Flat bar or drops?

[FlyingScot]

Hi all! As some of you will remember I got into cycling last summer. I bought a Specialized Globe which I absolutely love. I have found, however, that I have difficulty keeping up with my friends on road bikes so I'm looking to purchase one to add to my stable. I'm leaning toward a Specialized because mine fits me so well (even the saddle) but here's my problem. I broke my neck in 2001 and have chronic issues with nerve pain and radiculopathy in my left arm and hand. I have to use a towel roll to support my head on long car drives or the pain becomes unbearable. I'm concerned about getting a bike with drop handles and having to hold my head up in a stretched out position for riding( I ride between 20 and 36 miles a day when the weather allows). Specialized makes a flat-bar road bike (the Vita) that intrigues me. I'm looking at the Dolce as well. I'm not a racer. Any words of advice or caution regarding choice of handle bars? Would adjusting the stem higher even with drop handles make a difference? Any help will be appreciated.

[ilima]

There are some road bikes with drop bars that are designed to be ridden in a more upright position. They tend to have a taller head tube and less reach.

Examples include Felt's Z series, Cannondale Synapse, and several steel bikes in Jamis' line. Nice thing about the Jamis Satellite, Quest & Eclipse is that they are steel, which does help absorb more road buzz than aluminum. Tires, wheels, and handlebars (I do find my carbon bars to dampen more buzz than the older alum bars) also affect how much road chatter is transmitted to the rider.

So it's a heck of a lot more complicated than flat vs. drop bars as far as comfort goes!

[FlyingScot]

Good point. I guess it boils down to this. Is a flat bar road bike basically the same thing as what I've all ready got only lighter? I forgot to mention that I am extremely long waisted with very short legs and arms which might actually be the problem more than the handlebars. I'll be riding both the Specialized bikes this weekend to see how they feel. Any more suggestions?

[7rider]

A flatbar road bike will have a more agressive geometry and tend to be "zippier" than your Globe. It will also have skinnnier tires and likely quicker handling. It will handle like a road bike!
You can get a road bike with drop bars that has a more upright ride that will be kinder to your neck. A flatbar bike is also a good option.
Really....you already know what to do....go to the LBS and test ride them and see which one works best for you!

[FlyingScot]

Yeah, I know. It's the $$$ investment that makes me want to be absoltuely sure this a good decision. I'm looking at spending between $1200-1600 and that's a lot of money for me so I want to be heading in the right direction. My last road bike (that was never fitted) was terrible and I tended to think it was the drops but the more I investigate I think it just was the wrong bike for me. I don't want to rule out drops if they weren't the problem in the first place.

[indigoiis]

I had a Specialized Dolce and it was a very upright geometry (too much so for me) and super ultra padded bar tape, plus brake levers on the upper deck. Swank! You should test ride...

[shootingstar]

I broke my neck in 2001 and have chronic issues with nerve pain and radiculopathy in my left arm and hand. I have to use a towel roll to support my head on long car drives or the pain becomes unbearable. I'm concerned about getting a bike with drop handles and having to hold my head up in a stretched out position for riding( I ride between 20 and 36 miles a day when the weather allows). Specialized makes a flat-bar road bike (the Vita) that intrigues me. I'm looking at the Dolce as well. I'm not a racer. Any words of advice or caution regarding choice of handle bars? Would adjusting the stem higher even with drop handles make a difference? Any help will be appreciated.

Perhaps it may be worth renting a bike to try it out for a few hrs. Don't know what options in terms of LBS in your area. Given that type of serious injury you did have and your chronic pain in relation to head positioning (which sounds serious), you really need to try certain bikes before purchasing.

Have you recently seen a physiotherapist for their advice/exercises? I know for myself, I must do all over stretching for back and neck on a regular basis, to relax my neck muscles, back, etc. No, I never had dropped handlebars and I've been riding for last 17 yrs.

At this time, I have no interest.

