Are Drop bars just an illusion for most?
#101
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But (to make this topic-relevant) it made zero difference how I fit on a bike or how much I use the drops.
#102
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An evil combination of tiny hands, poor (or poorly trained) hand-eye coordination, and too much complexity concentrated at the tips of too few fingers.
In the 10 days or so that I had the 2016 Trek 1.2, the two times that I took it out were straight out of a Harold Lloyd flick. Later that same year, I thought I should give myself another chance with this whole brifter business, so I went over to my sporting goods place and tried out a Fuji Sportif around the shop floor, just to see if my newly acquired briftophobia was real. I was on the bike for about 15 seconds when I crashed into a rack full of soccer T-shirts, right after I caught myself shifting gears instead of braking. To this day, I cringe at the thought of what might have happened if I had broken that Sportif's carbon fork! I was done. I went on to pick up my first new-old-stock 2014 Trek 7.6 FX and never looked back.
Maybe when I'm older and smarter.
I don't know about bar end shifters or barrel shifter (I had to Google that one and scroll deep down) but back when my old Raleigh Flyer was my primary mode of transportation in the 90s, I probably could've used a pair of stem shifters instead of the Raleigh's downtube shifters, since I was on the handlebar tops most of the time (that thing had suicide brake levers that I used a lot.)
With that being said, having trained myself to precisely select every gear with the old Raleigh's downtube friction shifters, it's a learned skill that I still cherish today, especially after I swapped out the factory five-speed freewheel for a seven-speed, which required me to be even more precise. But I was younger and smarter.
In the 10 days or so that I had the 2016 Trek 1.2, the two times that I took it out were straight out of a Harold Lloyd flick. Later that same year, I thought I should give myself another chance with this whole brifter business, so I went over to my sporting goods place and tried out a Fuji Sportif around the shop floor, just to see if my newly acquired briftophobia was real. I was on the bike for about 15 seconds when I crashed into a rack full of soccer T-shirts, right after I caught myself shifting gears instead of braking. To this day, I cringe at the thought of what might have happened if I had broken that Sportif's carbon fork! I was done. I went on to pick up my first new-old-stock 2014 Trek 7.6 FX and never looked back.
Maybe when I'm older and smarter.
I don't know about bar end shifters or barrel shifter (I had to Google that one and scroll deep down) but back when my old Raleigh Flyer was my primary mode of transportation in the 90s, I probably could've used a pair of stem shifters instead of the Raleigh's downtube shifters, since I was on the handlebar tops most of the time (that thing had suicide brake levers that I used a lot.)
With that being said, having trained myself to precisely select every gear with the old Raleigh's downtube friction shifters, it's a learned skill that I still cherish today, especially after I swapped out the factory five-speed freewheel for a seven-speed, which required me to be even more precise. But I was younger and smarter.
Part of being old and smart is knowing what you like and why. For some reason, brifters don't suit your hands well. I think it's very sensible for you to avoid them.
#103
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as for changing the body in 2-4 weeks is easy. especially stretching. Do you do it once a day, or 7 times a day?
just ditching the inflammatory foods, will change a persons size drastically in 2 weeks. even if the weight loss was minimal. and goes a long ways towards allowing the hips to rotate properly.
#104
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Maybe they are for many riders, but I would lay that at the fault of the rider who hasn't set up their bike correctly or values form over function (ie: running lots of drop just to look cool). If you are on the tops mostly, then raise your bars or size up the frame if needed so that all of the 4+ hand positions on a drop bar are comfortable and usable. Whether or not most people use the drops doesn't change the fact that they do work
Instead of everyone having a big share about how much or little they use the drops, how about discuss bike fit. The pros have their bike set up for what they do, which is not what 99% of us do. As you make less power, you will generally need a position with less drop to the bars to be comfortable. I think recognizing this would help a lot more people use drop bars more effectively.
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An argument could be made that being in the drops puts the CG too far forward on a hill and would make it harder to brake without going over the bars. In the drops, the rider also can't push back of the saddle as well nor as far. That has more of an effect on braking then moving the CG forward and down on an incline. That's the reason you don't find drop bars on mountain bikes. Those bikes are braked from nearly the same position as if braking from the hoods.
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#106
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As I've been doing it for 40 years, I doubt that it will ever be an issue.
I've hit potholes as well. Still not an issue. Frankly, I don't see how your bicycle position would have any effect when hitting a pothole at any speed. The pothole is momentary. You aren't going to be able to brake to avoid it (for the most part) nor will you need the brakes after you hit it.
An argument could be made that being in the drops puts the CG too far forward on a hill and would make it harder to brake without going over the bars. In the drops, the rider also can't push back of the saddle as well nor as far. That has more of an effect on braking then moving the CG forward and down on an incline. That's the reason you don't find drop bars on mountain bikes. Those bikes are braked from nearly the same position as if braking from the hoods.
