Myself I keep coming back to drop bars. I really like the flared gravel style ones. Just feels more natural to me in my primary position which is on the hoods.
@bendekker6552
Жыл бұрын
I borrowed a bike with no flare and they felt super weird/bad after riding drop bars with flare for a while.
@k0pper
Жыл бұрын
I just like that the 3 traditional positions on drop bars are pretty drastically different. If any part of my body is uncomfortable on a long ride, I can usually fix it by just changing to one of the other positions because they all put you in a different riding posture. With flat and alt bars, even if they have multiple places to put your hands, it feels like the riding posture feels about the same.
@BrianMcDonald
Жыл бұрын
I've been riding flared on my road bike for a few years and I much prefer how it feels. I built a racing bike that isn't flared and it definitely feels more cramped and slightly awkward
@abchaplin
Жыл бұрын
So, Russ, in a nutshell, I think you said "horses for courses" and "if it hurts, don't do it."
@tstodgell
Жыл бұрын
abchaplin out here scoring headshots
@Geshmaal
Жыл бұрын
Where's the KZitem revenue from such a short video though?
@PathLessPedaledTV
Жыл бұрын
This is KZitem not Twitter.
@timshelhamer7374
Жыл бұрын
I only use flat or alt bars because drop bars and controls are expensive, tedious to swap and I find them no more comfortable with less steering control on the fun terrain. Moloko is my fave except friction shifter mounting isn’t ideal. Pedro’s tire levers are the best but I snapped one for the first time last week (trying to mount a wtb raddler) so it’s making me revisit everything I know about bikes. Maybe I’ll put a drop bar on my commuter just for experimental purposes
@RatFink5912
Жыл бұрын
"industrial roadie complex"--best description of the corporate bike industrial complex. This is why I SUPPORT this channel....made my day... :)
@petevonschondorf4609
Жыл бұрын
As a member of the bad back club, I love my alt-bar, but then again the wind blows in different directions all the time. What to do? Simple buy more bikes!! Three and counting, but #4 is in the works. Its good too to have adult kids with bike addictions so I get good deals, but they also steal bikes.
@bryanwilson8545
Жыл бұрын
I have the same numbness in my hands with flat or sweep bars, but seem to avoid it with drop bars & riding on the hood. Definitely my most comfortable position to ride.
@johnbrann75
Жыл бұрын
I've used drop, straight and alt bars. I prefer straight and alt bars because I feel I have quicker access to the brake levers. I ride in an urban environment and being able to get on the brakes quickly can be a life saver. I have nothing against drop bars but at 63 I just don't find them as comfortable as I do ride in a more upright position.
@dimitriosfotopoulos3689
Жыл бұрын
I had the same issue sliding into my 60's. Stiffness, sciatica, and a little bit of arthritis, made riding a bit less comfortable than it used to be, even on the same 2007 Surly LHT I have ridden for years. But when they were available, I swapped in Surly Truck Stop Bars. They could use a skosh more flare, but the small rise on them seems just right for me.
@KidsChampionSquad-li2lh
Ай бұрын
I know this is old comment but redshift has riser drop bars that help.
@martinmalloy5997
Жыл бұрын
I prefer drop bars personally but I don't set them too low which is common now, this allows me to use the drops and not just the hoods.
@TimFitzwater
Жыл бұрын
I do love my drops but I’m building up a Gunnar with some new Nitto’s with a dramatic sweep. It will be interesting to see how I like it on long rides(I know I’m going to dig the upright position for shorter stuff).
@vegasvampire66648
Жыл бұрын
Lol...I'm 60. Dutch bars, Moustache bars...Alt Bars- whatever you call them...they ROCK...it's all about the comfort for me. Ymmv
@coreyreeder3549
Жыл бұрын
A popular set up for bickpacking is actually flat bars with clip on aero bars. It’s a little busy and ugly but quite functional
@davetbassbos
Жыл бұрын
I had that set up on my 90s mtb that I converted to a commuter and short tourer. worked great!
@fordtimelord8673
Жыл бұрын
I do a variation of that for touring. Not my idea, but it works wonderfully.
