Are Drop bars just an illusion for most?
#152
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There are also multiple threads on BF on loosing weight. Fact
Addiction = compulsive substance use despite harmful consequence. Fact
Your version entails just ride your bike more, but continue the substance abuse. many others have also argued this same thing here on BF
my version, quit abusing the substance causing obesity. which is Eat less, "Eat to live, don't live to eat" You won't die, fasting with refeeds isn't starvation, no matter how many times your brain says it is.
but hell, if drop bars are an illusion, then substance control and self control are also illusions.
just to hammer home the point about obesity, here are some quotes from this very thread/topic.
Then I lost some more belly fat and began spending more time in the drops.
A big difference was losing the belly so I could pedal and breath easier.
It's true, I used my drop bars more and more as I lost most of my belly fat.
I also am getting more and more use out of the drops on my Toughroad, it's all a belly fat thing.
Though I was much skinnier back in the 90s, it was the excessive belly fat, resulting from 20-plus years of culturally-induced bad diets, that made it very hard for me to breathe reasonably well enough while on the drops of my decidedly not aggressive Raleigh Flyer.
It didn't matter that some of them were grossly overweight and lardy - the obese ones that couldn't possibly bend down just flipped the handlebars around to have the drops facing upwards.
#153
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#154
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uh because 3/4 of Americans are obese. Fact
There are also multiple threads on BF on loosing weight. Fact
Addiction = compulsive substance use despite harmful consequence. Fact
Your version entails just ride your bike more, but continue the substance abuse. many others have also argued this same thing here on BF
my version, quit abusing the substance causing obesity. which is Eat less, "Eat to live, don't live to eat" You won't die, fasting with refeeds isn't starvation, no matter how many times your brain says it is.
but hell, if drop bars are an illusion, then substance control and self control are also illusions.
just to hammer home the point about obesity, here are some quotes from this very thread/topic.
There are also multiple threads on BF on loosing weight. Fact
Addiction = compulsive substance use despite harmful consequence. Fact
Your version entails just ride your bike more, but continue the substance abuse. many others have also argued this same thing here on BF
my version, quit abusing the substance causing obesity. which is Eat less, "Eat to live, don't live to eat" You won't die, fasting with refeeds isn't starvation, no matter how many times your brain says it is.
but hell, if drop bars are an illusion, then substance control and self control are also illusions.
just to hammer home the point about obesity, here are some quotes from this very thread/topic.
Thanks for proving my point--you are the king of telling everyone "my way or you're wrong."
I'm going to pass on encouraging you to display your obvious symptoms any further.
Last edited by BillyD; 09-04-19 at 02:44 PM.
#155
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FIFY. The stats are nowhere near that high for obesity alone. In fact, they are not even that high if you combine overweight and obese.
For obesity alone, it's only about 40%:
https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-...es-exceed-35-7
3/4=75%
For obesity alone, it's only about 40%:
https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-...es-exceed-35-7
3/4=75%
#156
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#157
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FIFY. The stats are nowhere near that high for obesity alone. In fact, they are not even that high if you combine overweight and obese.
For obesity alone, it's only about 40%:
https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-...es-exceed-35-7
For obesity alone, it's only about 40%:
https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-...es-exceed-35-7
#158
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I don’t know about how anyone else has their hoods set up, but mine curve up in front of where I hold them. There is no way my hands are sliding off them from hitting a pothole or anything really, because impacts get absorbed by the elbows. I do mountain bike, so perhaps I am less stiff-armed than some people.
Maybe if I hit a wall or guardrail head-on my hands would come off. Long story short, my hands are not coming off the hoods unless my body is already going OTB.
I do descend in my drops for control, however, it is really hard to say what someone else should do without knowing how their drops are set up. If the bars are set up too low to start with (which is pretty common, as evidenced by people never getting in the drops) then the hoods may actually be the better position.
Maybe if I hit a wall or guardrail head-on my hands would come off. Long story short, my hands are not coming off the hoods unless my body is already going OTB.
I do descend in my drops for control, however, it is really hard to say what someone else should do without knowing how their drops are set up. If the bars are set up too low to start with (which is pretty common, as evidenced by people never getting in the drops) then the hoods may actually be the better position.
#159
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#160
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Can't you guys argue peacefully? You know we don't give out cookies for correct opinions, right?
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See, this is why we can't have nice things. - - smarkinson
Where else but the internet can a bunch of cyclists go and be the tough guy? - - jdon
#161
Non omnino gravis
The estimates and associated graphs are bunk anyway, because they use fairly small sample sets to try to forecast the entire population. They cannot and do not take any individuals or small (small being less than even 100,000) groups into account. Based on the simple formula for BMI, every bodybuilder is grossly obese.
On-topic, I use the drops about 2% of the time... on my bike with aerobars. I use the aerobars... a lot. I've got my conditioning up to where I can spend about 10 minutes straight in the skis, then I have to take a break for a few minutes. I'll get there.
On-topic, I use the drops about 2% of the time... on my bike with aerobars. I use the aerobars... a lot. I've got my conditioning up to where I can spend about 10 minutes straight in the skis, then I have to take a break for a few minutes. I'll get there.
#162
I'm the anecdote.
