Touring bike - flat bars

[Pale Rider]

Flat bars with palm grips and bar ends for me.

That does give some choice of hand position, but nowhere near as many as drops.

I like the bar ends for manoeuvring the bike when I'm off it.

Hooking my thumb around the bar end gives a secure grip.

It's a heavy ebike and needs a firm hand on the tiller to prevent it toppling when pushing it through bike path restriction gates and the like.

The same could be said of a loaded tourer.

 

[mjr]

I've bikes with flats and drops but my favourites are North Roads (4½ obvious hand positions: ends, grips, hooks, stem, plus Dutch TT aka "puppy paws") mentioned above and Porters (3½) which have the grips almost parallel to the top tube (so care needed not to knee them during tight corners).

 

[8mph]

Last month I bought a flat bar touring bike but I found the upright sitting position didn't feel good on descents so I've converted to flared drops and I'm happy. I also have a rigid fork and aero bars which I can fit to my 26" mountain bike for tours.

 

[simongt]

I also haven't felt the need to change my saddle from road touring bike nor from my roadie.

A Brooks B.17 unless I'm mistaken - ?

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Last month I bought a flat bar touring bike but I found the upright sitting position didn't feel good on descents so I've converted to flared drops and I'm happy.

Flared drops on a tourer are just a lovely thing aren't they!

 

[8mph]

Flared drops on a tourer are just a lovely thing aren't they!

I'm very happy with them and the bike in general. The drop is relatively small (compact?) which I really like and the Sora STI levers, which are pretty long, make 1 finger braking possible. I don't really use the end of the drops so the flare was unnecessary but they certainly look fine!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

TBH, in your position I would buy a low-cost secondhand flat-bar hybrid such as a Raleigh Pioneer or Falcon Explorer and see how you get on with it. If the MTB-derived type of flat bars doesn't appeal you could always swap to a North Road style bar as usually found on 3-speed roadsters. I find these cause less numbness and I have less need to take one hand off the bar at a time and make the sort of shaking gestures that can get you some very funny looks from bystanders. If you stick to something with a traditional 1" threaded headset, then the bar diameters between hybrid/MTB and roadster style flat bars should be compatible.

 

[Blue Hills]

Even with bar ends I have always found I get numb hands with flat bars and usually have to shake them out every ten minutes or so to get some feeling back. Very rarely get it with drop bars. Just something to consider for doing longer distances.

Any idea why that is?
I sometimes have to do the same, though won't be moving to drops because of it.

 

[Mo1959]

Any idea why that is?
I sometimes have to do the same, though won't be moving to drops because of it.

If I remember correctly I think it's something to do with the ulnar nerve being compressed...........maybe I've just made that up!

 

[Blue Hills]

Part of the issue with 'flat' bars us that most of them are designed to be ridden in the (mountain bike) 'attack' position, that is to say, with teeth gritted and elbows out. When you straighten your elbows on a bike equipped with such a bar your wrists end up in a very unnatural position.

That's why bar ends, particularly ski type, are best fitted. No problems then - wrists straight when cruising.

 

[Deafie]

If I remember correctly I think it's something to do with the ulnar nerve being compressed...........maybe I've just made that up!

Last year I suffered ulner palsy, I couldn't even hold a toothbrush. It is known as "cyclists palsy". I had to raise my bars and install a shorter stem. I use flat bars and suffer numb hands past 40 miles but next week I get my new bike which has drops ( my first drop bar bike ) so I'm interested to see what difference that makes

 

[RobinS]

I currently ride a drop bar tourer for 3 month at a time tours. I have analysed where I have my hands, and in excess of 90% of the time they are on the top corners / hoods, so actually all these position options for drops are not really used. When I used to tour on my old 1990s MTB I was happy with flat bars and bar ends.
If I was to be buying again now I would go for either flat bars with really good bar ends, or butterfly. A benefit of these is that you can use mtb shifters and brakes, which as well as being compatible with derailleurs and gears most suitable for touring ratios, are also pound for pound more robust and easier to maintain than brifters.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Brifters aren't compulsory on drop bars. You can always choose to be different and stick to downtube shifters. If you have a steel frame with small diameter round tubes of course....

 

[Eziemnaik]

Any CC users of BBB butterfly bars or similar?
They look ugly but I'm thinking about using these for future do it all bike

 

[RobinS]

JanetS uses them touring, 3 months at a time, has probably done 20,000km with them so far - she wouldn't have anything else.