Flat bars vs. drops

I'm still trying to obtain more information before purchasing a road bike. I currently ride my Cannondale Adventure on Rails to Trails as well as roads. I did a half century with lots of hills and know my hybrid performed better on trails than the road.

Anyway, I am thinking about the handle bars of a road bike. How difficult is it for someone riding a hybrid to adjust to drops? What about the shifters? My LBS says the lower end shifters up high on the drops are difficult to manage at first. What are cheater brakes? Are they necessary? Does anyone ride a flat bar road bike? Would this be a better transition for me?

Please advice.

Hi there,
I have both types of bikes,. My flatbar is a Specialized Sirrus, which has road tires (700cx28). I bought it last year when I first got back into riding.
I also have a Specialized Dolce, for a drop bar road bike. I ride about 100 miles per week, or more, and have grown to love the drop bars. I do have the cheater brakes, which are a second set of brake levers mounted on the top of the bar, in the flat section. You don't have to go into the drops to brake, which is nice.

I switched to the drop bar because I don't have the finger strength to shift with the thumb shifter on the Sirrus. For whatever reason, the shifters on my Dolce are easier for me to use. But, the Sirrus has disc brakes, which I am wild about.

So, every decision is personal. As for me, the Dolce is for long road rides. the Sirrus for wekend jaunts on the paved trails....

If you've been riding a hybrid, you might like a flat bar road bike to start with. You get the speed, without having to deak with the dropped position.


Hope that helps.

Wendy

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Originally Posted by Cyclesome

Anyway, I am thinking about the handle bars of a road bike. How difficult is it for someone riding a hybrid to adjust to drops? What about the shifters? My LBS says the lower end shifters up high on the drops are difficult to manage at first. What are cheater brakes? Are they necessary? Does anyone ride a flat bar road bike? Would this be a better transition for me?

Please advice.

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I have been going through the throes of getting used to a roadbike. I have had hybrid type bikes always, but hubby and all of our riding friends do roadbikes so i figured i ought to at least try. It took about 60 miles of riding (several rides) before i even got used to the different shifting mechanisms.

the jury is still out; the bike is in the shop getting a new fork so i can raise the bars to where i can comfortably use them. I might get those cheater brakes put on too. I'll let you all know, my appt is in one week.
The thing of it is, the roadbike (a Bianchi VELOCE) is really faster. I noticed that immediately. It is a startling difference; and the bike itself isn't that much lighter (heck, it's got a steel frame!)

so look before you leap! there IS an adjustment!

Mimi

I think that good fit has a lot to do with how easy or hard the adjustment is. I had a Sirrus last year. It was a little too big for me as a hybrid. Then I foolishly tried to convert it to a road bike by changing to drop bars. WAY too long a top tube for that; hurt my back climbing a hill. So be careful when you are trying to make a bike fit if it really is too big for the purpose and for you.

When I finally concluded I needed a new road bike that fit properly, I did a ton of research on bike geometry, WSD, etc., and got two bike fittings with two different people who gave me approximate measurements for what I needed. I then walked into the LBS armed with numbers, so when they said, oh, this Trek will work for you, I was able to say, no, it won't--the top tube is an inch longer than will fit me; THIS is the range of top tube length I need; please let me test-ride these bikes that I know have that size top tube. Etc.

I strongly recommend a bike fit appointment with a physical therapist who has cycling expertise. Such a person is not trying to sell you anything and can give you a good idea of what will fit you. When I did start riding my road bike, the adjustment was easy because it really fits well. I love it and am very comfortable on it.

Drop bars do feel different than flat bars, but I suggest you give them a chance before you say no to them. Personally, I have found my drop bars to be *more* comfortable than the flat bars I was used to on my old mtn bike. I like that they give you more and different hand positions, because my wrists tend to hurt in the flat bar position for very long. Being on the hoods on the drop bars, though, is totally comfy, and where I spend most of the time. Being on the top part of the bars is like being on flat bars, but closer together, and the drops are nice for a change so you can kind of stretch your back. As far as the "cheater brakes" (I understand that the term nowadays is "cross brakes")--I was planning on getting them installed on my bike (Bianchi Veloce, like Mimi's), but since riding it more and getting used to it, I don't feel like it is necessary. A huge part of that is that the brake/shifter levers fit my hands well (Campy instead of Shimano). There are also different handlebars available that can help with the reach issue as well, like these Salsa Pocos that I have heard so many good things about.