@LoganInTheWilderness
Жыл бұрын
Agree. That combo is better than drops for descending, straightaways, and getting a lot more bike for your money. And I think it looks cool, like my bike has antlers. 😅
@captaincoyote1792
Жыл бұрын
I’m sorry for being dense. It’s not purposeful, I assure you. I’m both a retired Navy Officer and a retired federal wildlife officer….dealing with head injuries that impact my thought process sometimes. Now In retirement, I’m getting back into bicycling…and now own a Chumba Stella ti, outfitted for backcountry riding, to access out of the way fly fishing spots in New England. It has flat bars, but what you offer as an alternative to drops, is intriguing. Do whatever these are, just bolt on? Or is this something that is part of the original flat bars. Mine is equipped with a Thompson flattie. Can you explain just a bit more. Or turn me in the right direction, to find out more. Thank you, I’d appreciate it. Be safe, and I wish you well….many smiles with the miles!
@rivnuts7398
Жыл бұрын
I appreciate your honest and broad-based comparison of different competing products without any predisposed preference or motive.
@nerigarcia7116
Жыл бұрын
I use both but prefer the drop bar because of it's versatility in hand positions. I have a flat bar on my SSCX but I just use that bike for casual rides with my little boy. My wrists tend to hurt afterward though. When I go out on the road or gravel it's drop bars. On another note, I come to this channel for info on alternative products and riding, but lately I've found it a little off-putting when you always manage to make a dig at roadies or racing. I mean I know this channel is about non-competitive riding and party pace but when you do that it come off a little whiny. I ride all sorts of bikes from road to gravel, serious to casual and without the technological advances from the road, you don't really have the bikes you have today or yesteryear. Why not just embrace everything bikes and just gear it to your audience. There is something to be taken and learned from everything, there's no need to put something else down just because you don't agree with it. Especially, when it's all just cycling.
@troymoon8617
Жыл бұрын
Like Russ said, it depends on the ride. I have really wide Nitto Noodle drop bars on my Long Haul Trucker and use all available hand positions on long rides. The width helps keep the bike from feeling squirrely in gravel or rough. I have an alt bar on a bike I ride in town a lot because the upright position feels safer to me in traffic. I feel like I'm better able to keep my head on a swivel.
@LordNormandy
Жыл бұрын
Love traditional road drop bars. I don’t even want a little bit of a flair. I use regular 44 cm drop bars on my gravel bike same bar I use on my road bike. And I like the way they look.
@xbmarx
Жыл бұрын
I was a drop bar snob but a few years ago converted, and all my bikes are alt bars now.
@davidbierbaum4881
Жыл бұрын
I went Butterfly, and I never went back. The trekking bars give me all the positions I need from full aero tucked in, to upright as a prairie-dog on alert. Edit: It would be bad for mounting bags though. That said, mounting a front bag would take up too much precious handlebar grip area for my personal taste... I do wonder just how many variations of alt bars there are by now.
@robertford3107
Жыл бұрын
The benefit of drop bar for me is it spreads some of your body weight from you tush to your arms and legs for longer hours in the saddle. But upright is where it’s at for cruising the town when you need your head on a swivel it gives better visibility.
@wjcferguson
Жыл бұрын
Yep, for urban transportation being more upright gives me a better view and and no compromises on maximum braking ability (arms braced, weight pushed back, whaling on the front brake as the front wheel rubber protests on the asphalt). For that usage I consider drops a non-starter, but that's just me - half the people I know commuting in the city don't even use their front brake, so ... ... they and all the crazy riding behavior I see comfort me, knowing any accident statistic I read must be heavily made up of these people.
@jaysatak4974
Жыл бұрын
New sticker suggestion "That's just dumb!"
@stevenr5149
Жыл бұрын
Another great video. I have raised my cow chippers above my seat height so that the top/hoods are at the top of my comfort range and the drops are high enough to use without much discomfort. I use the drops all the time now. Handle bars & positions are worth experimenting with.
@tcw8287
Жыл бұрын
I'm exactly the same with the same bars. I want my bars high but use drops all the time
@tcw8287
Жыл бұрын
Sometimes I feel I could do with a riser bar drop
@childofeternity
Ай бұрын
@@tcw8287 I just installed a 'Red Shift top shelf' with 70mm rise on my road bike which puts me about level with my saddle.