I've hit potholes as well. Still not an issue. Frankly, I don't see how your bicycle position would have any effect when hitting a pothole at any speed. The pothole is momentary. You aren't going to be able to brake to avoid it (for the most part) nor will you need the brakes after you hit it.
An argument could be made that being in the drops puts the CG too far forward on a hill and would make it harder to brake without going over the bars. In the drops, the rider also can't push back of the saddle as well nor as far. That has more of an effect on braking then moving the CG forward and down on an incline. That's the reason you don't find drop bars on mountain bikes. Those bikes are braked from nearly the same position as if braking from the hoods.
and if you have ever hit a pothole at speed on the hoods, you'd know what happens.
You know what happens to a load that isn't tied down when whatever it was riding on comes to an abrupt stop? even momentary, as in hitting a pot hole. the load shifts.
now apply the same thing to your hands on the hoods.
who knows maybe you descend with a death grip? Or another possibility is that your bars are really high, and your hoods are angled up more than what would be the typical angle. Drop a picture of your bars?
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#107
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The hard braking technique is hands in drops, cranks horizontal, chest down, and butt off the back of the saddle. I use it often on fast descents before a sharp curve. Learn it, practice it.
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Yours is a familiar response after a cyclist on group ride gets yelled at for doing something stupid and dangerous. If you're going to descend on the hoods, at least stay away from group rides.
Hit a big pothole with your hands on the hoods, the bike suddenly decelerates, your hands come off the bars, and you crash. Hit a big pothole with your hands in the drops, your hands remain in the drops, and you maintain control.
If you had taken a bicycling course, you would not write such things.
The hard braking technique is hands in drops, cranks horizontal, chest down, and butt off the back of the saddle. I use it often on fast descents before a sharp curve. Learn it, practice it.
Hit a big pothole with your hands on the hoods, the bike suddenly decelerates, your hands come off the bars, and you crash. Hit a big pothole with your hands in the drops, your hands remain in the drops, and you maintain control.
If you had taken a bicycling course, you would not write such things.
The hard braking technique is hands in drops, cranks horizontal, chest down, and butt off the back of the saddle. I use it often on fast descents before a sharp curve. Learn it, practice it.
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#110
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#111
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These craigslistings made me chuckle due to this timely thread.
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968647297.html
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968675985.html
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968647297.html
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968675985.html
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#113
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These craigslistings made me chuckle due to this timely thread.
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968647297.html
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968675985.html
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968647297.html
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968675985.html
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I think the pictures make a good point that's been brought up in multiple BF threads: A bike that's set up to fit the rider, might not look like the bike as it was set up for the promotional brochure, or for the showroom.
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#120
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#121
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These craigslistings made me chuckle due to this timely thread.
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968647297.html
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968675985.html
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968647297.html
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/bik...968675985.html
#122
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Tell a mountain biker that their hands should be below the stem and see what response you get. It's probably the same response you'd get if you told them to use the front brake only.
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Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
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Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#123
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on the drops your thumb is curled around the bar with your hand having no where to go but up or down.
On a flat bar, again the bar in between your thumb / fingers and in your fist. Your hands can't go forward without ripping your thumbs off.
So here is the Pop quiz: What is your thumb wrapped around on the hood to keep your hand from sliding up and off the hood?
Edit: someone might be blurring the line between group ride, and club ride. lol
On a flat bar, again the bar in between your thumb / fingers and in your fist. Your hands can't go forward without ripping your thumbs off.
So here is the Pop quiz: What is your thumb wrapped around on the hood to keep your hand from sliding up and off the hood?
Edit: someone might be blurring the line between group ride, and club ride. lol
#124
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Anyways for those riders that under stand the purpose of a drop bar. This new bar from Zipp is exciting.
https://bikerumor.com/2019/09/04/zip...ourse-70-xplr/
https://bikerumor.com/2019/09/04/zip...ourse-70-xplr/
#125
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Just to be clear, I'm not unfamiliar with riding on the drops. I do it occasionally. I've even braked from the drops. The argument that I (or other hood riders) will somehow lose our grip applies equally...and perhaps doubly...to drops riders. To brake from the drops, I have to extend my whole hand to grab the levers. The placement of the brakes and the (average) size of my hand does not allow me to keep a grasp on the bar with my ring and little finger like I can with a mountain bike bar. My grasp of the bar is only with a hooked thumb. If I were to hit your dreaded pothole at that point, there isn't much that would keep my hand from slipping off the bar and brake. Contrast that with how I brake from the hoods. The brake lever is pulled with the three outer fingers of the hand while the index and thumb are wrapped around the hood.
It's worked for 40 years and I've never had my hands come off the bars in a very wide variety of situations. I'm not slow when it comes to downhills and I'm not afraid that my hands won't be up to keeping me on the bike.
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!