Handlebar dropends?

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Xiorell

Über Member
Location
Merthyr, Wales
hey people

Have any of you been using dropends on an otherwise flat bar bicycle? If so, how are they working out? Would you recommend?

I'm thinking it's time to change my ride and I'm currently weighing up a few contenders, couple of tourers and cyclecross/adventure bikes that just come with drop bars, but there are a couple of flat bar contenders too.

The riding I do is a mix of short daily commutes and longer leisure rides in my own time, so I don't need one setup more than the other, I'm in a bit of a no mans land. On my commutes, I'm often faced with dog walkers and joggers etc so the easy access to brakes is handy. However it often gets windy up here and on my current bike I do miss having drops for that and also just on my longer leisure activities.
I came across some dropend attachment options and thought maybe that'd work well on a flat bar bike, maybe installed inside the normal grips, so I can tuck in when the wind is up. But they do look a bit messy and at that point maybe I should just buy something with drops.
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
Could always get aerobars, though.
1314704515146-1bxhmxbztiiwv-630-80.jpg
 

tallbikes

Regular
Location
Dublin
I would recommend going for the drop bars, gives you more options for positions as it seems like you want to do a few different types of cycling, maybe bullhorn bars would suit you too,
I'd recommend getting inlinin brake levers if you go for anything other than flat bars too, drop bars with inline levers really covers a lot of options :-)
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
Just might be easier than drop barends inside the grips, which may interfere with your ability to make sharp turns. Aerobars do let you get aero, but you may have to add shifters to them.
 
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Xiorell

Über Member
Location
Merthyr, Wales
I would recommend going for the drop bars, gives you more options for positions as it seems like you want to do a few different types of cycling, maybe bullhorn bars would suit you too,
I'd recommend getting inlinin brake levers if you go for anything other than flat bars too, drop bars with inline levers really covers a lot of options :-)

The inline route would certainly be an option on one of them, I was thinking maybe one of the Dawes Galaxy options.
Everything else I'm looking at is hydraulic disc. Looks like there's inline options for that, but a fair bit of messing about
 

Sharky

Guru
Location
Kent
It may be a misconception that drop bars are more aero than flat bars. A more aero position, would be when holding the bars nearer to the middle of the bars and with the forearms in a horizontal position. Try riding like this and then drop your arms onto the drops or just one arm to an imaginary drop and just see how much wind you feel against the arms. Use of drops is more for control when cornering, braking and fast descending and perhaps climbing or sprinting and in these situations you need to be able to reach the brakes easily.
 
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Xiorell

Über Member
Location
Merthyr, Wales
@Xiorell - did you mean something like these drop bar bar-ends to convert your existing flats to have a drop section?

View attachment 457299

Yeah that kinda thing :smile:
 
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Xiorell

Über Member
Location
Merthyr, Wales
Looks uncomfortable, and no access to brakes! Sell the flat bar bike and buy a similar spec used road bike?

Oh I haven't brought bike in question yet, just weighing up a few options. Road bike won't do, need to be a tourer or at least something with a full compliment of mounts.

Think overnight I've narrowed the list down and all but one have drop bars anyway :smile:
 

nickAKA

Über Member
Location
Manchester
I changed the flat(ish) bars on my hybrid for some Koga Dali bars mainly so I could stretch & duck out of the wind on longer road rides. They're positioned a lot flatter than on their setup shown in this picture and it works quite well for me personally, grabbing the breaks can be problematic though...

KRR57007_1.png
 
Plenty of flat bar Eurotourists use clip on aerobars. This use is different to time trial or triathlon position.
The main aim is to close the gap between your arms to divert air around. You can place then at any height you prefer. Some people use a high bar with aerobars. I saw a granny on a ladies dutch bike using clip on bars in a windy part of Netherlands.

Drop bars without brakes are a hazard. You can add inline brake levers to clipon bars.
 

nickAKA

Über Member
Location
Manchester
Would u consider bar end levers with inline levers in the middle?

Let's just say I am considering my options... :laugh: I don't use it enough to justify it becoming a big project, and thus far (by execising a bit of common sense and quick hands) I've been fine with it. I only really use it on family rides or in a filthy-weather emergency.
 
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