@turboseize
Жыл бұрын
Drop bars for me over anything else. The possibility to switch between three (or three- and-a-half) markedly different hand positions makes longer rides (i.e. any ride longer than an hour) so much more pleasant. Also, if you live anywhere where there is the slightest possibility of air movement (commonly known as "wind"), you are grateful for every centimeter that you can lower your silhouette. Tri-bars might accomplish the same thing, but they add weight and impair handling. Then, drop bars are usually much less wide and therefore less cumbersome than flat bars (ideally the hoods are at shoulder width), which makes squeezing through traffic much less stressful. Also, maneuvering a bike through doorways and staircases is much easier with narrower bars. (This is only an issue for the urban cyclist - if you live in the middle of nowhere, that should not bother you). Yes, you lose some leverage, but this is compensated in part by the longer reach of the bar itself (if riding in the hoods), and by the fact that usually you would also run a longer stem. There is one real disadvantage (rather: an advantage that can in some situations turn disadvantageous) that @pathlesspedaled has correctly identified: the more weight over the front wheel means the tendency to "go over the handlebars" on a steep decent or under hard braking is increased. But there is a way around this: get out of the saddle and then move your bottom *way behind* the saddle, in order to shift center of gravity as far back as possibly. You will end up with mostly straighened arms (but not completely - there I must be some bend in your elbows to absorb shocks) and mostly straight legs (again, not completely - some knee bend necessary to absorb shocks and let the bike move around), your butt hanging over the center of the rear wheel and you stomach hovering over the saddle. I admit that this is somewhat counterintuitive, and indeed a slightly awkward position. A beginner cyclist probably would not find this on his own, unless he had very good observation skills and watched to many cyclocross races. Most people will need someone to tell them this (in my case, both my grandfather and my dad took my first "handlebar dive" as an opportunity to teach schoolkid-me about the need to shift bodymass around). Rests a final drawback of the drop bars: the sportier, stretched-out riding position requires more core strength. But then, if you lack the core strength to ride in the drops, you will run into back problems eventually even outside cycling. Working on core strength benefits practically everone, so we may even interprete this drawback as a positive. ;-) I must admit that I do own one bike with flat bars - a 1990s rigid steel frame mountain bike. In true 1990s fashion, the bike frame is a bit to small me, because this makes it easier to move around the bike (or let the bike move under you) - after all, your limbs are the suspension. This means that I cannot reasonably fit a drop bar, because my seating position would be to compressed in the drops. The bad joke is that I don't even ride gnarly offroad, but I only use this bike for bike paths and forest roads with rougher gravel or more mud that I don't have the confidence to take my road bike on 25mms on. I really need to get my s**t together and restore my late grandfather's randonneur, so that I can retire the MTB...
@joevuch7981
Жыл бұрын
drop bar components are more expensive and harder to swap around so not so nice but I love the feel of drop bars. Riding downhill in the drops is fun and I like how the shifting feels
@jezzarisky
Жыл бұрын
I’m still fairly new back to bikes(rode them through high school and kind of dropped off of riding), and have largely stayed away from drop bars because of perceptions of hardcore cyclists using dropbars. Since I want to ride casually I kept to alt/flat bars so far, though I am mildly curious about testing drop bars on a longer ride to see how it feels since I too struggle some with comfort on alt/flat bars after a while
@bonbonflippers4298
Жыл бұрын
I thought the same as you before trying drop bars simply because I was not comfortable working on dropbar when maintenance comes. Took time to learn and get used to them and now I can never go back to flat bars on longer rides. My wrists bother me riding prolonged rides on flat bars.
@philspencelayh5464
Жыл бұрын
I don't doubt that drops can be faster. In my 20,s and 30,s I used drops but for a long time my back has been telling me that its not a good idea. I also find more control on flat bars. One thing to try could be the Dutch style handlebar where your hand orientation is at 90° compared to a flat bar. I've tried it in Holland, no flying machine but comfortable.
@whistler1056
Жыл бұрын
I've been using a Jones H-Bar for about 5 years now for daily use and tours on my Cross Check (had to scale down from 5 bikes to 2). I enjoy it very much and at 66 y.o.a., the upright position works for me. But I really enjoy the panache of drops, especially the way Russ has his set up and the hoods I do miss...