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Originally Posted by WrensMom

Drop bars do feel different than flat bars, but I suggest you give them a chance before you say no to them. Personally, I have found my drop bars to be *more* comfortable than the flat bars I was used to on my old mtn bike. I like that they give you more and different hand positions, because my wrists tend to hurt in the flat bar position for very long. Being on the hoods on the drop bars, though, is totally comfy, and where I spend most of the time. Being on the top part of the bars is like being on flat bars, but closer together, and the drops are nice for a change so you can kind of stretch your back. As far as the "cheater brakes" (I understand that the term nowadays is "cross brakes")--I was planning on getting them installed on my bike (Bianchi Veloce, like Mimi's), but since riding it more and getting used to it, I don't feel like it is necessary. A huge part of that is that the brake/shifter levers fit my hands well (Campy instead of Shimano). There are also different handlebars available that can help with the reach issue as well, like these Salsa Pocos that I have heard so many good things about.

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Right! I second just about everything WrensMom said. One of the reasons I wanted drop bars was because I took the Sirrus on a 54 mile ride and my hands and arms just couldn't take the same position for that long--the flat bars had been fine for 20-30 miles, but no longer than that. And ditto the "cheater" brakes--if the bike fits well, you spend your time on the hoods and don't need the brakes up by the stem. Campy shifters work much better for small hands than Shimano, so it all works.

I just switched from a hybrid to road bike. I got the 'comfort' road bike - a Trek Pilot which puts me in a more upright position even though it has drop bars. I also had cheater brakes put on. I have to admit that I use them quite often. It took a few rides but I've made the transition now and really love my road bike. Its much lighter and faster than my Trek 7300 hybrid.

Go out to your LBS and try LOTS of different bikes. Thats what I did. At first, I felt 'stretched out' on all of them. Then they all started to feel the same so I gave it a break and went back a few days later. I went to a different LBS and tried more there. Then a few days later, I went back to the original LBS and started there all over again and finally chose the Pilot.

Good luck!
Patty

Thanks for the great advice. I think I will try the drops. PAP103, Can you tell me the Brand and name of the bikes you tried out. I was considering the TREK pilot as well, but what other brands/names also have the relaxed geometry making the transition from a hybrid to a road bike a little easier?

For relaxed road geometry, ask the LBS to show you some "loaded touring" bikes. (like Jamis Aurora, Kona Sutra, Burley Vagabond, etc) They are meant to be stable under loads and over odd terrain. So while they aren't fast or spry, they will put up with a lot and still track well and not be "squirrelly".

I think that the Specialized Sequoia and the Raleigh Cadent fall into this category of "comfort road bike" as well. I tried both of them out in my recent bike quest, and I liked the Sequoia quite a bit. The Cadent was just not my cup of tea, but your mileage may vary. Have fun test riding all you can until you find "the one":D

I've had some recent experience with this. I started riding my old Trek hybrid last spring and summer and decided I wanted a road bike. I wasn't comfortable transitioning to drop handlebars and clipless pedals all at once, and I really thought I liked sitting upright, so I had flat handlebars put on the Specialized Sequoia I bought last fall.

After riding quite a lot this spring, and especially after doing a weeklong ride in June, I wanted the drop handlebars put back on (thinking it might help with the feeling of hot nails being hammered between my shoulders after riding 89 miles upright).

My LBS suggested I try a really long stem for a couple of rides to see if I was really comfortable stretching out, like I'd be when I would ride in the hoods. I did that, and then I decided to go for it. So two weeks ago, I had my bike put back they way it was when I bought it, and I love it!

I wouldn't worry for a minute about transitioning from a hybrid to a road bike. It will just take a few rides to get used to it. I don't know if you use clipless pedals or not, but for me that was the bigger change. If I had it to do over, I would have changed out the pedals to non-clipless until I got used to the feel of a road bike, then put the clipless back on. I would have saved a lot of money.

Now I go back and forth between the hybrid for commuting and the road bike for weekend rides, and I don't have any trouble at all. Have fun shopping for a new bike!