davester

Drop bars are just a very small part of the bike fit equation. There are many other things to figure out before you start worrying about the shape of the bars. I'd suggest looking at saddle height, saddle fore-aft position relative to the cranks, stem height, stem length, etc before even thinking about the bars. Also note that drop bars have many more positions than flat, cruiser or (horrors!) mustache bars, which can help you shift to find a comfortable position, which is why bike tourists use them almost exclusively. If you're inexperienced, you might want to seek out a seasoned bike fitting veteran to help you (not a young guy who just finished the bike fitting class).

ofajen

Yeah, I have made the touring bar setup on my old MTB increasingly clever to the point that I am now rather disenchanted with the vintage levers and drop bars on the other bike.

My back is fine, but the touring bar setup has such a consistent and better geometry where my hands rest on the bars over a long range of the bar sweep. Just no comparison and so much more apt for riding an old MTB on our glorious trail system.

Really no position on the vintage drop bars works anywhere near as well for my hands. In general those positions want me to bear weight in my grip between thumb and forefinger and that just isn’t gonna happen.

So, then, what for the drop bar bike? Not planning to do brifters per se, but to my point of view, the one tolerable hand position on drop bars is on modern brifter hoods. Much like the forward position I get on the touring bars. I may just use another set of those touring bars but probably set the bar a bit lower.

Alternatively, I do have a set of those TRP RRL levers and angled in they might be pretty good but I’m thinking with a shorter reach bar than the Nitto 115. So probably I will switch to the touring bars in the short run and then maybe shop for a short reach bar to try with the RRLs.

Otto

AJW2W11E

Would a Chiropractor help?
My quads are pulling my spine and pelvis out of position. It wasn't the drop bars. By riding so much. my quads were out of proportion to the rest of my body and by not doing exercises for my hamstrings I am in real pain. I joined a gym Saturday and did hamstring curls, back exercises and situps all weekend.

rsbob 

Unfortunately I seriously doubt that a chiro would help. What you most likely need is to strengthen is your core and shoulders to balance the increased strength of your quads. All your muscle groups should be in equilibrium. A physical therapist, IMO would be the best course of action as well as continued stretching for your legs. Am not a medical professional but have experience in your issues and it took me two years to work my way out of it. Takes patience and perseverance. Good luck

Calsun

Normally I stay in the saddle and grind my way up long grades but currently with severe back strain I have decided that I need to stand in the pedals when going uphill and not lean forward to minimize stress on my back muscles, especially the oblique muscles.

I am doing planks to strengthen my core over time. But for hills riding keeping my head centered over my butt is important

streetsurfer

Hip flexors sound like they need stretched.

ofajen

Plans changed. I did have some shorter reach/shorter drop bars on hand, so I tried out the TRP RRL levers and it was much better for my hands.

Still, not having ridden the drop bars for some weeks, I was feeling it toward the end of the ride in terms of the various back and core muscles that need to hold me in place. But definitely a successful attempt.

Interestingly, the bars are a good bit narrower, about 41.5 cm in the drops and more like 39cm in the hoods. And I tilted the hoods in a fair bit which feels great.

Weird that it works ok since my shoulder bone measurement is 50cm. Took a little while to feel at home with less leverage but it was very comfortable in the drops, hoods and ok on the ramps.

Bar tops not so good today, these are old rando bars I guess and they seem to want forearms angling in and down, which I am not used to. Not sure what the comfy position is there.

Anyway that is an encouraging step.

Otto

Classtime 

Strengthen your core (many exercises work.) even when your back doesn't hurt.

Calsun

In the past when I had "racing" bikes with frame geometry best suited for criterium racers I was bunched up and this affected my hill climbing ability. Going to a larger frame with more length at the top tube allowed me to make better use of my torso and to open up my chest to breathe more efficiently. In the old days riders would often be on the smallest possible size frame and try to compensate with longer seat posts or stems but this did not fix the problems caused by these frames. In some ways it is better now with small, medium, and large frames where people are less likely to be on a frame that is too small for their body.

I often will stand in the pedals on hills just to straighen out my neck and this also helps my lower back as a side benefit.