@OliverPickard
Жыл бұрын
Every comfortable handle bar is fantastic until im miles from home and it starts blowing a gale then gimme those drops the width of my shoulders
@billydeewilliams8909
10 ай бұрын
I recently swapped my 2022 Trek Checkpoint ALR to a flat bar. Started with the stock Bontrager drops, switched to the Curve Remlaw, which is, as the marketing materials say, the flat bar for drop bar bikes. It doesn't greatly effect the aggressive position over the head tube (particularly after I lengthened the stem from 90 to 130 to account for the difference in 'reach' between the bars), which isn't what I was looking for. I just really don't ever know where to put my hands on drop bars, and no position is particularly comfortable, and I love the new Ergon GA3. I also vastly prefer flat bar levers to drop bar brifters (goes double for the goofy dropper lever they gave me for the drops, lol). I swapped out the stock GRX groupset for a full SRAM GX 1x12 groupset, 32t front, 10-50t rear. I almost never used the top like three gears of the GRX, but I might yet get a bigger chain ring. Got Hope RX4+ flat mount calipers front and rear, attached to Shimano SLX levers. Too bad the max rotor size is 160, which hugely limits the braking power even with a 4 piston gravel caliper. My suspension stem (120; my 130 Salsa stem was maybe a tad long) just arrived today, hugely looking forward to trying it out, and the bar needs cutting down to about 770 from 800. But generally, so far, the change has been a dream. The Checkpoint was already one of my favorite bikes, and now it's definitely second to none except my e-bike. Once my brand new Mezcal 44mm wear out, I'm going to get a ZIPP XPLR wheelset so I can put some real MTB tires on there. I was thinking about getting a gravel fork, but honestly (and aside from the expense) that would make the bike too similar to my XC/trail HT, and with the suspension stem and cush core front and rear, there's no point.
@rivnuts7398
Жыл бұрын
I appreciate your honest and broad-based comparison of different competing products without any predisposed preference or motive.
@lukewalker1051
Жыл бұрын
I own and ride both. It truly is a very complicated subject and riding position on the bike is nuanced and generally exceeds the grasp of average riders. I will tell you two signature mistakes I see with both. 1. People who ride dropbars ride them too low and too close to their body. As mentioned, at saddle level or above is preferred for comfort. I have done a lot of competitive riding in all genres and build high performance ebikes because I like speed as in world class cyclist speed with a motor....not limited off the shelf ebikes sold in bike shops. Dropbar users typically don't have the functionality aka flexibility to ride dropbars like a pro. As a result they struggle. Dropbars are wonderful when positioned closer in position to what a flatbar should be. 2. Biggest mistake riders make with a flatbar is they ride with the handlebar too close to their body. Riding like Mary Poppins, you can't enlist your glutes and get power into your stroke. So general conclusion is this. Position your dropbar in space closer to where a flatbar generally is and position a flatbar closer to where a dropbar many times is placed. In summary, both are excellent and rider fit and ergonomics which affects performance and comfort are key. Drops can be wonderful because of variation in hand positions, provided the handlebar is in a position where all positions can be utilized comfortably which is commonly not the case. Coming from the world of dropbar road racing, I will tell you many aging fast guys never use the hooks because they have their dropbar positioned too low for vanity. A good and important discussion. PS. if you extrapolate from the Leadville mountain bike race which is really a dirt road race without much technical difficulty, the race is 95% ridden and won on a flatbar. 100 miles. It has been raced on a dropbar gravel/mountain bike but not as successfully and its a high speed race where aerodynamics matter which historically is the benefit of a dropbar.
@JonathanRBarnard
Жыл бұрын
Russ's retro-grouch quotient has been rising, and upon seeing the headline, I was hopeful that I would see further growth. But "it depends" isn't grouchy enough. I have a Jones Bar on my 96 Gary Fisher Hoo Koo. Love it. Didn't Russ used to appreciate them? Haven't seen them on any of his bikes recently.
@maximumschwa6993
Жыл бұрын
Velo Orange Crazy Bars. Lots of sweep. Plenty of hand positions. You can get fairly tucked in on them too.
@christopherwinstone434
Жыл бұрын
I’m with you on this one. I also have the new version of the Crazy Bar and love it 👍🏼. Probably not for everyone but it suits me well especially with the Rohloff twist grip.
@papyrifer
10 ай бұрын
It's strange how wrist position isn't analyzed in the bike world like it is in the computer (carpal-tunnel) world. A couple of points that could be discussed more are: 1) Have wrists in their natural position. Let your arms hang loose, bend up your elbows, and look at what position your wrists naturally are in. 2) Have variable positions. For swept-back bars, a tool-less adjustable bike stem is great; wonder why these seem to be so rare. Height (and consequently forwardness) and angle are adjustable, so mid-trip can adjust to help wrist, arms and rear end.
