Handlebar too low? Handlebar drop too big? Poorly positioned brifters? Don't want to knee themselves in the gut?

I keep seeing riders coming down this one smooth, wide, fast, totally non-technical descent on the hoods instead of the drops. They don't know what they're missing! And then I see some riders grinding uphills in the drops, with the wind at their backs.

This may explain why I completely failed in my quest last month to find an early 2000s Litespeed Ultimate to buy and rebuild. I never went to Dentistry School.

EDIT: Uh-oh. 3 posts in a row. I think I better declare lunchtime over and get back to work. Those data won't crunch themselves.

<==Has not kneed himself in the gut

Maybe they slammed their stems inappropriately for reasons of appearance.

I estimate my drop time on the order of 30% on the road bike.

It used to be thought that being in the drops was faster.. but I think that the most aero position has been shown to be on the hoods with forearms parallel to the ground. Maybe they're up to date on their aero? :innocent:

I'm probably in the 25% region, too, but it's primarily about sketch-factor, not aero.

Yes. The back wheel against the wall and the bike sitting plumb, is the best way to set up a new bike to match the old.

Nor have I. Getting close with nearly 7" (real money, not that metric mm/cm crap) drop on the TT bike to kneeing myself in the ribs though.

That's right, simply because the top fuel dragster drop is so extreme you can't get you forearms parallel whilst in the drops anymore.

Indeed.

That's a really great idea. I've got the geometry chart for one of my bikes, but the other two are a bit older and from really big manufacturers (Motobecane & Schwinn) that didn't publish that stuff in their catalogs for a long time. Thankfully Trek has been doing it from the very beginning.

This is all for purely research purposes for the moment, and I've got the geo chart so CAD works perfectly for now :thumb:

I <3 my drops. Very comfortable and secure.

I climb in the drops often.

My cantilevers are fantastic brakes, but take a lot of hand strength to work. They're useless from the hoods aside from minor speed modulation, so I'm always in the drops when descending or riding around traffic.

I've had days where putting socks and shoes on was a chore. #InflexibilityWoes

Man, the number of people who cling to "you should be in the drops as much as possible" blows my mind. One goes so far as to say MVDP should use the drops, and if some of the other CX pros would do so they'd beat him. :rolleyes:

You're right, and I find that more comfortable as well, especially with a pistol-grip on the hoods.

'Splain it to me, Lucy.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4fd2b9422e.png

And because "Stack and Reach" were not in use when any of my old bikes were made, I had to determined that empirically. It was gratifying to discover I'd set all 3 bikes up to within 0.5 cm on all major measurements. Also made setting the new bike up a piece of cake.

That, and having a spare saddle that's the same as the one on the other 3 bikes. Not bad considering it's been out of production for at least 15 years.

I am always in the drops when descending, because control. But I only descend when riding in the USA. Here, I use the drops as an alternate hand position. Prolly around 25%. I, personally, am faster when in the drops. It's a more powerful position. I see riding the hoods as the lazy approach. Speaking for myself only.

Sad!
I recently submitted a note to a website I frequent. I was unable to log in for a live event. Three weeks later I was informed that it's been solved. I questioned the delay and found that it is business as usual.

:love:

Yup. It's about the weight distribution and having a fistful of something you won't slip off of if you hit a bump.

There are numerous reasons why being comfortable in the drops is important, though being in them for distance type riding isn't one of them. Group riding, racing, hammer rides, it only makes sense, simply because control is important, and not overlapping bars is even more important.

Pfffft. Me neither. Can't even remember the last time I could.

It's the oscillation between Louisville and Billings that I find particularly odd. Is this a probabilistic, quantum-mechanical, cloud of package that's really in two places at once?

Mi también.

I am likely the same. Drops for descending, for sure. If motoring on flats agree on tips of hoods with forearms horizontal. Tops better for steeper climbs. In slipstream hoods with slight elbow bend is comfy.

I think a lot of newer cyclists don’t appreciate that there are easily 5 or more hand positions and always ride the hoods.

What is this gut you speak of? :innocent:

@Velo Vol was looking for his old neighbor and got himself in trouble.https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ed7b0cc2a2.jpg