Climbing in the drops?

[Banjo]

I like to change positions a lot including doing bits of a long climb in the drops.Usually end up on the hoods or on the bars towards the top of the climb.

A guy I sometimes ride with says its all wrong to climb in the drops as it restricts breathing etc.

Anyone else do the same out of interest?

 

[Hacienda71]

I only climb using the drops on fairly shallow climbs where there may be some aero advantage, otherwise I will be on the tops of the bars or the hoods.

 

[jowwy]

tops or hoods for me too - like to sit up and spin up climbs

 

[Rob3rt]

If the speed is high, get in the drops or drop your elbows to get aero. If you are going slow, you may as well give up the aero advantage, as it is minimal, in order to increase power capacity by opening up your hips and also making breathing easier.

 

[VamP]

I often stay in the drops throughout a whole ride. This should be possible without interfering with your breathing too much. The guy you sometimes ride with might want to look at his riding position.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

90% climbing on hoods, 10% on tops, big fat 0% on the drops.

 

[on the road]

I sometimes alternate between drops and the hoods when climbing, sometimes I stay on the drops all the way up, it doesn't seem to restrict my breathing, in fact I've never noticed any difference between the two methods when climbing.

 

[Spinney]

I sometimes alternate between drops and the hoods when climbing, sometimes I stay on the drops all the way up, it doesn't seem to restrict my breathing, in fact I've never noticed any difference between the two methods when climbing.

Me neither - it's always slow!

 

[Davidc]

Tops or hoods climbing.

The drops get used downhill - often when going too fast to pedal, and also useful when going into a headwind.

 

[BSRU]

Didn't realise they had names for all these hand positions .
http://lovelybike.blogspot.ro/2012/06/drop-bar-hand-positions-introduction.html

 

[Boris Bajic]

We will all ultimately ride in the position we choose.

On my road bike I have the bars quite low, but spend most of my time on the hoods. I have never climbed on the drops unless at the very bottom of a slope when trying to eke out a little residual velocity to help me up the climb.

Even when many are on the drops, I usually stay on the hoods but drop my elbows, with forearms horizontal. Drops are for 20mph+ only. My own daft rule, but one I take seriously for reasons I do not know. I lack the courage to descend over 30mph on the drops - I always pop my hands back up on a fast descent. I envy those who don't.

I like to climb on the hoods or the back of the bars. If 'en danseuse', I am always on the hoods or just behind them, for stability.

I like to sit up when climbing, to ease breathing. I often poke my elbows slightly out to open my chest. I also slide rearward on the saddle if it begins to get tough.

To each their own. If you like to climb on the drops, do it!

 

[fossala]

I often stay in the drops throughout a whole ride. This should be possible without interfering with your breathing too much. The guy you sometimes ride with might want to look at his riding position.

Or maybe you need to look at your position. The drops aren't there to ride all day in. AFAIK you are "supposed" to spend most of your time on the hoods, use your drops to go into an aero position. Maybe you have you bars too high for your style/flexability.

 

[HLaB]

I think Pantani done it (climbing in the drops), OK he was on something but it didn't harm him.

 

[VamP]

Or maybe you need to look at your position. The drops aren't there to ride all day in. AFAIK you are "supposed" to spend most of your time on the hoods, use your drops to go into an aero position. Maybe you have you bars too high for your style/flexability.

And maybe I do it to train my body to be efficient in that position?

I'm not advocating that people ride in the drops all day, I am just saying that it should be possible to stay in the drops for the duration of a climb (even a long one) without a significant impact on power output.

 

[lukesdad]

I only climb in the drops out of the saddle.