droy45

They are better for windy days for sure but in my case my neck and shoulders can't endure the pain they cause for very long so the riser bars actually save my arse. I guess we just go somewhat slower on those windy days.

Burton

I'd think it would depend more on how low your flat bar was mounted and if you were running barends. An inverted stem and bar ends can end up with a lower riding position than the hooks on drop bars mounted on a touring stem. TT bars certainly aren't drops, but they work OK.

The quiz gave lots of options as to bar style, asked nothing about barends and completely ignored handlebar height.

deeth82

I can't speak for everyone with flat bars, but as a bullhorn bar user, I can say that no matter how many different bike sizes/headsets/headset heights/headset angles/headset lengths/bar widths/seatpost positions/angles I have tried, I just cannot seem to get comfortable in the drops. It always seems to cause discomfort in either my shoulders, upper back, lower back, groin, or arms, and once I found a combination with bullhorns that caused no major discomfort for each bike, I've stuck with it. I definitely get what you're saying in terms of going aero against a headwind (as riding against it upright is insanity); for me, I tuck my arms back to the flat position on the 'horns and get low, much in the same way one might for flatbar riding. Also, FWIW, I don't ride distances most would consider "long enough" to say that drops truly make a difference.

Bike Gremlin

I prefer flat bars with aero add on. Or just putting my hands close together on the flat bar top and tucking in. It works for me, just as good as the drop bars. Problem with drop bars for COMMUTING (not joy rides) is that STIs (or any other bar mounted gear changing system, like retroshift) are far more expensive than acera flat bar shifters and brakes I now use. Too much risk of theft/damage. Not worth it.

cyccommute 

age: Same age as my tongue and a little older than my teeth
style of handlebar on first adult bike owned:drops
location:Colorado
handlebar preference (break it down by % of total bikes owned):57% flatbars but since 2000 roughly 75% of my commuting has on road bikes. Since 1988, 57% commute has been by mountain bike and 43% by road bike.
distance traveled per commute (one way):~11
average rolling time per commute (one way):50 minutes average. ~60 on the way in and 40 on the way home
size of main commuting area (metro population):~3 million
average number of stop/commute (one way)Varies by route.
hills present or not (average elevation gain/mile ... disregard downhills):500 feet
any shoulder/elbow/hand/wrist/finger injuries:nope


I don't look on one as being preferable over another in town. If, however, I'm going to ride a mountain bike as a mountain bike (and all of my mountain bikes are off-road set up with knobbies and suspension), I use flat bars. If the distances get longer than a few miles on the road, I'll use a road bike with drop bars. Flat bars can lead to hand numbness more quickly on rides over 10 or 15 miles than drop bars.

caloso

age: 45
style of handlebar on first adult bike owned: drops (Schwinn World Sport)
location: Sacramento, CA, USA
handlebar preference (break it down by % of total bikes owned): Drops (medium drop, classic bend)
distance traveled per commute (one way): 4mi
average rolling time per commute (one way): 20
size of main commuting area (metro population): 1M
average number of stop/commute (one way): 14
hills present or not (average elevation gain/mile ... disregard downhills): pancake flat
any shoulder/elbow/hand/wrist/finger injuries: none

CptjohnC

age:47
style of handlebar on first adult bike owned: hard to say - I had a bike with swept bars (traditional European style bike) from the time I was 10, but got my first drop bar bike a couple of years later -- a foundling. My first 'serious' bike was a Bridgestone road bike (drop bars) in 1985.

location: Washington DC Metro area

handlebar preference (break it down by % of total bikes owned):2 drop bar (my daily commuter and my road bike), 1 flat bar (mtb/ backup commuter). I also have available another flat bar bike with Ergon grips (my son's MTB) and a third flat bar MTB (my daughter's) but I don't really ride them. Much.

distance traveled per commute (one way): between 4.3 and 20.5 depending on what I do that day.

average rolling time per commute (one way): +/- 93 minutes for long route (avg of both directions) and +/-19 minutes for the short route.

size of main commuting area (metro population): Always in dispute, but 5.5 million?

average number of stop/commute (one way): You mean red lights, street crossings and the like? widely variable, but for my longest route: 39-40? For my shorter route: 19-22?

hills present or not (average elevation gain/mile ... disregard downhills):Rolling hills, relatively mild (avg. 43 ft of elevation gain per mile over my longer route)

any shoulder/elbow/hand/wrist/finger injuries: None of significance.

alan s 

Too many questions. I prefer polls. Can you make this into a scientific poll? So much easier, and don't forget to include a "none of the above" category. I usually pick that one.

asmac

age:50s
style of handlebar on first adult bike owned:drop
location:Toronto
handlebar preference (break it down by % of total bikes owned):Swept (FSA Metropolis) 100%
distance traveled per commute (one way):5m
average rolling time per commute (one way):40 min
size of main commuting area (metro population):4,000,000
average number of stop/commute (one way) 10
hills present or not (average elevation gain/mile ... disregard downhills): none
any shoulder/elbow/hand/wrist/finger injuries: no

puckett129

Haha. Me too. Please mark me down as "D"

Breathegood

Age: 37 (almost)
1st Adult bike style: flat bar MTB (1989)
1st Adult bike where drops were appropriate: Cannondale SR500 (1997)
Handlebar preference by bike: 75% drop (one CX, two Road, one dedicated trainer), 12.5% flat (29er hybrid), 12.5% TT horns & brake levers (singlespeed)
Distance per commute: 23 miles one way (All but my performance road bike get occassional commute duties, but the SS is my favorite commuter)
Average rolling time: 1:20 NB, 1:45 SB
Population: ~3 million (entire metro), 200k or less closer to home
Stops: 5 or less (that's how I get away with a 23 mile commute)
Elevation gain: 800' NB, 1500' SB
Surface: 50% MUP, 35% rural highway with large, clean, paved shoulder & high visibility, 10% 40mph major streets with dedicated bike lane, 5% suburban surface street
Injuries/comfort notes: Occassional numbness in palms when riding the 29er hybrid (flat bar with ergo grips and bar ends), particularly under strenuous conditions (headwind, long climb, heavy load, or any combination thereof). Occassional shoulder and/or lower back discomfort (not quite pain) after extended periods in the drops when riding the performance road bike (the bars are just slightly too wide for me and it's a performance bike, not a comfort cruiser. Some discomfort is expected.)

Most comfortable: I can ride my CX bike in the drop position all day long over just about any terrain (road, CX course, MTB single track, etc.) and be more comfortable and confident in braking and handling than any other position on any other bike I've ever owned. The only time I need to move to the hoods is to climb or take a breather after a high effort spin, and the only time I need to move to the tops is to take drink, bite of food, or adjust clothing/equipment. Proper fit is tantamount to comfort, and my builder/fitter nailed it on the CX bike.

Overal preference: I am most comfortable with drop bars and in the drop position. More than flexibility training (I have and likely always will have a substantial gut), it took quite a bit of mental conditioning and learning better breathing techniques to get to this point, but it was well worth it. My CoG is at it's lowest and most centered over the bike. I am in the most efficient position to generate power and minimize drag. My hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders are in their most natural position. I am most balanced while the bike is moving, and I am in the best postion for controlled aggressive braking and quick manuvers.

jeffpoulin

One thing about this data is that the number of bikes is not really a good metric. For example, I have 7 bikes: 3 with drop bars and 4 with straight bars. In terms of the number of bikes, my drop bar percentage is 43%. However, since 2010, I've ridden my drop bar bikes 30788km out of 49113km total which is 63% of my total kilometers. In general, I prefer drop bars, but you wouldn't know it just by knowing what percentage of my bikes have them.