bike handle bars ?
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bike handle bars ?
Hi everyone! Not sure if this exactly fits in this thread, but I was wondering if the handlebars of a road or hybrid bike make much of a difference when cycling? I've only ever biked with horizontal/straight handlebars on a cruiser, but I've been thinking of purchasing a used road bike with curved handlebars. Is there much of a learning curve or issues with proper form when using either? (I have terrible core strength so I'm worried about my back)
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Personally, I think a road bike is easier on the back than a bike where you sit upright but not all agree. Road bike handlebars offer several different hand positions and that can reduce hand/wrist pain/fatigue. If you ride on the lower portion of the bars (the drops) you may have some neck soreness for a while but you can limit your time in the drops or not use them at all. One thing about a road bike is that it needs to fit your body so do some research on the bike you are interested in and see if it will fit you OK or can be made to fit you by changing the stem and making adjustments. Getting something too big or too small will make it less enjoyable.
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Drop bars give you a number of different hand positions.
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When I got my first road bike in 2017, which has Shimano STI levers, the key difference was learning how to brake from the hoods, because one is pulling the brake levers at a point much closer to the pivot of the lever compared to a flat bar bike.
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thank you for the info everyone! I'll def look more into the fitting threads or getting measured at a bike shop
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Some of us take to drop bars like ducks to water...others don't It can be a little bit of trial and error with bar width, reach, drop...all the metrics Getting a bike fit or doing a bit of research can't do any harm. Over the decades my fitting requirements have changed several times, depending on the bike and my diminishing flexibility
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