jadocs

You may not see any leverage/weight distribution benefit, but I certainly do. I would never go into a high speed lean on a corner with my hands on the hoods. Not because I'm advocating one over the other, but because to me, it's a recipe to end up in a ditch.

wphamilton

I do it interchangeably, and with my shoulders in the same location either way there is literally no difference in weight distribution. With the same weight (at the hands) at the same distance from the pivot point, there is literally no difference in leverage. These aren't subjective factors.

Maybe the drops facilitate large body movements for you. Maybe something else. I'm not advocating or claiming any best practice either - but I am saying that physically the weight and control are the same, and that there are no particular advantages in grip and braking as well.

Of course if you're in a drops position that you can't attain on the hoods, or which is uncomfortable or unaccustomed, that's a different story.

jadocs

No my shoulders are not in the same position by a long shot especially on a high speed turn.

wphamilton

Why not? Do you do the inside shift thing, some other large body movement?

jadocs

I rotate my hips in the drops which lowers my center of gravity. I'm also not letting the bike take me for a ride around the corner. I'm leaning into it with my weight also shifted slightly forward. Hands in the drops gives me greater leverage for counter pressure in addition to my outside foot.

wphamilton

We can't rotate our hips or lean into it with our hands on the hoods? I'm sincerely trying to see what's different here.

jadocs

I'm not sure what you are getting at. You said your shoulders are in the same position on the hoods and drops. I was just answering your questions and provided answers on why "I" do what I do.

wphamilton

Fair enough, back to the regular programming please.

PepeM

It takes a minuscule amount of effort to steer a bicycle. Any extra leverage, even if it existed, would be completely unnecessary.

ab_antiquo

It depends. If I'm being a MUPpet or taking it easy on the road, steering effort is minimal and the difference between being on the hoods or in the drops is miniscule.

Other times, it can take a significant amount of effort to steer and the extra leverage from being in the drops is completely necessary.

Happy Feet

Nice video.

But if drops are so important, explain how the guy you were following did it with flat bars?

This use of video's to try to prove something rarely works well. Here's one that shows the exact opposite supposition. In this case the rider seems to go to the drops for sprinting but switches to the hoods for maneuverability. What does it really prove? Nothing much other than he prefers that.

ab_antiquo

This is a nonsensical response and a straw man argument. I have not claimed that drop bars on are superior to flat bars.

It would be helpful if you read, and understood, the post that I was replying to before replying.

Here is what I was responding to:

”It takes a minuscule amount of effort to steer a bicycle. Any extra leverage, even if it existed, would be completely unnecessary.”

Good luck in your search for understanding.

sjanzeir

This thread should've died right about here.

subgrade

^ that is not how the internet works

sjanzeir

^ You don't say!

livedarklions

This thread got so diverted into ridiculous arcane technical distinctions that I totally don't feel bad about this diversion --how are you doing? Are you doing any more riding these days? And just to stay on topic, do you ever reach for the drops and regret they're not there?

pdlamb

Wonder if a moderator could change the thread title to "Snippy sniping"?

Happy Feet

Good luck in your condescension. I did not claim you claimed anything.

Unless you just parachuted into this thread to make that one post you'd understand the whole context of my reply. It's been a mud fest of trying to suggest one position on the bars are superior or neccessary to the other for this reason or that. Safety, braking, maneuverability. Take your pick. You posted a video (again, I enjoyed it) seeming to suggest riding in the drops was needed, in some situations. I was simply struck that the guy you were following used flats in the same conditions.

In my response video I linked to a guy who switched to the hoods every time he wanted more maneuverability. Not to discredit your POV but to show that simply linking videos really doesn't prove a point. In this thread several videos have been used in that way and all of them seem to show half a picture or a picture out of context (like a guy teaching how to do a front wheelie as evidence about an endo).

Sorry you got upset. In this context, my question wasn't a straw man but simply addressed the main (albeit admittedly silly at this point) thrust of the current debate.

You said: "it can take a significant amount of effort to steer and the extra leverage from being in the drops is completely necessary."

I asked: :what about the guy using the flats?"

I then linked a video showing that some go to the hoods, not the drops, for extra leverage.

ab_antiquo

I get it. You ignored the post I replied to and apparently can't understand that comparing the flat bar on a mountain bike to riding the drops on a gravel bike is nonsensical ("if drops are so important, explain how the guy you were following did it with flat bars?")

A valid comparison is the difference between the flats, the hoods and the drops on the gravel bike. That's why I replied with "it depends" when the other guy posted "It takes a minuscule amount of effort to steer a bicycle. Any extra leverage, even if it existed, would be completely unnecessary.."

Happy Feet

I understood both your initial post and your second. Yes there is a difference between flat bars and drops and the fact that both were used in the same conditions simply suggests that one specific hand position is not necessary ie. multiple positions can work. That has been the counter argument some of us have made all through this thread. The video I linked just adds to that stance (he goes to the hoods for greater control).

It's a small point but I think what would have avoided 90% of the back and forth in this thread would be if people used the qualifier "For Me" in front of their position statement.

When you say this: "...it can take a significant amount of effort to steer and the extra leverage from being in the drops is completely necessary."

it's pretty easy to counter. As an absolute statement it's false. It's not completely necessary to be in "the drops" as another rider in the same video is on the flats. Even when limiting it to drop bars the other video linked shows the hoods being used for extra steering and leverage.

However, if you say this: "For me, it can take a significant amount of effort to steer and the extra leverage from being in the drops is completely necessary."

one cannot argue (other to insult ones abilities as a few have attempted). That is a 100% valid statement.

Hermes

Moderators note: Okay. This has been an interesting thread with many view points debated but may be nearing the end of its useful life. We will leave it open as long as posts remains within forum rules. Please avoid unnecessary inflammatory remarks, trolling and etc.

Metieval

Common 'standard' widths for flat bars are 580 or 600mm (compared to 685mm for risers) but bars will feature graduated markings on the grip ends so they can be cut down to preference.

The average Drop bar width is? Common sizes are 38, 40, 42, and 44cm

Drops vs Flat bars are not even in the Same League. Calling riding a flat bar equal to riding the hoods is bat poop crazy!

ab_antiquo

This is very funny.

How would the other rider, on a completely different bike (geometry, wheel size, tire size, stem size, handlebar size), be able to ride in the drops when his bike doesn’t have drops?

The hand position of the guy in front of me is ~400mm from the stem to the outside edge of his hand.

My hand position is ~220 from the stem in the drops and much less on MY flats and also less when I’m on the hoods.

Of course flat bar Bryan has more leverage on his flats.

You’re comparing apples and watermelons.

Happy Feet

And on and on it goes... You address that but cut out this from the same quote:



and it's predictable to see the troll up to his usual tricks right after the mod says to limit inflammatory comments.

ab_antiquo

I'm not responsible for your lack of understanding.

As previously noted, I get more leverage when I'm in the drops vs. on the hoods. That's because my hands are further from the steering axis when I'm in the drops. That's not the sole reason of course, but that's what I brought up when replying to the other guy's erroneous claims about additional leverage being unnecessary.

Congrats on finally dropping the flat bar MTB vs. drop bar gravel bike nonsense.