Further adventures on the 'new' bike...

[DCBassman]

Did a couple more rides, no great distance, began to feel more connected to the bike.
Then, on almost a whim, I lowered the saddle maybe 4mm. Don't know if it was just that, but the bike seemed to come to life! Everything was just that bit easier and felt really good.
And I'm still surprised at its roll-ability. Give it the slightest slope, and it's off!
Also finding I'm getting used to the bars a bit better now, though I don't use the drops much at all. Definitely a set of compacts, methinks.

 

[Cycleops]

Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[vickster]

Pics or it didn't happen.

He's posted a pic of his bike before

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/2nd-ride-on-my-new-road-bike.222753/

 

[Smokin Joe]

Did a couple more rides, no great distance, began to feel more connected to the bike.
Then, on almost a whim, I lowered the saddle maybe 4mm. Don't know if it was just that, but the bike seemed to come to life! Everything was just that bit easier and felt really good.
And I'm still surprised at its roll-ability. Give it the slightest slope, and it's off!
Also finding I'm getting used to the bars a bit better now, though I don't use the drops much at all. Definitely a set of compacts, methinks.

I have never understood compact drop bars, exactly what purpose are they supposed to serve?

The top of the bars are in exactly the same place as are the shifters, the two hand positions most people use most of the time. If you want to lower your frontal position you can grip on any section of the bars all the way from the shifter down. No one uses the bottom flat section of the bars anyway, so what disadvantage do standard bars have so the drop needs to be reduced?

 

[adamhearn]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P-QynImMuo


@DCBassman do you have an updated pic of your bars now? I know you said you had moved them as much as the cable slack would allow.

 

[DCBassman]

Will get one added. Away in Taunton right now.

 

[DCBassman]

Before:

Bars - side

• DCBassman
• 21 Aug 2017

After:

 

[DCBassman]

Bar tape looks inexplicably cleaner, too...

 

[adamhearn]

You've flipped them stem so the flat part of the bars are now higher than before so your tight cables will be likely be worse (although flipping the step may have brought the reach down a tad). Not saying it's wrong [especially if you've found something that works for you], it just looks a little odd.

Myself, I'd be tempted to swap out the cables so you can at least experience a wider range of positions.

 

[Ajax Bay]

No one uses the bottom flat section of the bars anyway,

Why (and on what basis) do you think this?

 

[ColinJ]

I put compact bars on my CAAD5 and they made a big difference to my riding ... I went from rarely getting down off the tops/hoods to frequently doing it. (I didn't have the flexibility to be comfortable with the standard drop, and a bit of a paunch got in the way too! )

 

[DCBassman]

You've flipped them stem so the flat part of the bars are now higher than before so your tight cables will be likely be worse (although flipping the step may have brought the reach down a tad). Not saying it's wrong [especially if you've found something that works for you], it just looks a little odd.
Myself, I'd be tempted to swap out the cables so you can at least experience a wider range of positions.

I've made it so the cables are still giving a full range of movement. None of the tweaks is 'big' with the arguable exception of flipping the stem, but it has made a difference. I felt the largest boost in comfort from that tiny drop in saddle height.
Still toying with the idea of flat bars, though, mainly because I find I don't like the way STI shifters operate. Thumb shifters seem so much more efficient and immediate. When applying tension (downshift on rear, upshift on front), a great deal of movement is needed and this also seems inefficient.

 

[DCBassman]

Additionally, I discovered while out riding yesterday why I'm having trouble with the shifters. It's because they operate in reverse to thumb shifters. I'm used to using my thumb toshift down, not up...doubtless I'll get used to it.

 

[Alan O]

The top of the bars are in exactly the same place as are the shifters, the two hand positions most people use most of the time. If you want to lower your frontal position you can grip on any section of the bars all the way from the shifter down. No one uses the bottom flat section of the bars anyway, so what disadvantage do standard bars have so the drop needs to be reduced?

I have my bars higher than what appears to be most common these days, and that leads me to use all parts of them.

I use the forward curved part of the drop a lot - it's my preferred braking position. And I use the flat bottom section too, because I really find that varying my hand position and back/shoulder angles makes a day's ride a lot more comfortable - variety of position is what does it for me.

With bars seemingly lower in general these days compared to saddles, and the uppers and hoods getting more use, I can see the point of compact bars in that they bring the drops into a more accessible range of hand positions.

 

[si_c]

No one uses the bottom flat section of the bars anyway, so what disadvantage do standard bars have so the drop needs to be reduced?

I'm with @Dogtrousers, I use the lower flat section of my bars all the time. I commute into a headwind daily, so they are a useful position to have.