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Funny you should mention hallucinating. Get a load of this super trippy video:
https://mobile.twitter.com/dangela20...wo5yml8envsslu
I challenge everyone to watch it only once.
https://mobile.twitter.com/dangela20...wo5yml8envsslu
I challenge everyone to watch it only once.
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I leave for a long weekend and a troll thread about a topic that has been beaten to death on these forums has reached page 7 and somehow turned into an argument over obesity statistics?
#164
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With that said, everything that's been discussed about maintaining control at high speed or rough terrain, applies to swept bars even moreso, because of moving your hands closer to your center of gravity. I'm OK with that, because I'm not a particularly fast rider anyway.
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Guess I need to remind you that you wrote that 3/4 of Americans are "obese." Period. Overweight and obese are not the same thing. Also, the above says that 3/4 of men and 60% of women are obese or overweight. Ever hear of the concept of average? That doesn't equate to 3/4 of Americans being overweight or obese. Thanks for proving yourself uncorrect, and welcome to my iggy list. Don't bother quoting me. I won't see it.
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There is no credible argument. Dude in simply uncorrect in his claim that 3/4 of Americans are obese. His own link demonstrates that.
#168
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These are the mechanical disc version of the Taigra ST4700 groupset. The hydraulic version would be even easier to apply and require less finger reach and/or strength.
Drops.
Notice the thumb wrap around and how the palm sits on the bar only because these are shallow flared bars that create an even more advantageous hold compared to traditional drops. Contrast to the hoods.
Hoods.
Notice the same thumb wrap around and secure grip.
...and another angle
which is surprisingly similar to this stable position
A shot of the bike to show bar orientation and seat/bar height
To contrast with older drop bar / lever positions.
Notice the lack of security when I need to stretch to activate the brake. I'm holding on by the hook of my thumb only. This (I assume) is what cyclocommute was referring to when he mentioned stretching the thumb and risky it coming off.
Yet how an old time rider might consider hoods to be even more risky
Last edited by Happy Feet; 09-04-19 at 06:51 PM.
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#169
Cycleway town
As an engineer, it bothers me that the front brake cable routes under the bar, resulting in such an unyielding bend to the adjuster. I can see it was routed that way by a stylist, for appearances sake. This causes me to question the build of the whole bike.
#170
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Really.. I hedged my shots. Whatta crock. Even your own shots show how secure your grip is in the hoods but whatever (curious what measuring device you used to come up with those percentages btw. One finger from the drops 90% braking ability.. right...). I try to engage in certain topics that interest me honestly but find people who just want to be right tedious. And I'm one of the guys who uses his drops regularly!
I suggested a lever to google but you couldn't be bothered. I took the time to shoot and post pics into a photo sharing website and repost here and you claim deception. I even showed the very issue another poster talked about but was challenged on.
Sorry, I gave it a shot but this tangent with you is a waste of my time. I'll leave it to others to decide for themselves what they will.
I suggested a lever to google but you couldn't be bothered. I took the time to shoot and post pics into a photo sharing website and repost here and you claim deception. I even showed the very issue another poster talked about but was challenged on.
Sorry, I gave it a shot but this tangent with you is a waste of my time. I'll leave it to others to decide for themselves what they will.
Last edited by Happy Feet; 09-04-19 at 08:10 PM.
#172
Senior Member
I suggested a lever to google but you couldn't be bothered.
One finger from the drops 90% braking ability.. right...)
Index finger at the bottom of the lever, sure. It's a strong finger with great motor control, it's positioned in the spot of maximal leverage, and the hooks posture of the rest of the hand is good for supporting the index finger in actuating the lever (it's purely a squeeze action, you're not having to "twist down" at the lever like on the hoods). I'll use more fingers than that on bikes with weak brakes, like my vintage steel machines with Dia-Compe single-pivots, but with strong brakes there's usually not much need for more.
#173
Firm but gentle
I like the comfort and versatility of a nice drop bar. Sitting upright makes my ass hurt. Flat bars make my hands and wrists hurt. I see more on a traditional road bike because I travel farther, climb faster, and have a more comfortable ride. My neck never hurts until I hit the 12 hour mark, which is rare, and the little bit of ache usually passes quickly, it's hardly what I call pain. Don't like drop bars? Then don't ride them. A racing bike with 250 gram silks is what I call the ultimate in comfort. Now go away.
#174
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I have a bike similar to that one, but the brakes are angled outward; a google image search of the Portofino bar shows the same thing.
#175
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This thread has caused me to learn that I am apparently obese, even though I am not.
It's also made me want to think about how I brake when riding road and gravel. I cant say I consciously think about it...ever. I brake from the hoods and the bike stops. Apparently my hands arent secure when doing this though? Never thought they were anything but secure up to now. Maybe I've just been lucky for all these years and milea. Or maybe I have incredible braking from and dont realize since I've never thought about it.
Hmm.
It's also made me want to think about how I brake when riding road and gravel. I cant say I consciously think about it...ever. I brake from the hoods and the bike stops. Apparently my hands arent secure when doing this though? Never thought they were anything but secure up to now. Maybe I've just been lucky for all these years and milea. Or maybe I have incredible braking from and dont realize since I've never thought about it.
Hmm.