Test Ride Drop Barred Bikes?

I had a 1977 Schwinn Le Tour (10 speed road bike) about 35 years ago. I ride it from ages 13-20. I have not ridden a bike with drop bars since then (since 1984). I have a flat bar hybrid now that I really like, but am thinking to test ride some dropped bar bikes. I am very nervous about that since I haven't ridden in so long and I've never even shifted modern road bike gears before. Portland has literally maybe 100 bike shops yet not all of them have trainers for me to "practice" in the shop prior to actually going out on a test ride. I don't have any friends with drop bar bikes that I could borrow. So....how can I test ride either a road or cyclo-cross bike and feel comfortable & safe?

I am certain I'm not the only person in this situation.

Thanks.

I was in the same situation but not sure I have any helpful advice. When I bought my bike in 2007, I hadn't ridden a drop bar one since maybe the late 80s? I took my bike out for a very short test ride at the store and I hadn't a clue how to shift it. :) That I bought it was probably not the smartest thing, given how little I had test rode it or knew what to do. But it has worked out fine for me.

So no help for you, but lots of empathy.

If you are interested in just trying a drop-bar bike, you could check River City Bikes as they have an indoor test track. You could then just keep it in a low gear until you are comfortable, then try the shifting. I believe the current shifting is fairly easy to get use to, but each person is different.

When I took my son around to see what size bike would be best, the first bike had brifters and he managed okay. He had been riding a flat bar hybrid.

Good luck and have fun.

Thanks for the support and the advice. I forgot about River City and their indoor "track". Their outlet has one too.

What are "brifters"? Oh...you mean brakes/shifters all together?

Also still not sure what type to try out...likely touring (heavy??) and Cyclocross??

I have a trek 7.7fx , which is pretty much a road bike with a flat bar. I can't do the drops because of a shoulder injury and the fact that I'm relatively, or actually a whole lot, uncoordinated. Three of my favorite bike stores have assured me I'm riding the best thing for me. I have done 10 centuries on a hybrid bike. I would like to be faster but the bike people say it's the rider, not the bike. I like the super tough wheels it has on our horrible roads. It's indestructible, and fairly light actually. Every once in a while I get an urge to try a "real" road bike but it passes.

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Originally Posted by Velocivixen

What are "brifters"? Oh...you mean brakes/shifters all together?

Also still not sure what type to try out...likely touring (heavy??) and Cyclocross??

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Sorry, yes, brifters refer to the combination brake and shifter set ups.

River City should have both, so you should be able to try both and see which ones feel better to you.

How's this for crazy/brave...I purchased my first road bike without having ever ridden a single road bike and with very little cycling experience, period. I have a ton of trust in our LBS owner, though, since he's a personal friend and has a very dedicated clientele.

It's been a really positive experience. Those first few rides were scary as hell (wow, does a road bike feel different than a heavy, steel, low-rent Schwinn mtn. bike). But the bike was well fit for me (though I am now on a "men's" frame, which is better for my short legs and long torso) and it wasn't long before I was fully comfortable and no longer feeling the least bit unstable. In fact, it wasn't long before hubby and I realized that I was ready for a bike with even more aggressive geometry.

I think that short of flexibility issues that nearly anyone can be comfortable on a drop-bar'd bike...it just takes time to become accustomed to the different posture. It's nice having such a variety of hand positions and shifting that takes no more than a press of a finger.

@Zoom-Zoom, good points. I have practiced yoga for 2+ years so my flexibility related to cycling is very good. On my hybrid, which I have had for 6 months, the only little "twinges" I feel after long rides is my upper back near my neck. I think it's because of the angle of my body/neck. I do realize that it will take time and regular riding to get my body accustomed to new cycling positions.
Interestingly, my legs & glutes are never sore, even after my longest rides. I suspect it's all the running I've done over the last couple of years.
Thanks everyone for your encouragement. I am the type of person who doesn't want to fail or look idiotic, and being a novice, I can't help but to look that way! I know, intellectually, that it takes practice, but I want to do it well from the beginning. So then I end up feeling reluctant to even try, yet if I don't try I can never practice....never ending cycle. I need to just go test ride.

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Originally Posted by Velocivixen

@Zoom-Zoom, good points. I have practiced yoga for 2+ years so my flexibility related to cycling is very good. On my hybrid, which I have had for 6 months, the only little "twinges" I feel after long rides is my upper back near my neck. I think it's because of the angle of my body/neck. I do realize that it will take time and regular riding to get my body accustomed to new cycling positions.
Interestingly, my legs & glutes are never sore, even after my longest rides. I suspect it's all the running I've done over the last couple of years.

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This is me, too. As I start increasing my mileage in the Spring I usually feel it a bit in my neck and shoulders, but it isn't long before those muscles become accustomed to the riding posture. I've been running for >5 years and the only time my legs have really felt it from riding is after really long rides with lots of hills.

I recently went though a similar process; while looking for a hybrid/flat bar road bike, I also tested a handful of drop barred bikes with relatively little experience on them (and, like you, no recent experience).

My only advice is to find a LBS/person that is willing to spend time with you (and you have a good feeling about), and be honest with them about your situation. I had someone walk me through what to expect, how to brake and shift, where to put your hands, etc, and it was a positive experience (even though it confirmed my distaste for drop bars).

I found my road bike in a pawn shop. I called my LBS guy and he told me to buy it quick. Then to bring it in to the shop. He set it up for me, gave me lessons on shifting and braking (my last drop bar bike was a Schwinn Varsity with downtube shifters in the early 80s), and generally helped me to feel comfortable with my new bike. My test ride in the parking lot of the pawn shop was just to get a feel for the size. I didn't have a clue about shifting. I felt bad not buying it at the LBS, but we have bought many things from him in the past, and just bought a bike for my daughter there a couple of weeks ago. It was such a good deal he told me I'd be crazy to pass it up. Now I've re-started yoga so I'm getting more comfortable with the stretch.

Deb