bar, hoods or drops position issue

[Elliot M]

It's occurred to me I never use the drops at all. I'm perfectly comfortable on the flats while climbing and the hoods all the rest of the time, can get quite low by kind of hanging off the STI's by my thumbs and bending elbows. My bar is set quite a way below saddle height (to be honest I think bike is 1 size to small)

I was thinking maybe I should look at a bar with a shallower drop or a different shape... I think part of the reason comes from not being comfortable braking from the drops. Have small hands and don't reckon I can apply full emergency braking force. Or given that I'm comfortable as I am, should I not worry about it?

[Marek]

I would not worry about it unless you are racing or want to go a bit faster. I only go on the drops when I am racing, but that does mean that I have to spend a bit of time on the drops when I am training to get accustomed to the different stresses and strains it puts on the body.

If you want to get the benefit of going on the drops every now and then then why don't you just conciously spend a bit of time every now and then training on the drops, just go to them for a minute or two while you are out and soon it will not feel too strange.

I would say though that a bike the correct size is going to help, my turbo bike frame is the wrong size and the drop is quite severe to the drops, but I make use of this as it is good training for when I use my proper bike.

Cheers

Marek...

[Elliot M]

cheers marek, i'll try that.

think i do need to address the braking from the drops issue though, particularly for descents, and am pretty sure a non-ergo bar would reduce the reach to the levers, so might just buy one and play around with STi positioning.

[Tamar Collis]

I'm surprised you find braking from the drops harder. It should be much easier to put full force through the brakes from the drops as you're gripping further down the brake lever. Braking from the hoods it is much harder to apply full force as you're only using the top of the lever. Revise your GCSE Physics! Long lever v short lever.

If you find it a long reach to your levers from the drops then try adjusting the brakes so that there is a bit more slack in them, that way you can half-pull the brakes in whilst descending without them touching the rims.

I use the drops primarily when I'm descending (lower, more stable, better braking) on the rare occasions when I sprint, and when I just want to go a bit faster.

[Andrew G]

I also have small hands (or paws as my brother calls them). Do you have Shimano or Campag? I use Campag and the levers / hoods are much more compact than Shimano's. I have ridden a bike with Shimano ergos and find the whole assembly too big and cumbersome. Also with Campags having a fixed brake lever braking feels more positive.

Andrew.

[Elliot M]

I'm using Shimano. Tamar, I think it's more about the reach than the power. I do already set up brakes with some slack for that reason, but it still feels odd. Think I will buy a new non-ergo bar anyway (just like all the pros use )and see if that helps, try a few variations of positioning before putting the tape on.

[siwickm]

I suppose you could always use your feet to stop.

[BrendanM]

The position of the clamp of the STI levers on the curved part of the handlebars affects the reach.
I experiment with the position Before I fit the handlebar tape.
Go for a short ride before you tape up the bars and take an allen key with you to make adjustments.

[StephenKemsley]

Elliot, I too until recently never used the drops as it felt uncomfortable, however after adding some position shifting whilst doing Turbo sessions, i.e. 2mins on hoods, 2 on tops and 2 on drops, it's all come together.

Braking whilst on the drops should be most responsive, but you may need to check the position of your levers. If they're mounted quite high, the angle will lengthen the distance between bar and lever hence you may have trouble getting a grip. I have my bars so that the bottom of the drops are parallel to the road and the levers are totally vertical and with relatively short figures I have no problems.

It's worth getting the position correct in the drops and this should give you the most control on the bike, especially when descending or when you need quick reactions. I had an incident a while ago on the through and off, where I hit a pothole at speed whilst in the hoods, with such force that both hands slipped off the bars and I smacked my chest on the stem. I was very lucky not to come off and bring down the rest of the pack. The drops are there for a reason, I've used them when needed ever since.