Talk to me about drops

[trista]

I've only gone into my drops a handful of times. So far it's really hard for me - I get winded and tired, I'll end up slowing down quickly, and I also find it uncomfortable (not in a "comfort" sort of way but in a kinda scary sort of way). My bike, Trek Madone, has fairly shallow drops. At least, in comparison to other bikes I have seen. Which is good for me, but right now, it is still too far.

so my questions are:
1) Why do you use the drops? Of course I understand that reduced wind resistance is one, but are there any other reasons?

2) Do you use the drops when you are just cruising along or do you use them to navigate challenging terrain, like corners? so far I've only tried it on straight-stretches

3) Do you keep your fingers on your brakes/shifters when you are in the drops, or do you primarily keep them lower and not right up at the brakes at all times?

Any other info is appreciated :)

[tulip]

I nearly never ride in the drops. I'm always on the hoods. If it doesn't work for you, then do what does work for you.

[sfa]

Whereas I'm nearly always in the drops. That position gives me a better sense of control, better access to the brakes, ability to shift gears quickly (I have bar end shifters), and is generally more comfortable for me.

I'll keep my fingers on the brakes when going downhill or through heavy traffic when I might have to stop quickly, but otherwise not.

[zoom-zoom]

I nearly never ride in the drops. I'm always on the hoods. If it doesn't work for you, then do what does work for you.

Ditto.

[OakLeaf]

Better control when braking and descending - it both lowers your center of gravity and makes it easier to brake and shift without unintentionally steering.

A change of position, to mix up the work by your back, core, shoulders, hands, etc., and to change up your position on the saddle.

Better use of your biceps/triceps - and less on your wrists and hands - as shock absorbers over bumpy terrain.

Plus the aerodynamics, as you mention.

You may want to try some bars with shallower drops. It's a shame to have half your handlebars basically unusable. I use mine MUCH more now that I have bars with shallow drops, although I do miss the deeper tuck for descents. My bike is set up so that I'm not in a super aero position even in the drops; the top of my bars are just about level with my saddle.

Whether or not to cover your brakes depends on the situation. It's a tradeoff between quicker access to the brakes for an emergency stop, versus a better hold on the bars and avoiding the temptation to grab the brakes when swerving would be safer. Do the LCI courses cover this?

[Owlie]

I use them if my hands need a break (on straight streches) and for cutting wind resistance on downhills. That's all.
I was unwilling to use them for a while because the bike just felt shaky. I adjusted my saddle and it no longer feels quite so squirrelly. I still feel much better on the hoods or that slightly curved part on the tops. I don't keep my fingers on the brake levers when using drops, but I can still reach them if need be. I also can't shift into smaller cogs/chainrings from the drops because of the design of the Sora shifters. (Shimano, why did you think that was a good idea?) You shouldn't have that problem, though.

[Eden]

Riding in the drops, though it may feel scary at first, is more stable and gives you more control than riding on the hoods.

You want to be in your drops for fast descents, fast corners and for sprinting, as all of these activities can be hazardous on your tops. Mind you we're talking fast here, simply standing to start at a red light on your tops isn't going to toss your off your bike - really reefing on the pedals with your hands on the tops OTOH, can cause you to lose control. Like wise with corners - just going around a corner, no problem, pedaling through a fast corner - get in your drops. Descents - I do suggest that everyone learn to at least use drops for descending, it's just safer to get down in those drops.

[Owlie]

I forgot to mention this, but...the other big reason I don't use the drops is because it causes me to roll forward and put pressure on soft tissues that are not supposed to bear weight...Better than it was thanks to that aforementioned saddle adjustment, but still.

[Thorn]

I think it is also a matter of fit. On my too long for me bike, I rarely used the drops -- at most I'd use it for riding flats into stiff head winds.

