand position.
See if the palm lands evenly on the drops without having to angle the wrist. Adjust the bar angle by loosening the stem clamp a bit, and rotating.
This sets the handlebar angle for comfortable drops with even pressure across the palm.
Do the same thing with the hoods. Shake arm, reach to the hood, see if the hood base fits the palm, minimizing wrist angle changes.

It's helpful to just temporarily tape the cables to the bar with electrical tape, and test ride. Apply the bar tape when everything is set.
I have long fingers, so I don't have any lever reach problems.

Last edited by rm -rf; 03-02-20 at 09:40 PM.
rm -rf is offline