palesaint

Just thought I'd throw out a quick question about general hand position, in regards to braking:

I'm a relative newbie to road biking. My "comfortable" cruising position is currently to be in the drops. I feel a little more aero, but also like being able to grab the brakes quickly if needed.

I went on a group ride the other day. Maybe a B+/A- ride. Just about everyone but me was on their hoods. Thinking "when in rome..." I tried this position. It's not quite as comfortable for me, but I imagine I could get used to it. Problem was that I didn't feel confident in being able to brake as effectively as the drops. I had my hands wrapped around the brakes, but they were a little too stretched out to offer the rapid braking that I get in the drops. I got a little nervous while being 6" away from the leading bike and not being 100% confident in braking from the hood, so I went back to the drops and just hung out there.

So....

1. Is there a good tutorial for proper hand placement for braking on the hoods? Pictures any one can offer?

2. I'm running Sora brake/shifters. Will upgrading to Ultegra or Campy offer more comfortable/powerful braking position on the hoods?

3. Is it even possible to brake as strongly on the hoods? Granted, most of the speed scrubbing while in a paceline comes from coasting and soft pedaling. But there are times where I had to feather the brakes a bit.

4. Is it "cool" to ride on the hoods vs drops, or is it more effective? Like mentioned, I was with a group of maybe 10 riders... cruisiing at 22-23mph and I'm the ONLY ONE in the drops. Hmm.

TIA!

indygreg

I am also relatively new (6 months or so) so I cannot give you answers . . . but I can add to the thread. I rode almost all on the hoods up until recently. Why? 2 reasons. I felt more comfortable up on the hoobs than down in the drops. Possibly a flexibility issue. secondly, everyone I rode with spent all their time in the hoods.

Then I read posts here where everyone says you need to have a 5 inch seat to bar drop and spend all your time in the drops . . . so you can drop wheelsuckers. I think many that post this stuff are more performance/racing focused. I see no one locally in the drops for any real time on a 50 mile group ride. I do see them in the drops on a weeknight training ride, but just those guys on a team.

I have been adding some drops time lately to get used to it. I am much more flexible now and it is not too bad (I have maybe a 2 inch saddle to bar drop). I am on the aero bars a lot on my revmaster spin bike more often than not, so I getting more used to it.

Cassadamius

I think those posts aren't meant to be taken seriously. Ride in the hoods* unless you're sprinting, decending, or unable to ride against the wind without falling off.

As far as not being able to safely brake from the hoods, it may be a handlebar angle issue.

*edited

roadfix

If you're not too comfortable on the hoods, perhaps the levers are not positioned correctly on the bars, or your bars may have slipped or rotated forward. Those could be reasons why you'd rather be in the drops.

Steev

Braking from the hoods doesn't generate the same braking force as from the drops. If you have your brakes adjusted so that they hit the rim with almost no lever travel, you'll find that you will get poor braking from the hoods as you're trying to get force with your fingers almost straight. Try running the pads further from the rims and you'll get a noticeable improvement as you can generate much more force as your fist is more closed. I found it took some time before I could brake effectively from the hoods.
As noted above, the angle of your bars and the mounting point of the levers can help as well.

fhall1

Cassadamius.....I think you mean "if".....not "unless"

merlinextraligh

1) you should have plenty of force to lock up both brakes while riding on the hoods, and enough control to
modulate them short of doing so. If not, your bike's not properly adjusted, or not properly fitted to you.

2) people were riding on the hoods in your A/B ride because its generally more comfortable, and in the middle of a group, you don't need to be as concerned about aerodynamics.

3) There is an advantage to braking in the drops because you have a lower center of gravity. Thus high speed descents, high speed cornering, you're better off in the drops.

Phantoj

It's common for people to ride the hoods simply because they are more comfortable, both physically and mentally, on them. I introduced the drops into my commute, and now I ride drops most of the time. I recently did STP (double century) and rode in the drops more often than not. I now find the drops more comfortable, and they feel more secure riding corners and braking. Formerly, I had felt safer on the hoods. I can brake effectively in either position, although hard braking in the drops requires less hand effort.

I was on a ride not too long ago where a rider hit some root heaves in the path and his hands slipped off the hoods, resulting in a fall. Another good reason to get in those drops when things get crazy.

So I ride the drops all the time. I guess I'm one of those freaks who thinks faster is better..?

palesaint

Thanks for the great replies!

