Why don't people have their drops at a useable height?

[Blue Hills]

Everyone can afford a hybrid, even poor pensioners! Paid £20 for this tidy 1988 Raleigh with a 531 frame and very little wear & tear. OK, it ended up being just north of £50 by the time I'd replaced the Michelin World Tours with puncture-resistant Schwalbes, but still not a lot of money - and you need tyres no matter what sort of bike you ride. Doing a flat bar conversion would cost more in bits plus having two bikes is better than one.
View attachment 495003

Agree - three of mine i can think of cost £30, £30 and £21, though i did add bits and quality wheels.

 

[screenman]

How does the op know people's bars are too low?

 

[GuyBoden]

Most modern bikes have the handlebars far too low for most normal people to ride in the drops. IMHO.

I have an old 1970's Dawes Galaxy, when riding in the drops the handlebars are within easy reach, even for an old man like myself, because they were designed to be higher.

 

[screenman]

Most modern bikes have the handlebars far too low for most normal people to ride in the drops. IMHO.

I have an old 1970's Dawes Galaxy, when riding in the drops the handlebars are within easy reach, even for an old man like myself, because they were designed to be higher.

How do you know this? Let me guess I bet you dislike carbon fibre

 

[GuyBoden]

How do you know this? Let me guess I bet you dislike carbon fibre

If I was young and still racing, I would get a carbon fibre bike. With all the latest gear I could afford.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Most modern bikes have the handlebars far too low for most normal people to ride in the drops. IMHO.

I have an old 1970's Dawes Galaxy, when riding in the drops the handlebars are within easy reach, even for an old man like myself, because they were designed to be higher.

It's one of those mindless cycling industry fashion statements that has backfired and simply resulted in the vast majority of cyclists buying flat bar bikes not ones with drops. Back in the 70's and 80's many pretty casual cyclists were riding drop bar "racers" with steel frames and quill stems that permitted a comfortable set-up even with drops. Now the industry has decided that it knows better than riders, and everyone must tolerate a backbreaking low-bar position with very minimal possible adjustment of threadless steerers, only the most dedicated cyclists are still buying drop bars. Most riders won't go near drops these days and only buy bikes with flats. I only ride drops again now because they are of the old-school variety, and I can get the tops almost level with the saddle. Even so, I only use the drops to try to mitigate the effect of headwinds. They serve no other purpose apart from being able to reduce my frontal profile a bit for a few minutes at a time. I still like the ability to use the tops, corners, or hoods though, and drop bars are better for propping a bike up against a wall without it moving by itself.

 

[screenman]

You would think the industry would listen to John and start making money, come to think of It out local bike shops have a variety of bikes in to suit everybody. This 63 year old would be extremely uncomfortable on that upright posted earlier, way to extreme for me.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

You would think the industry would listen to John and start making money

They're selling plenty of flat bar machines to the masses instead, and drop bars have been relegated to a hardcore minority. The mix of bikes being sold has changed away from drop bar sports bikes, despite what you may think if you witness a weekend club ride. Look at what most commuters, shoppers, pub-goers, and leisure riders are aboard - they aren't, in the main, on drops. The reason @GuyBoden was recently able to pick up his bargainous Galaxy, and me a super-cheap Raleigh Royal is that there was once a lot of this type of bike sold, and there are many survivors still around. Modern cyclists also seem frightened of DT friction shifters, having been spoiled by the indexed stuff you can operate from the bars.

 

[Drago]

People should be able to ride what the hell they like without having to justify it to other people. If someone buys a drop bar bike and rides it round with the drops pointed at the Pole Star that's their business.

It's legal, harmless, and no one else's business. I mean, with all the death, misery and suffering in the world and someone is spending their time sticking their nose into their peoples lawful affairs when there are so many meaningful things to be concerned over.

 

[screenman]

I sometimes wonder what you are doing John on something as modern as the internet, it is about time some on here considered that not all cyclist are the same or want the same thing.

 

[screenman]

Also why go old school when new school is better, friction v index, index every time, colour or black and white tv.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

@screenman - There's nothing modern about the internet!!

 

[Randomnerd]

Thanks for tying up this thread @Drago. So what if I slam my drops on my training bike to pretend I'm Eddie Mercx and shop at leisure on my sit up and beg Gazelle? Keep your beak out and stop overthinking, please, OP.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Also why go old school when new school is better, friction v index, index every time

I'll agree indexed is easier to use, and probably essential for stuff with 10 or 11 closely-spaced sprockets on the back. Most of my mileage is ridden on bikes with bar-mounted indexed shifters, but DT's are fine with 5/6 speed sprockets and can be very satisfying when you get a run of nice clean changes. A lot of old-school stuff will outlast new-school though, and our lugged steel will still be going when most of the carbon has gone to landfill.

 

[Randomnerd]

A lot of old-school stuff will outlast new-school though, and our lugged steel will still be going when most of the carbon has gone to landfill.

You don't know this; I ride steel, but you can't assume what you do is always better. Live and let live and ease off axe-grinding. It's only bike riding