@mikeymon1
Жыл бұрын
Another con for drops... I like hydraulic disc brakes, so, it's much cheaper to find decent levers, shifters, and stoppers for alt bars than drop bars, and if you do get hydraulic brifters you're stuck with that number of rear gears, pretty much? I have SRAM 1x11 hydraulic with drops on my Raleigh Tamland2... I'd need a whole new group if I wanted to change things. I've got a 2x mt. bike setup on my altbar bikepacking rig, with carbon bar ends inward for for variety.
@Reddingadventurehub
Жыл бұрын
I’ve gone away from drop bars. I have an old pair of Titech H bars on my touring bike that seem to be my happy place. Multiple hand potions, and room for my Carsick bag.
@michaelhayward7572
Жыл бұрын
Anything with 25 to 45 degrees backsweep works for me. Flat mtb bars with typical 9 degrees backsweep do not - too many motorcycle crashes... Too old to learn drop bar riding...
@wizzelhoart
Жыл бұрын
in '06 is was wall the rage in XC MTB to cut flat bars very narrow. Probably the worst option for city riding. But here I am, stuck with the consequences of my actions 😅 are drop bars an option for my MTB gravel converted city bike?
@nathan.4130
Жыл бұрын
I like and use both bars on different bikes. I do absolutely hate Pedros tire levers though.
@PathLessPedaledTV
Жыл бұрын
Blasphemy!
@LindyLooo99
Жыл бұрын
Just my opinion, the cowbell is the most functional bar around..... i don't do well sitting UP.... so cowbell is my main squeeze
@pulex73
Жыл бұрын
Whats with the niche in the niche? Like Velo Orange Crazy Bar Vs. Surley Corner Bar? Dropbars are nice. Mtb bars rocks with 12-15 degree backsweep, there a not so many but this was a big eye opener for me.
@arsprod
Жыл бұрын
Drop bar purist, and none of this goofy flared drops for me, until I started getting neck pain on tours a few years ago and tried Velo Crazy Bars. Doubt I'll ever go back. The horns are positioned so that I'm leaning more with my hands just like they would be riding a drop bar on the hoods. But then I can sit up if my neck starts to hurt. I'm an old guy (60+) so maybe not an issue for you youngsters, but I'm all in with the alt bars.
@SoraTsunoda
3 ай бұрын
Thank you. One more important thing (not sure if you mentioned it): braking in the hoods is very different compared to braking with a flat bar, which allows a much more natural hand-movement. Thats why i am not sure if its a good idea using a dropbar in town were you have to brake all the time.
@michaelwilliamlazo233
Жыл бұрын
I feel that dropbars are "overrated". Hand positions and aero are the 2 main reasons for dropbars, but when I used them I only used 2 hand positions, hoods and flats 9.5 out of 10 times (I'm a regular Joe who rides for fun, health, and fitness. In that order). I have internal bar ends on my flats that have 30 rise, 5 up and 15 back. I have 3 hand positions albeit 3 variations of the same, but 3 nonetheless. I guess, in the end, the "your bike, your rules" adage is really universally appilicable.
@JoakimGarde
Жыл бұрын
I have three bikes, all different and with different handle bars. A road bike with drop bars, mostly for exercise, a light weight "city bike" ( all ost road bike but with flat bar, mud guards and a pannier with a basket) for commuting and an electric Bullitt long John Cargo bike with a mild riser bar with EasyUp to make room for large items in the cargo bay. All good for their purpose. Maybe I should ad that I am 60 and have turned the stem upside down on both the road bike and the city bike to raise the bar so I don't hurt my fragile old backbone
@bonbonflippers4298
Жыл бұрын
I've tried those bar ends exactly like in this video and it just wasn't narrow enough to be at the right place. There's also the fact that if you are riding on the road, having your hands always at the brakes for emergency situations is a safety feature. For gravel it's fine to ride a beach cruiser setup if that is the type of ride you want. I actually think that Russ is becoming more of a gravel cruiser rider/backpacking chill rider than anything. Nothing wrong with that.
@123moof
Жыл бұрын
I'm in the minority in disliking drop bars in general. I find that all three of the hand positions don't work well for me and my body. The flats are nice for climbing, but obnoxiously narrow without brake/shifter access. Hoods are at an angle that my wrist object to, and flared bars make this position only moderately acceptable. If I raise the bars enough for the drops to be decent, the hoods feel too high, even when relatively low drop distance. I use my one drop bar bike for fast group rides where I have little choice and need the aero position to (mostly) keep up. On solo and slower rides I am all about the Jones Bar and VO Seine bar (with inner bar ends). For my body and poorly manufactured wrists they work out great, and I really enjoy the hand positions they provide. If I could get a Jones Loop with only ~35 degrees of sweep like the Seine I would be do so in a heart beat.
