think I want a dropbar bike, but worried I won't get on with it

[joanna]

I commute 20 mile a day, Hove to Lewes, and have been doing it on a RIdgeback Tempest for the last 4+ years.

I've been deliberating as to what bike to treat myself to for absolutely ages. I've gone round and round in circles and thought I'd finally arrived at the decision to get a Specialised Sirrus. But... I think I actually want to go for a dropbar bike (maybe the secteur). I find myself using the bar ends 95% of the time, so feel that to have the option to drop down to the drops would be amazing (especially with the headwind that I always get on the way home!). I've also started to get arm ache from not being able to change position.

However, I am really worried that I won't get on with drops. Anyone who knows the Tempest will know it has oversized handle bars which I've got used to, and it's a pretty heavy duty sturdy mountain bike type bike - so worried about the transition. I am a confident cyclist most of the time, but not always in traffic, and I am also usually a bit of a coward when it comes to steep descents (on roads I don't know anyway), so worry too about how I'd perform on a drop bar bike.

Any advice? Or am thinking too much about it?!

 

[HLaB]

Your thinking about it too much, if you pick out one of the numerous threads on drop bar v flat bar the majority of folk ride the majority of times on the hoods which is similar to the flat bar but there is the added advantage of different hand positions (hood, drops, flats and in between) for comfort and dropping down to the drops to improve aerodynamics in a wind etc.

 

[edwardd67]

Short answer----- Do it you won't regret it

Changed from a Boardman Hybrid to a Cannondale CADD8 and love it wish i'd bought it sooner.

 

[rusky]

Hi & welcome to the forum.

I changed from a hybrid to a road bike this year & found the weight difference the biggest benefit.

My hybrid has disc brakes & I sympathise with you regarding descents, the brakes on my road bike are not as powerful especially when riding on the hoods. Take The Old Shoreham Road towards Preston Circus in the wet, it scares me!

My opinion is you should go for the drop bar bike, you don't have to ride on the drops if you don't want to

 

[Piemaster]

Theres a thread in 'general cycling' you may find useful. Here

It will be a very different ride to the Ridgeback, feel much lighter and lively a ride and your commuting times will drop.
I made a similar switch. The mountain bike gets used for shopping and rides with the family now.

And yes. You're thinking about it too much.

 

[Fab Foodie]

[QUOTE 1400590"]
Do it. It will feel twitchy, unstable and very light to start with, but pretty soon all of those feelings will go.
[/quote]
Agreed, a short and I mean very short period of readjustment followed by a feeling of readily gained speed, excitement and finally 'why didn't I do this before?'

 

[slowmotion]

I went from a Dawes Discovery 501 hybrid to a Secteur this February. Not touched the Discovery since. Yes, it took me a while to get used to the new riding position, and I had all kinds of aches and pains in my hands, wrists and arms, but they have gone now after fiddling with the bike fit, and after my ancient muscles got used to things. I'm still utter cr#p at cycling, but the road bike is so much more fun.

BTW, if you want to, you can put a rack on the Secteur, I believe, so it might be good for a bit of lightweight touring as well as some haulage commuting.

Good luck.

 

[Bman]

I am 'kind of' doing this right now.

Just got my new c2w bike, which is a road bike with drops. I am transitioning into a roadie

Its twitchy but fast. At the moment I like the security the MTB offers. But I am torn....


Pictures, and a whole new thread to follow when I get time.

 

[VamP]

Just done the same thing. Within the first five miles I was adjusted, and since then have done nothing but appreciate my road bike more and more.

 

[NotFabian]

Yes do it.

I did about 2 months ago, took very little getting used to but when I use my Hybrid to commute it now feels odd, my La Triestina feels more sure footed, I love it but hate exposing it to rain( yes I know, it wont melt) and the fact that my 35mile commute on the Marin is harder than on the Wilier, I tell myself its good training now that I've joined a local club.

 

[Norm]

I think there's merit in bringing up the old standard line of "take an extended test ride". My LBS didn't mind me being out for an hour, which was enough time to help me decide.

And, whilst I wouldn't want to make anyone else's decision for them...

But... I think I actually want to go for a dropbar bike (maybe the secteur). I find myself using the bar ends 95% of the time, so feel that to have the option to drop down to the drops would be amazing (especially with the headwind that I always get on the way home!). I've also started to get arm ache from not being able to change position.

... if you like the bar ends, then you'll find the hoods feel very natural.

Drops give 5 different hand positions (drops, tops, hoods, bends and the top of the levers, which I've seen called the "3rd position") whereas flat bars with bar ends give two.

The flat bars are great on my MTB but I miss the versatility that you get with a set of drops on a road or CX bike.