Drops or the Hoods when descending ?

[col]

It's a mystery to me why people would want to make an exhilarating descent on the hoods. Down on the drops you have more control and are more aerodynamic and have a lower centre of gravity and can apply the brakes with more precision. It also feels faster as you are a bit nearer the ground!

I would agree with you with my old racer years ago, but I found the new shape of bars on my virtuoso strange on the drops, I actually felt safer and more stable on the hoods, and was able to brake from them too without a problem. There didnt seem enough length and thickness under the drops, and wonder if they are designed to be used mostly on the hoods nowadays anyway?

 

[stoatsngroats]

.....shape of bars on my virtuoso strange on the drops, I actually felt safer and more stable on the hoods..........

I have this bike, and find mine perfect; perhaps my bars are rotated slightly allowing my confidence in the drops (- or of course, are yours maybe rotated, making you have this feeling of greater safety on the hoods.)

I'm certain that the drops would be more aerodynamic, and they certainly allow me to feel in greater control.

 

[col]

I have this bike, and find mine perfect; perhaps my bars are rotated slightly allowing my confidence in the drops (- or of course, are yours maybe rotated, making you have this feeling of greater safety on the hoods.)

I'm certain that the drops would be more aerodynamic, and they certainly allow me to feel in greater control.

I think mine are rotated slightly to allow a more comfortable hood position, but found if i leaned forward it gave me a similar down on the bars position anyway.

 

[Dave5N]

Personally, I find too many shops set the levers way too high on the bars, a la americain, and then the levers are hard to tuck into. The drops on a well set-up bike should/can be the default position.

I must say, the frame and general set up needs to be right. A badly balanced bike doesn't tend towards different positions.

 

[rchomba]

Always on the hoods as I find them more comfortable

 

[peanut]

If you were more aerodynamic on the drops then Tri bars would not put your hands and arms at bar top level would they ?
If you watch the pros decend at 50mph + they invariably place their hands together on the bar tops either side of the stem.
You can get into exactly the same tuck position on the hoods as you can on the drops. Its just a question of repositioning your hands .

 

[Plax]

That looks like a hill near me only the road in your pic is is a bit better surfaced wider and lighter. My road also goes straight onto a more major road, I use the hoods there or go the main road which falls the same distance but in 2.5 x the length.

There's a totally crazy back road near me. It's not very long, but its so steep that when cycling up I always have to stand and lean forward on the handlebars to stop the front wheel from lifting up. It's also quite "gravelly" in places so sometimes the back wheel spins on the gravel. I try to avoid it at all costs, the novelty factor has now worn off.

 

[Randochap]

Motorcyclists employ this much more, because their weight is so large!

I've noticed that.

BTW: If one can't brake powerfully from the hoods, the bicycle isn't set up correctly.

 

[roadiewill]

DROPS!

 

[goo_mason]

Depends - I find the position I'm in when using the drops very uncomfortable on my dodgy back. So I'll only use them when I'm really tanking it downhill - rest of the time I ride using the hoods.

 

[Dave5N]

Then put the bars up. Really for a half-fit cyclist the drops is the default psition.

 

[goo_mason]

Then put the bars up. Really for a half-fit cyclist the drops is the default psition.

I'm half-fit. Sadly for the best part of my life my back hasn't been.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Drops for me, on the hoods your hands are on the 'outside' and a slip could have you off, on the drops your hands are on the 'inside' making slips less likely.

IMO

 

[gbs]

Drops for me, on the hoods your hands are on the 'outside' and a slip could have you off, on the drops your hands are on the 'inside' making slips less likely.

IMO

I don't understand:
1 how can your hands slip?
2 and how are yr hands on the inside if on the drops?

Do you ride cross handed!?!!

 

[peanut]

I don't understand:
1 how can your hands slip?
2 and how are yr hands on the inside if on the drops?

Do you ride cross handed!?!!

cross eyed more like

I barely touch the bars when decending I just caress the hoods and let the bike steer where it will. The entire steering geometry is designed to self-centre like a car. If you try to grip tightly you risk losing control or having a tank-slapper due to fighting the bike's natural self steering mechanism.
finger tips is the way to go putting a lot of weight on the drops could be very dangerous