@shingweima
Жыл бұрын
I've gone all in on alt-bars as it's best suited to my bike and I can't afford a new frame that would suit a drop bar. Love the alt-bars, but the biggest disadvantage for me, that you didn't mention is just how much of a nightmare it is to wheel the bike into a small flat/apartment where the bars are wider than the door/corridor.
@speedy1490
Жыл бұрын
I use an alt bar (Surly Terminal Bar) on my bridge club with inner Bar ends (SQ Lab) that are thick taped with bar tape. Love it. But at the Moment Im thinking about building up a Straggler and am debating between drop or alt bars. Would be nice to have a drop bar bike on one hand. But i think im more a flat bar guy. Never had drop bars on any of my bikes.
@ff2e
Жыл бұрын
Turning my wrists to ride flat/alt style bars tends to cause some discomfort on long rides where sitting on modern hoods doesn't but I also might just be changing positions more on drops and not paying attention.
@jthj
Жыл бұрын
This! I think the orientation of your hand/wrist on the hood is just more natural than how it is on a flat bar.
@bonbonflippers4298
Жыл бұрын
What the guy above said. Drop bars at the hood feels more natural for me. Flat bars even using the mustache shape feels constricting on alternate hand positions.
@Korina42
Жыл бұрын
I love my Velo-Orange Tourist bar; the 60* sweep puts my hands and wrists in a natural position.
@evilcgm
Жыл бұрын
Seems like riding on the drops would affect braking. Butterfly bars give lots of hand positions and, combined with an adjustable stem, enable the bike to be set up perfectly. Do what is safe and feels comfortable and don't be influenced by marketing.
@larrywhite8590
Жыл бұрын
Sacrilege - well really clickbait but hey whatever works 😅 But seriously for more than a couple of hours of riding drops without question
@MrDonaldstepp
22 күн бұрын
All I have had was the straight mountain bike bars . I wanted to get that ozark trail g1 explorer to try drop bars. Most my riding is on nature trails but I now debate gravel bike or road bike since I already have a hard tail with hybrid tires
@DIY-DaddyO
Жыл бұрын
I use BMX bars, but that's mainly because my frame is too small, the end result is about a "french fit" , a new phrase to me...
@markreams3192
Жыл бұрын
There’s a reason racers on the road use drop bars. They’re more comfortable over long distances and faster. Mountain bike racers use flat bars because they’re more stable in technical terrain and their races are typically shorter. I say match your bars to your ride. Of course in mixed surface events whatever you ride is not going to be ideal for some part of the ride. I liked bar ends which have now fallen out of favor. They give an extra hand position and we’re great for climbing. The S Works carbon bar ends were really nice. They were molded for a good hand fit. You’d probably get laughed off the trail now! 😂
@quijadriss7650
Жыл бұрын
I ride two bikes mainly, Kona Sutra with drops and Surly Bridgeclub with Moloko bars. I find the drops more comfortable, but I carry a bunch of weight in my gut which, ahem, gets in the way when on the drops. I use the hoods mostly, and was hoping the horns on the Molokos would scratch that itch. Not so much though. Being more swept back is better for traffic as it makes it easier to see traffic in my nerd mirror.
@thecheshirecat5564
Жыл бұрын
Dropbar for comfort, positions available, versatility and all the rest of it (aesthetic included). But mostly comfort.
@YoSpiff
Жыл бұрын
I prefer drop bars, riding on the hoods most of the time. Upright bars I tend to hold wrong and bend my wrists at an angle that causes numbness, even if I have whale-tail grips installed. If I have uprights, I need lots of sweepback to keep my wrists straight.
@anthonykoleszar1779
Жыл бұрын
Good presentation, well-balanced, logical rationale throughout. 👍
@corynardin
Жыл бұрын
I haven’t tried any alt bars, but I know that my wrists get uncomfortable quickly on flat bars. I have always loved drop bars, so not really interested in alt bars.
@trajtemberg
Жыл бұрын
Flatbars with compact clip-on aero bars is the way. Only need the drops for sprinting out the saddle while keeping my frontal area as low as possible (ie: racing).
