oldacura

I've noticed quite a few bikes lately (especially those w/STI brifters) where the bars are tilted up at a significant angle. I always thought that the lower section of the bars should be near level.

I test rode a bike set up this way and couldn't get comfortable on the bars. When I was in the drops, I had to reach way up to grab the brake levers.

I know that this just comes down to personal preference but are others seeing bikes set up this way? Is there a reason for it?

MB1

No suprise really.

I am rarely happy with the stock placement of anything on a new bike. I always change everything to suit my needs.

You should expect to too.

jgg3

The standard is "slightly up". The real goal these days seems to be to get the top-to-hood transition to be "just right" for the rider. This is both a function of the bar shape and the position of the levers along the bar. Particularly on tandems, most of the time is spent on the tops, so it makes sense to focus there. But you can rotate the bars down in front and slide the levers up to adjust things.

Personally, when I am on the drops (less than 10% on the tandem) I don't care about brakes or shifting.

Leskorcala@hotm

Take look on Tour de France any pro and you will see clearly brake levers and bars up quite bit!
Why is this: well if the pros are doing and is working for them it should benefit most of us as well.
Since there is lots of climbs in the tour rider will ride 80-90% on the hoods & some on the tops of the bars.
You are able to braze yourself and use brake hoods as good power lever to push or pull on it durring the sustained climbing in the sadle or out of the sadle.
Also by placing your hands higher allows for better oxygen delivery to your lungs & way easier on your neck, shoulders.It comes down to more eficcient and better comfort zone position over longer distance including lots of climbing.

Descenting or all flat out efforts in the drops might have to be get use to becouse shifters are higher in the drop position but it can be done.

The lower down the drobs levers are the more reach you need to place your hands on it and you might be pulling ton of shoulders,forearms, lower back and upper back muscles and over long distances you will fatique way quicker than in more upward position. I do bike fits for living and see lot of clients come to get fit and they are so streatch on the bike with no flex in the elbow area to take any road shock , they have their seats way to far back or the bars are sloped down to far and the reach to the brake levers is way to long to be in any cofort zone.

In 70's & 80's Old scholl would sugest to keep the bars horizontal with the bike's top tube, now days comfort and personal likes from rider to rider is the name of the game.
If you live in the very flat land or you avoid any big climbs than more clasic brake lever and bar position will work for you.

Just my two cents,
Lescycling
www.bicyclefitnw.com

oldacura

I probably spend 20 - 25% of the time in the drops and I do want to be able to shift & especially brake in the drops (e.g. descending a canyon).

I realize that tipping the bars up benefits comfort and maybe efficiency when on top of the bars, it compromises the same in the drops.

With STI brifters at a 30 degree (above horizontal), it makes it very difficult to reach the brake levers in the drops.

I guess it's just to each his own.

BloomingCyclist

In the pursuit of getting the transition from top of bar to the brake hoods "just right" I believe it became common to want the top of the brake / shift lever hoods to be level with the top of the handlebar instead of having the hoods lower. To get them level on many handlebars this meant one had to rotate the bars up and / or mount the levers higher up on front curve of the bar. Neither of these solutions is ideal for the reasons you mentioned in the original post so handlebar manufacturers responded with bars made to have a level transition plus have good hand positions and good access to the levers no matter whether one is in the drops or where.

The Deda 215 was one of the first bars to make for this sort of transition for Campagnolo brifters. The Deda Newton did it in for the larger clamp diameter 31.7. Both of these bars were made for the Campagnolo hood shape. They also now make a lever that is especially made for the shape of Shimano hoods (Deda Elementi Supernatural). Competitive Cyclist has good descriptions and explanations of these features of the Deda bars.

Check out this link and choose Deda on the right and read about them.
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/ro...lebars.28.html

The 2009 Campagnolo hoods change toward the Shimano shape and the 2009 Shimano Dura-Ace hoods change towards the Campagnolo shape, so the quest continues to find the best hood shape and best transition to the handlebar.

Bloomington, IN

MB1

I don't know about you but I sure am no fit young athlete who rides a bike for a living and gets massages after every long ride.

As far as I can tell if a pro does it (bike fit that is) it most likely won't work for the great majority of recreational bike riders.