Do you prefer flat bars or drop bars and why?

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It's an odd question, there should be no doubt about the type of bars for certain bikes, obviously road, cross and track bikes have drop bars, MTBs and roadsters have flat bars, although flat is not really correct as virtually all MTB now use riser bars of some type, TT bikes have something different.
Disagree, bars are for people, not bikes. Drops on a road bike are just long convention, not any kind of requirement. If you race, you'll need them, if you don't, you don't, it's then personal preference.
 

Twilkes

Guru
Drops, and I actually do use the drops 90% of the time, apart from slowing for and accelerating from lights, and for <10mph climbing. They're double wrapped so much more comfy than the hoods, and steering feels more solid.
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
I use drop bars for the variety of hand positions, and the bent over riding position is better for my back, which does not appreciate upright bicycle riding much at all.
 

Mo1959

Legendary Member
I use drop bars for the variety of hand positions, and the bent over riding position is better for my back, which does not appreciate upright bicycle riding much at all.
Funny you should say that. When my back is niggling I sometimes think I'm doing the right thing taking the hybrid, but I'm not sure it helps. I think you may be correct that being more stretched on the road bikes maybe actually helps.
 
Funny you should say that. When my back is niggling I sometimes think I'm doing the right thing taking the hybrid, but I'm not sure it helps. I think you may be correct that being more stretched on the road bikes maybe actually helps.

Certainly, I avoided drops for a long time, thinking they would hurt my back, but in fact they didn't. That aspect was perfectly fine, although they were not set very low. My particular spinal niggle is trying to keep my neck cranked back. That hurts after a bit.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Funny you should say that. When my back is niggling I sometimes think I'm doing the right thing taking the hybrid, but I'm not sure it helps. I think you may be correct that being more stretched on the road bikes maybe actually helps.
I thought my backache would be helped by a more upright position on the bike so I flipped the stem and put as many spacers under it as I could. It didn't seem to help much... Then I went on holiday and borrowed an identical model of bike the same size as mine, but that one had a different set-up which felt more comfortable. When I got home I fitted a longer stem, did NOT flip it and moved most of the spacers to above the stem. It gives me a lower, more stretched out position which feels more comfortable to me.

Before and after positions illustrated below

Caad 5 stem setup.jpg


(I have moved the saddle forward again since the lower picture was taken.)
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
I thought my backache would be helped by a more upright position on the bike so I flipped the stem and put as many spacers under it as I could. It didn't seem to help much... Then I went on holiday and borrowed an identical model of bike the same size as mine, but that one had a different set-up which felt more comfortable. When I got home I fitted a longer stem, did NOT flip it and moved most of the spacers to above the stem. It gives me a lower, more stretched out position which feels more comfortable to me.

Before and after positions illustrated below

View attachment 533321

(I have moved the saddle forward again since the lower picture was taken.)
goes with this article, which i agree with as i used to get bad hand palsy which my reyanuds probably dosnt help so i moved my saddle down 5mm, back 5 mm and fitted a shorter stem to push my point of balance further back which unweighted my hands
https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/05/seat-set-back-for-road-bikes/
 

vickster

Legendary Member
maybe its just my shoulder and the width of flat bars thats the issue for me ,
Same here, my shoulder doesn’t like wide bars, I will now stop buying flat bar bikes that I sell on soon after! 38/40cm width compact drops for me
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Same here, my shoulder doesn’t like wide bars, I will now stop buying flat bar bikes that I sell on soon after! 38/40cm width compact drops for me
the same , its an ongoing issue with the muscle i farked years ago that aches if i dont do my stretches that supports the back of the joint .
 

vickster

Legendary Member
the same , its an ongoing issue with the muscle i farked years ago that aches if i dont do my stretches that supports the back of the joint .
Mines AC joint arthritis probably, couple pd with the 2 surgeries a few years ago, which means everything gets grumpy!
 
maybe its just my shoulder and the width of flat bars thats the issue for me ,
Fair enough, I have pretty narrow flats. Big MTB bars are horrific on my shoulders, for sure.
Mines AC joint arthritis probably, couple pd with the 2 surgeries a few years ago, which means everything gets grumpy!
A couple of t-shirts here. on both sides, even before the new RH joint, so know what you mean. Not pleasant at all...
 

sotal

Regular
Drops for me on the road. I ride on the hoods most of the time but it is great to have the other positions available to allow a change.
 
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