Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
I am alsohamperedblessed by abeer bellyaerobelly which gets in the way when I get down on the drops!.
We're fast down hills though
Where to hold on drop bar?
- Thread starter novetan
- Start date
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We're fast down hills though
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
There are still people that deny this obvious truth! I just freewheel past them and smile while they are spinning out their highest gears ..We're fast down hills though
(At least - I did - by the time I finally get back on a bike the aerobelly and downhill weight advantage might have disappeared, but I'll gain time on the uphills instead!)
roadrash
cycle chatterer
- Location
- sitting on the edge of wigan pier
hmm be carefull of pot holes when doing this ,its easy for your hands to slip off the front of the bars(and it hurts)
top right pos for me
The bottom far right for me. Even for long distance I dont find it at all fatiguing.
Boon 51
Guru
- Location
- Deal. Kent.
top right pos for me
All the bottom row really..
rb58
Enigma
- Location
- Bexley, Kent
Drops give the opportunity to mix it up, which in turn helps keep you comfortable. I also try to keep my elbows 'soft' with some flex, not locked out straight - whatever hand position I'm using.
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
Ride on them a bit more before questioning the set up or components. There will always be a period of adjustment.
D
Deleted member 20519
Guest
I'm not too keen on riding in the drops, I can't pedal properly when I do. 90% hoods and 10% flats for me.
lulubel
Über Member
- Location
- Malaga, Spain
Of the top pictures, top left mostly for me, and bottom right when I'm descending, really pushing on, or want "one-finger" braking. I find bottom left puts strain on my wrists (although it was my "default" position when I first got my road bike because I felt too stretched with my hands right on the hoods). I also do a variation of top right that has my hands further out and slightly on the bends, and my elbows stuck out a bit.
Of the bottom pictures, I do the hand position of far right when I'm on the drops, but I'm lower and my forearms are about horizontal - the position in the picture looks very stretched to me. When I'm on the hoods, I generally have my last 2 fingers wrapped around the bar, my first finger resting on the main brake lever, and my second finger resting on the small gear leave behind it (on my Tiagra levers). That's why it's my favourite position. To reach all the hand controls, I only have to make very slight movements with 2 fingers on each hand.
Like others have said, I don't spend a great deal of time on the drops, although I think I spend a bit more time on them than most, possibly because I'm very skinny, so it's quite easy for me to get down low.
Nocode
Senior Member
- Location
- Orpington, Kent
I've only been riding a drop bar bike for 3 weeks (so I'm sure my preference/ability will change given time) however I found this helpful.
FYI - I tend to ride the majority of the time 'in the hoods' as it feels more comfortable on my neck as I'm more upright (like the flat bars on my MTB that I used to). However, I do worry that if I had to make an emergency stop that I couldn't get sufficient leverage on the brake levers. I can still brake well in 'the hoods' I just can't get the same leverage I can when gripping the bottom of the brake lever. Therefore, when I'm either going fast (i.e. during or after a descent) or I feel I'm in a high risk area (i.e. fear of pedestrian walking out between cars etc) I ride in 'the hooks'.
I did try riding in 'the hooks' more when I first started but found the bent over position with neck craned-up to look forward caused me a bit of neck ache. However, as I said I've only been riding a drop bar for 3 weeks so probably need to condition my body a bit more! Having said that, I now find myself with what I can only describe as 'cycling elbow' but I think that's down to my arms taking the vibration from the roads - hence why I need to condition myself more!
However, as Mapster5 said - whatever is comfortable for you. It's more important at this stage to be comfortable and confident - then experiment more after that.
FYI - I tend to ride the majority of the time 'in the hoods' as it feels more comfortable on my neck as I'm more upright (like the flat bars on my MTB that I used to). However, I do worry that if I had to make an emergency stop that I couldn't get sufficient leverage on the brake levers. I can still brake well in 'the hoods' I just can't get the same leverage I can when gripping the bottom of the brake lever. Therefore, when I'm either going fast (i.e. during or after a descent) or I feel I'm in a high risk area (i.e. fear of pedestrian walking out between cars etc) I ride in 'the hooks'.
I did try riding in 'the hooks' more when I first started but found the bent over position with neck craned-up to look forward caused me a bit of neck ache. However, as I said I've only been riding a drop bar for 3 weeks so probably need to condition my body a bit more! Having said that, I now find myself with what I can only describe as 'cycling elbow' but I think that's down to my arms taking the vibration from the roads - hence why I need to condition myself more!
However, as Mapster5 said - whatever is comfortable for you. It's more important at this stage to be comfortable and confident - then experiment more after that.