@Fetherko
Жыл бұрын
Your wrists are hyper-extended on that alt-bar. Hence your carpal tunnel is compressed and you have "nerve pain". I am not ok with this.
@LarryHopper
Жыл бұрын
I prefer the drop bar for its multiple hand positions. Gripping the outside edge is a much more comfortable, natural position that is gentle on my wrists. Keep up the good work.
@JohnPowell6
11 ай бұрын
I always had weak wrists, but now that I'm 58 the more upright I sit, the better, so "alt" bars the only choice for me.
@MrDivision89
Жыл бұрын
I've always been alt-bar guy. Mainly because of hydro-brifter prices. :)
@jrbowens
Жыл бұрын
I really want to throw some drop bars on my fat bike...just seems like more fun for summer cruising and would be a unique monster-cross bike. I never ride it that far or that fast...
@DominusSphinx
Жыл бұрын
making your own alt bar using bar ends is better than drops 100% why? cause you can get drop style bar ends, meaning its a custom style alt drop bar instead of a regular drop bar, for example you can put the drops on the end of a bar like a standard drop bar or like me you can put them on the inside of the grips so the "flats" are wider than the drops, basically its customizable to what you personally prefer or need,
@911sareforever
Жыл бұрын
I have both. I think what I like is getting them to a proper height so they’re comfortable
@alicemacdonald1550
Жыл бұрын
Wide flat bars offers more stability. Motorcycles don't have drop bars.
@forrestjames1312
Жыл бұрын
I have tried to like drop bars, but almost inevitably they hurt my back. I’ve had a dirt drop set up with real flared out drops which was the most comfortable drop setup but I just end up still wanting flat bars 90% of the time. Interestingly I do like something like the riv bosco bars for getting a similar wrist position to a drop bar with none of the aero back hurting positioning.
@germaincousineau8608
Жыл бұрын
Most people I see on drop bar have too much reach to be confortable. When set up at the level of the saddle and closer to your body you end up with the same position as a flat bar. I use the same distance(saddle to hoods) on my gravel bike and my city bike(flat bar). I have the same position on both bikes. I have a roadie bike but I ride it like a cruiser bike 😂
@ttnyny
Жыл бұрын
Alt bars are not a good alternative to drop bars. True swept back bars when combined with long stems can be a good alternative to drop bars. In my opinion, of course.
@nickporter3531
Жыл бұрын
A good analysis . I use drops - and this is for comfort reasons more than anything else. If you are doing more gnarly down hills then flats/alts may be a better solution, but what and where you ride and how comfortable you are will dictate what you are using. I am just a bit miffed that no handle bar can deal with the flooding we have at the moment 😂
@NelsonSherry
Жыл бұрын
Pedros tire levers suck on tight skinny road tires. Way to wide and "dull" to get under the tire readily. But yeah, on bigger tires, they are generally the best. ;-)
@Taliber
Жыл бұрын
Make more pins! You have some cool patches that would be great designs for my pin collection!
@Mrmarginofsafety
7 ай бұрын
The value of dropbars is on steep rough gravel decents, a strong grip in the drops prevents a fall due to your hands bouncing off the hoods when the front wheel shifts abruptly.
@BartAnderson_writer
Жыл бұрын
Nice balanced presentation. I'm used to drop bars and like the varied hand positions. Riding the hoods is my default, in a non-crouched position. One problem with drops is that they take a little while to get used to. New cyclists ate often intimidated.
@timlagas
Жыл бұрын
Definitely drops in combination with a short stem and a bike with a long front center. Alt / flat bars just get me into a position with to much wingspan for me.
@JoshuaMarcAragon
Жыл бұрын
My alt-bar is a Surly Corner Bar clone, which is a pretty much a drop bar...
@SonnyDarvishzadeh
Жыл бұрын
On my endurance road bike I want some level of flare. On all of my bikes I want aero bars.
@rpiereck74
Жыл бұрын
I prefer flat bars, but generally I find drop bars more comfortable. Hard to choose.
@cypriano8763
Жыл бұрын
Well.its hard to be a satchel carrying, man bun wearing hipster when you ride a bike with drop bars.thats rights swept back with a brooks saddle is the o lu way to be legit
@chadmyles-theclevelandcyclist
Жыл бұрын
For the most part I am drop bar all the way because it is most comfortable for me however when I am riding in snow I realize flat bars or riser bars are much better for control and steering. So, I ride both.