I am enclosing a quick and dirty image of what my hand looks like on the hood and wrapped around the brake (Guess what car that is!). I can ride on the hoods comfortably if I don't have any contact with the brakes. If I have my hand forward enough to be on the brakes, it is not as comfortable AND I don't feel like I have adequate hand strength.

thanks again!

indygreg

They are too far down IMHO. Look at most stock bike photos . . . the hoods are like horns up from a parallel line to the top bar (if it is level).

To another point. . . I am sure it is because I am not as comfortable yet in the drops, but I feel like I could much better handle bumps on the hoods than in the drops.

Cassadamius

Good catch. Even after rereading it I'm thinking......."no, that's right". Then I realized I said drops and not hoods.

fhall1

From the pic.....my opinion too....your levers are way too low....no wonder it's easier for you to reach them from the drops

ghettocruiser

They are low on the bar, but that's about where I have mine. Never liked having them up higher.

merlinextraligh

Bugeye Sprite?

Phantoj

It's a bit hard to see from the picture, but I agree that there does seem to be a setup issue of some kind there. Try rotating the bars back up a little bit.

IMO, it's good for "Joe Average" to NOT jack his brakes upwards too much. Some of the riders that are stuck on the hoods have their brakes so high that shifting in the drops is difficult. Try to achieve a balance - you should be able to control the bike effectively in both positions.

ericcox

Is that a TR3 in the background? In the right color, no less.

I'll be contrarian to an extent. If you are more comfortable and feel safer in the drops, ride in the drops. I ride in the drops most of the time as well.

That being said, if you desire to have more hand positions in which you are comfortable (it is nice to move around on long rides), I agree that your hoods look a bit low. I think it is safe to say that most riders feel confident braking from the hoods or drops, though I find I can modulate better in the drops.

ericcox

Man, I wait a few seconds to post and get so many responses in the interim! So, OP, who's right?

palesaint

Good stuff, I will rotate my bars up a bit and see how that does. Didn't thinking a small amount of rotation could make such a difference!

edit: AND, no wonder I have no issue with hitting the thumb Sora shifter in the drops. With the bar angled down a bit, it brings the thumb shifter to within range of my thumb! Now I'm torn on whether to bring them up or not.

And.... ericcox gets the prize! 1960 TR3, BRG. Got wire wheels also, though thinking of going to minilites. I could see how it looks a little like a bugeye though, with the headlights out to the side. Fun car.

caloso

My two, no wait, make that four cents:

Your brake levers look a little low. You can either loosen the stem bolts and rotate the bars up a few degrees (easy) or move the levers up on the bar 5mm or so (also easy but more involved since you may have to unwrap and rewrap the bar tape).

If your brakes are adjusted properly, you should be able to lock up both wheels from the hoods. Perhaps your rims and pads could use a cleaning?

steaktaco

BINGO. Most likely your problem. Give yourself about 5mm between the pads and the rim. That should do it.

I used to feel the same, but now I can pull stoppies from the hoods in the front of the pack during the bell lap of a crit. You should try that once you adjust your brakes.

roadfix

I noticed you're using all four fingers on the lever. You should be able to brake effective using only two fingers over the lever. Your grip also looks rather tense.

Szczuldo

Your Levers seem a tad low. The way I have my bars set up is the bottom of the drops is parallel to the group and then the bottom of the levers are pointing straight down. Also the whole, set your bars on a flat surface and adjust levers until they touch the flat surface without lifting the bars up any. I cannot stand being in one position for a very long time, especially without gloves and mostly on gravel country roads my hands get numb every 10-15 miles and I have to move them. Hopefully the purchase of gloves will make that better. And on the Sora thumb shifter note, I remember trying to ride a friends bike with Sora and it is impossible to get your thumb up there to shift.

I've never had any problems braking from the hoods with 1-2mm between rim and brake. I can't stand long travel, especially on the hoods. But hey to each his own. I also seem to have this habit of getting out of the drops and onto the hoods to brake.

Electric_Elvis

I was on a group ride a few weeks ago, and we were in our first mile warming up. I was minding my own bussiness(riding in the drops), and another rider pulled next to me and said I needed to raise my saddle and ride on the hoods.

I gave it a try, raised my saddle slightly, and it is now much more comfy on the hoods. I still prefer the drops, I ride in them 90% of the time, but there is a definite improvement on the hoods. I do have a pretty big seat to handlebar drop now though.

littledjahn

How long is your average ride? I think most riders stay on the hoods because it requires less effort from your core, which saves you energy. Also, make sure your arms stay relaxed - I know I have a tendency to lock up my elbows when I'm on the hoods and tired, which causes a lot of discomfort in my back & upper shoulders.