Time on the drops

[Big Nick]

I'm trying to up my time spent riding on the drops as my body slowly adjusts to road cycling and the effect on speed is quite noticeable (around 1-2mph quicker) but still spend the vast majority of the ride on the hoods as it's just more comfortable

Just wondered how that compared to everyone else i.e. am I just being lazy!

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Was done the other month

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/time-on-the-drops.156815/

 

[cyberknight]

I hardly ride on the drops , i tend to ride on the hoods with the arms bent at 90 degrees which gives a similar position

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I hardly ride on the drops , i tend to ride on the hoods with the arms bent at 90 degrees which gives a similar position
View attachment 50279

my OH told me off for being lazy when I rode like that with him last time
tis quite easy to do though

 

[Davos87]

No don't think you're being lazy at all. I too try to spend time on the drops... Especially coming downhill at speed but also find it quite uncomfortable for protracted periods. Always feel like I'm straining my neck to look ahead but wondered if this was down to my saddle height/ for and aft set up? Been fiddling with it a bit lately but just can't seem to get it spot on comfort wise?
Perseverance is probably the key

 

[LarryDuff]

Worth persevering with especially if you ride a lot in winds.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Very little time spent on the drops here - mainly on the hoods as I can take in the countryside views much better!

Drops are handy for headwinds though.

I have no interest in going ever more quickly downhill either - I get to high 20's/low 30's on my hoods and tbh that's enough for me.

 

[stephec]

Very little time spent on the drops here - mainly on the hoods as I can take in the countryside views much better!

Drops are handy for headwinds though.

I have no interest in going ever more quickly downhill either - I get to high 20's/low 30's on my hoods and tbh that's enough for me.

Do you still feel that you can control the brakes for an emergency stop from the hoods at those kind of seeds?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Do you still feel that you can control the brakes for an emergency stop from the hoods at those kind of seeds?

I have fitted cross levers to my road bike. if I am at all uncertain, one hand goes back to the cross lever and the other stays on the hoods. (I can't use the brakes from the hoods, simply don't have the grip in my left hand). The cross levers also have much better braking ability than my STI levers do.

 

[bigmig]

I have started using the drops into headwinds as it does help to maintain steady speed. I find it more difficult breaking from the drops than I do from the hoods. Maybe I need to look at the position of the levers / handlebars again. It is CX bike so I am not sure if that means the position of the brakes / drop geometry is a lot different from a standard road bike ?

 

[Cubist]

I have the brakes set up so that it's easier to brake from the hoods. I get that neck thing on long periods on the drops.

 

[John the Monkey]

I used to ride in the drops an awful lot - a hangover from the poor braking from the hoods that characterised my first bike.

A longish layoff after being knocked off on a roundabout seemed to do for whatever fitness I had for that though - I spend most of my time on the hoods now.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Do you still feel that you can control the brakes for an emergency stop from the hoods at those kind of seeds?

Yes. I have TRP CX9's which are pretty powerful for a rim brake. They stop faster than my mate's Kuota with Ultegra brakes.

I also have cross-top levers if I am riding on the bars.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I have fitted cross levers to my road bike. if I am at all uncertain, one hand goes back to the cross lever and the other stays on the hoods. (I can't use the brakes from the hoods, simply don't have the grip in my left hand). The cross levers also have much better braking ability than my STI levers do.

That's interesting - I find my STI's (105's) from the hoods more powerful than my cross-top levers - although the latter are no slouches.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I pretty well live on the hoods and have no problem with braking or shifting with 105 STI's.

Quick (for me) downhills and headwinds/rain get me down lower tho