Road bike with straight bars for my n+1?

[Ganymede]

I've been thinking about getting a road bike but I'm worried about my neck and shoulders - I get a lot of tension in my shoulders especially and I don't like cricking my neck back to look ahead at the road. I should probably have a few test rides anyway but wondered if anyone had any experience with straight bars on a roadie?

I was at my LBS this morning buying a few knick-nacks and mentioned this to the owner. He immediately pulled out a Clause Butler Chinook and talked it up enthusiastically. I think it's too big for me at 21" (he said he thought he could get a smaller one but on the CB site it says the smallest is 53cm which is pretty much 21") - I'm 5'5" (or 5' 41/2" really) so I think I'm on the cusp of small and medium, and the chap said I had quite long legs (not sure if that's true but presumably he's seen a lot of legs in his time). But I was wondering mostly about straight bars and whether anyone has any tales to tell.

I do like the fact that it will take a rack and mudguards and can carry a bit of a load, as I often have to lug stuff around with me.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Phixion]

Flat bars are fine, people talk up drop bars a little much I feel.

Whereas they do offer great aerodynamics, they aren't suitable or comfortable for everyone.

I recently ordered (earlier today) a Boardman Hybrid Pro with the aim of using it on the road and around town.

Get some bar ends (I love the Ergon GS3 ones) for more hand positions.

 

[Ganymede]

Flat bars are fine, people talk up drop bars a little much I feel.

Whereas they do offer great aerodynamics, they aren't suitable or comfortable for everyone.

I recently ordered (earlier today) a Boardman Hybrid Pro with the aim of using it on the road and around town.

Get some bar ends (I love the Ergon GS3 ones) for more hand positions.

Thanks Phixion. I bought some bar ends for my hybrid but they're just not going to fit on with the grips etc. I ride a semi-bent some of the time which is very restful to the shoulders but harder work uphill! - it's rather heavy and over-engineered.

It will take me a while to decide what to do re a new bike but it's good to get opinions.

 

[Phixion]

The Ergon bar ends come with ergonomic grips, you can also adjust the angle of the bar end - they simply lock on.

http://www.ergon-bike.com/us/en/product/gs3

Those are the ones I have, if you want a bigger bar end you need to look at the GP range, which are heavier than the GS.

Beware they also come in 2 sizes, Small and Large. The only difference being the circumference of the grip. There's also standard and grip shift versions, so be careful if you buy

Edit: I'd love to have a go on a bent some time, they look like fun

 

[Andrew_P]

I've been thinking about getting a road bike but I'm worried about my neck and shoulders - I get a lot of tension in my shoulders especially and I don't like cricking my neck back to look ahead at the road. I should probably have a few test rides anyway but wondered if anyone had any experience with straight bars on a roadie?

I was at my LBS this morning buying a few knick-nacks and mentioned this to the owner. He immediately pulled out a Clause Butler Chinook and talked it up enthusiastically. I think it's too big for me at 21" (he said he thought he could get a smaller one but on the CB site it says the smallest is 53cm which is pretty much 21") - I'm 5'5" (or 5' 41/2" really) so I think I'm on the cusp of small and medium, and the chap said I had quite long legs (not sure if that's true but presumably he's seen a lot of legs in his time). But I was wondering mostly about straight bars and whether anyone has any tales to tell.

I do like the fact that it will take a rack and mudguards and can carry a bit of a load, as I often have to lug stuff around with me.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

A lot of todays "sportive" bikes are almost as upright as a flat bar bike on the hoods, but you could get lower as you have the option of the going in to the drops. Or for lugging stuff you could look at a tourer they tend to have an uprightish postion

 

[Ganymede]

A lot of todays "sportive" bikes are almost as upright as a flat bar bike on the hoods, but you could get lower as you have the option of the going in to the drops. Or for lugging stuff you could look at a tourer they tend to have an uprightish postion

Yes I did think of a tourer - especially as I am tempted by the idea of actually touring, though I think Mr G would have to become more of a cycling man if we wanted to do it seriously. I am just thinking about starting to work up - I'm a utility cyclist, so I cycle little and often, and the furthest I've done in a day is 15 miles, though I feel certain I could easily do twice as much and then work up. It's my birthday today and I've been given a book of day tours for my area so my whistle is thoroughly whetted!

@Phixion - the bent is indeed huge fun and it feels like coasting downhill on a comfy sofa due to the position! It is weird not being able to get extra power by standing up on the pedals and the first couple of times you wonder how you will ever get up the tiniest hill - I once fell off gently sideways at the top of a steep railway bridge as I had got too slow to continue! I would like to try a trike myself. My bent is really a semi-bent and heavy as lead, it's a German one called a Spirit.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Happy birthday @Ganymede!

 

[Ganymede]

Happy birthday @Ganymede!

Aw thanks Pat! How nice of you to notice.

 

[Ganymede]

I have a flat-bar bike (hybrid) and two drop-bar bikes (road bike and touring bike), and the main difference is that the drop bars have much greater flexibility for hand positions, which I find helpful. I hardly ever use the drops, but they are there for occasional fast descending which I enjoy. I have recently put very short upright stems on both my drop-bar bikes, as I too have problems with neck ache and numb hands (trapped nerve in my neck) if I'm too stretched out. They've made a great difference both in height and reach. I'd go for drop bars every time - you can make adjustments until they fit you well, with stems and rotating the bars, and then you have three or four hand positions to shift between.

Oh, and happy birthday!

Thanks TMN, that's useful to know. I'm veering back towards drop bars... not that I am likely to buy this bike any time soon. I feel it's a kind of process of marination followed by a quick barbecue, if you know what I mean!

And thanks! - I'm having a really nice day.

 

[JPBoothy]

There seems to be an attraction to drop bars rather than flat doesn't there. I have strayed away from them many times but always drift back again. The magazines are always 90% full of drop bar bikes giving you the impression that you are not a 'proper' cyclist unless that is what you ride. Tosh I know, but true IMO B-)