On the first ride with my fits-me-perfectly bike I was descending a hill and startled myself when I realized that I was actually descending in the drops. It was comfortable; it was natural; and I clearly didn't do it consciously.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I always go to the drops when I'm riding in any tricky situation- a steep downhill with a stop at the bottom, a really fast long descent, blind curves on narrow roads, or maybe a place where it might be likely for deer or woodchucks to dart out in front of me. I can grab the brakes more securely straight-on from the drops than angled from the hoods. Plus, like others have said, my steering is more stable in the drops at high speed (30-40mph).

[Crankin]

Oy, I still feel like my bike is unstable when descending in the drops. It is not the bike, I am pretty sure. I have shallow bars, with short reach brakes. I can easily (and finally) reach the brakes and shift easily from the drops. I'm OK if I am going slowly down a hill in that position, but that's not the point. At this point, I don't think I'll ever get over the fear. Every season starts out with my intention of "this will be the year," and I usually progress for about 2 months, until one day, I just go back to my old habits. I know what I am supposed to do, but I always end up squeezing the brakes and sitting up. I always feel like my bike is sliding out, squirrelly, and I have visions of an endo. I need an intervention.
On the other hand, I use the drops for change of position, long stretches of flats, and headwinds. I still don't feel as able to do any kind of quick maneuver in this position, but I do use it fairly often.

[KnottedYet]

I forgot to mention this, but...the other big reason I don't use the drops is because it causes me to roll forward and put pressure on soft tissues that are not supposed to bear weight...Better than it was thanks to that aforementioned saddle adjustment, but still.

Maybe the bars as a whole are set too low relative to your saddle height.

[trista]

This is all really great info, thank you. I never considered that the drops would be MORE stable than the hoods at higher speeds. Right now it seems so shaky to me - but remember i've only been on a road bike for about 2 weeks. My previous bike has flat bars. I'm going to keep practicing in short spurts - it takes a little flexibility to do it as well.


You may want to try some bars with shallower drops. It's a shame to have half your handlebars basically unusable.

Mine are pretty shallow, I think? Here is what I have: http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/madone/madone45wsd/

They don't seem deep to me but I am a real novice when it comes to road bikes

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I should also mention that when going down a very steep hill I scootch way back in the saddle- helps to shift your center of gravity back.

[nolemom]

It took me the better part of the first year of riding a road bike to get comfortable in the drops. I knew in my head that I would have more control in the drops, but it didn't feel that way. Try to practice it when you are in a non-threatening situation and continue to give it a try off and on. It definitely is tiring at first if you don't have strong core muscles, but you will get used to it.

[OakLeaf]

Mine are pretty shallow, I think?

Looks that way, yeah, even a bit shorter and shallower than my Ritchey Biomax Pro, which are a LOT shallower than the ITM Elle that came on my bike.

[BluOrchid2]

(what the heck are drops and hoods???)

[Norse]

Ditto the reasons everyone else gave. It did take me awhile though to feel comfortable using them. The first year of my current road bike, I probably spent only 5% of the time in the drops. As I progressed, it seemed more and more natural to use them. Now it's almost 50-50 drops vs. hoods, although every now and then I will ride for a little bit on the bar tops, just to sit up for a moment and give my body yet another position - I only do this when it looks certain that I won't need to brake. Of course, that's the time when a squirrel decides to dart out in front of me. :eek:

[tulip]

(what the heck are drops and hoods???)

drops are the curvy part of the handlebar. The lower part.

hoods are the brake hoods--the part between the actual bar and the brake levers (and shifters, if you have that setup).

CLICK HERE (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/deakins/handlebars.html) and scroll down to Drop Bars for the positions (second set of photos)

[lizbinsocali]

I got my first road bike in February and the drops were scary at first for me too. But all the the reasons mentioned earlier, I agree, the drops now feel comfortable to me. I also notice I can pedal faster and with more power when I'm in the drops (feels like my glutes are being used more??), so more speed. It took me awhile to get used to handling and balancing the road bike and being in the drops felt weird. But now it's more comfy, and more fun when descending over 30 mph!!

Enjoy your new bike!
L

[TrekTheKaty]

I'm going to start practicing!