[FlyingScot]

You guys have been great. Although I'm not too thrilled with the idea of a "plush" bike ( I like to give the impression of being a little more hard core ) my LBS is building a Sequioa for me to test ride on Saturday. I think the Dolce's top tube is going to be too short, even in the largest frame size. I looked at the Allez but the stance is too aggressive. Does anybody know what other brand bikes might be similar to the Sequoia?
As far as a recumbent. Not sure I have to go that route...yet. Thanks for putting the thought in my head for the future.

[aicabsolut]

Specialized Roubaix.

Cervelo RS.

These are still pro tour level bikes but a little more relaxed to satisfy things like certain riders' geometry needs, reducing rider fatigue on rough terrain, etc.

Some Treks will also have slightly taller head tubes and maybe the Orbea Orca (I think).

[sundial]

You guys have been great. Although I'm not too thrilled with the idea of a "plush" bike ( I like to give the impression of being a little more hard core ) my LBS is building a Sequioa for me to test ride on Saturday. I think the Dolce's top tube is going to be too short, even in the largest frame size. I looked at the Allez but the stance is too aggressive. Does anybody know what other brand bikes might be similar to the Sequoia?
As far as a recumbent. Not sure I have to go that route...yet. Thanks for putting the thought in my head for the future.

The newer Sequoias are really borrowing design concepts from the pro race bike geometry from a few years previously so I wouldn't be too concerned with looking like you are on a "mature" rider's bike. I have a Roubaix and other cyclists in our little group have bikes with more aggressive geometry. Guess who complains of numbness in the hands and wrists while battling sore shoulders and back?

I am more comfortable on a unisex bike but I almost always have to change out the stock 100mm stem for a 80mm stem and change out the seatpost as well.

By the way, I have a Globe too and it made me slower because of the weight of the bike paired with the 18T sprocket which was geared too high for me (I have an internal geared hub). I like riding it because it helps me to focus on the ride and enjoy life at a more leisurely pace.

[Geonz]

HEre's another vote to check out those 7.5 FX bikes.

When I was ready to keep up better, I told my bike shop guy that I would be willing to try drop bars since the previous attempts that just didn't distribute my weight happily ... but really I wanted lighter and with bigger gears... faster.

They swapped out the tyres from the get-go for skinny ones; the wheels are fast ones and I really feel it when I'm going 16-18 and up from that. It's aluminum (which means on long tours I still go for my steel bike and just go slower, 'cause by the third day I'm making up bawdy songs about how badly I want to be straddlin' a carbon fibre frame), and *very* peppy.

Potential disadvantages are that there are fewer ways to place your hands; perhaps my piano lessons or swimming have meant that's never been an issue for me.

Ride 'em.

[Zen]

Potential disadvantages are that there are fewer ways to place your hands; perhaps my piano lessons or swimming have meant that's never been an issue for me.

Not an issue for me with these

[featuretile]

I also bought a Specialized Globe (comfort hybrid) after not riding for about 20 years. Thought it was just the best thing ever until I started a beginners class with a cycling club and was always in the back. I wanted to know if it was me or the bike. I went back to the bike store where I bought the bike and asked if I changed to road bike tires, would it go faster? The answer was that the Globe was not designed for speed. So, I tested a Specialized Vita Sport. They asked me what it would take to get me to buy it. I told them it would take more than just riding around the parking lot to see if it really was better than the Globe. They lent it to me and I took the same 20 mile club ride that I had taken with the first bike the week before. I flew on the Vita. I did buy it and now have to sell the Globe (they wouldn't take it back). The Vita is great. It is so much lighter (22 lbs.) and I can keep up with the road bikes. I just felt kind of bad that I had finally bought a new bike and now needed to replace it after 3 months. I just never anticipated that I would get so into cycling. It still has some of the features of the comfort bike that I did not want to give up. I like the flat bars. I can still reach the ground with my toe. It has trigger shifters and the numbers are shown so I know what gear I am in. It is just as comfortable (no pain anywhere) and so much faster. So, I would really recommend it! Janet

[Zen]

Take a look at the Trek FX series, 7.5 or 7.6