rousseau

I can't seem to get comfortable in both the drops and the hoods using a given bar angle. The drops are too much of a stretch but the hoods feel great when the angle is horizontal like this:



When I rotate the bars down the drops feel perfect, but the hoods feel like too much of a stretch:



I can't find a happy medium where it feels good both in the drops and on the hoods. Does anyone else have this problem? I don't race, and I'm on the hoods/tops about 90% of the time on my rides, but I'd like to increase my time in the drops.

Is this a fit issue? I've always been very unflexible my whole life, and am currently about 30 pounds overweight. Would my reach improve by losing more weight?

Just out of curiousity, which of the bar angles in the following photos would you find more suitable if you were setting this bike up for yourself? (I know, I know, we're all different, etc...I'm just curious).

A.


B.

Youngin

Move your brifters?

CastIron

Wretched 'ergo' bars.

AEO

get new bars?
deda anatomic is designed for campy style to give a flat top without compromising the drops.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=412472

Hammertoe

Compact bars for you sir...

maddyfish

A shorter stem might bring the drops closer to you, eliminating the need to rotate the bars down. When you rotate the bars down, it moves the drops closer, but it moves the hoods away, and increasesthe angle of your wrists needed to use the hoods.

maddyfish

If he moves the brifters up the bars, it will them be difficult to reach the brake levers from the drops.

RichinPeoria

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milchad

New bars.

the beef

Frame geometry is the problem, not just the bars.. given your situation a compact frame design w/ more upright geometry, a taller headtube and less saddle-to-bar drop may be a good idea. Think along the lines of Specialized Sequoia/Roubaix, Trek Pilot, etc.. there's many out there.

jimbud

Yep, New bars and relocate the shifters. I use hoods and drops about 50%-50% and the drops are actually less of a reach then the hoods.

grolby

Frame geometry? Shorter stem? Here's what I would try, since it costs you nothing: loosen stem bolt. Raise handlebars ~1 inch. Enjoy! I would put money on your problem being too much saddle to bar drop, possibly with a stem that is too long. Raising bars will bring them closer. If that's not enough, very yes on the shorter stem, PLUS raising the bars to about the height of the saddle. You don't need the amount of drop you have going on, there.

brianappleby

start stretching today.

rousseau

Thanks for all the replies. That's a 90 mm stem I've got on there, which is an improvement over the 120 mm stem that came on the bike when I bought it. I will certainly raise the bars a bit, that should help.

When suggesting new bars, what kind of bars do you mean precisely, and how would that help? Traditional round bars would be even more of a reach in the drops, wouldn't they?

Ramjm_2000

fsa shallow drops...done

roadfix

I prefer classic, non-ergo drops. Perhaps the OP will be more comfortable with classic bend drop bars.

Surferbruce

best $ i've spent on my ride recently...and yeah the wrap job was a bit of a rush, cut me some slack

interceptor

got a pic of the whole bike? want to see the white tires....just ordered some.

Banzai

I have FSA Omega compact bars. Best money I've spent next to a Brooks saddle. Those bars have changed my ride, and eliminated every bit of hand position discomfort I've ever had.

Love them.

Surferbruce

the're dirty in the pic, but they do clean up pretty well with some simple green or westleys blech white.

interceptor

what kind are they?

rousseau

Would these fit into a quill stem?

Surferbruce

vittoria rubino pros. went through a pair of open corsa cx's in like 2 months, but the rubinos have proven much more durable and still have a nice ride quality.
supposedly michelin prorace 3's are coming out in white soon too.

Ramjm_2000

If you can get them in 31.8 then yes.

Surferbruce

they're 31.8mm, so doubtful (does anyone even make a 31.8 quill?)