@Headin_South
Жыл бұрын
Drop bars have lots more positions, all of them equally uncomfortable!
@constantinipsilanti9933
Жыл бұрын
More upright POSTITIONS available
@andrewnorris5415
Жыл бұрын
Q. cannot bolt drops to the side of a regular bar? Useful if use the tops most of the time, as the brakes will be there?
@gjtramey
Жыл бұрын
reject the Industrial Roadie Complex
@charlesr.carney6297
Жыл бұрын
I just added a Velo Orange stem that puts my drops in the sky and I am much happier with them.
@williamparsley6012
Жыл бұрын
I find the Jones bar has many riding positions and is less hard on my hands/wrists and and neck and allows me to get a bit aero in the wind.
@oguzhanakgun9591
Жыл бұрын
I loved the demonstration how the screwdriver doesn't work as a hammer :)
@fernandorosales2789
11 ай бұрын
I know this was click bait but I trust this channel all enough to see WTF this is about
@Matt-gy9ir
Жыл бұрын
Don’t forget about what pain or expense it is to get road levers to work with wide range gearing.
@TheUpl8te
Жыл бұрын
I am a level drop bar guy! I find I have more hand positions on drops vs flat bars.
@mark-anthonykroezen7335
Жыл бұрын
I wil keep my mtb bars I've tried dropbars there not fore me. It's the mtb bar or nothing
@jacksondoughty
Жыл бұрын
Not a slave to the industrial roadie complex stickers coming soon
@buffalomind6838
Жыл бұрын
That dirt dropper looks cool. If you want a real chill ride on your bike even when putting in strength into the pedals the alt bars are great. I have straight bars, and ones that are slightly moved back. And there both good. I think mostly it’s a feel for the bike, and aesthetic.
@chalocolina3554
Жыл бұрын
Nothing that has handlebars, outside of racing and "sporting" bicycles, has drop bars. The fact that even their diameter is incompatible with other bars' is tangible evidence that they're not serious equipment. At the bike shop I tell people that if you ride all day long, having four compromised hand positions can be better than having a single good one. But for most people most of the time, it's better to have the good one. In the past, in addition to traditional bars and drop bars, I've used Scott AT-4 bars, Zoom Brahma bars, and various bar end widgets. Even though the resulting added hand positions are more usable than those of a drop bar, I found I used them so infrequently that for me they weren't worth having. A drop bar is an extreme version of that, where you get several alternate positions but you lose the only one that really makes any sense.
@PathLessPedaledTV
Жыл бұрын
Totally untrue. Touring bikes since forever have had drops. It doesn’t have to be set up in aggressive position at all. That is a total misconception.
@The4Crawler
Жыл бұрын
For my monster cross bike, drop bars are my favorite, 44cm Ritchey Biomax. Reason being I ride a lot of narrow trails with trees on the sides or many of the local areas have narrow entrances to keep out motorcycles. I rarely use the drops unless there's a strong head wind or fast descent. I have more of an alt bar on my touring bike that I used to ride a lot on the dirt and found, like Russ, that my hands get fatigued on longer rides.
@falcoperegrinus82
Жыл бұрын
Sometimes I'll run a Pedro's tire lever as a handlebar.
@tensaimon
Жыл бұрын
I have my surly pack rat set up with the drops raised a little above the saddle (UUUH!!!😅), works well for my commute as I'm cruisey on the flat and downhills but like to attack the uphills, and it's nice to have a place to hide from a headwind. Recently got a Jones loop to attach to my exploring/cruising/bikepacking weekend bike (pugsley), don't really like the straight bar that is one it now. Might get an aero clip on for somewhere to hide from the wind, tho also curious about the narwhal (looks crazy, just crazy enough to work??😅) - anyone tried it?
@JustClaude13
Жыл бұрын
At 63, I don't like cricking my neck to see where I'm going as much as I used to. And my hands can't take pressure for long distance, so I need to get off them to go any distance. I pretty well have to sit up, and in that position even your alt bars are too straight, so it twists my wrists uncomfortably. On a diamond frame, I pretty well always go for a North Road style. The pull-back angle fits my natural wrist position. I've gone full Dutch upright, so I use bars that match. Although for long trips I go even farther and lean back a bit. Recumbents are my go-to distance bike.
@thinkpadBentnoseTheBlind
Жыл бұрын
All my rides have riser bars. no drop bars as they are illogical to me.
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