If anyone is interested, I’ve got a flat-bar setup for sale.
Bars, grips, Microshift 2×9 shifters and Shimano brake levers (for calliper brakes)
Previously fitted to this:

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Drop bars are are more efficient – especially into a headwind where they are worth at least a gear. That’s not just about speed, it’s also about comfort and ride duration.

Coomber my point was in ref to the fact road bikes generally have shorter tt than flat bar bikes not necessarily mtb

Robdob why so anti dropbar? Saying it over and over again whilst dismissing others as fashion victims or sheep does nothing for your argument other than make you look a plumb with poor flexibility

Which is a shame as i read your post about your bike with interest.

OP your bars are too low and too far away – hence you ride on the hoods most of the time. An easy test of reach is to place your hands on the hoods and lean over as if into the wind. Elbow angle should be about 90 degrees. Elbow angle on the drops should be about 120 degrees or more for most mortals (as opposed to flat-backed pros!)

Saddle to drop height is governed by flexibility, but you should be able to comfortably ride on the drops for prolonged periods, and of course shift and reach the brakes. You’ll find that cornering on the drops is much improved, aerodynamics better and, ultimately, the bike will be more comfortable.

I’d suggest a 1cm shorter stem and raise the bars a cm. Of course I haven’t seen your set up, but I like to set a bike so the hoods tend to feel a little too high. That way the drops should be comfortable for long periods -by which I mean an hour or so, not 2 minutes in the wind.

I am not a flexible rider, and I manage an hour race solely on the drops. Saddle to bar drop is 7-8 cm. Stems are never slammed!

I’m not anti drop bar. I have shared a pic of my drop bar bike!

What I am against is people saying you can’t possibly do something when clearly you can. And also perpetuating the myth that the drop bar is the best and if someone says they want to change its because they haven’t set it up right.

if someone says they want to change its because they haven’t set it up right.

I think people are suggesting that MIGHT be the case, and they are right – it might. The reason people are saying that is that it would be a shame to ditch a concept if a simple adjustment could make it good. If the OP has been through all the adjustments, or has other requirements, then fine.

I do wonder how many people think a bike (road or otherwise) is wrong for them and get rid, when all it needs is a bit of thought in the setup. It’s taken me years to get my bikes fine tuned – much longer than some people keep bikes at all.

Rob, if you’re happy with a compromised set up, you carry on. Drop bars give you more positions to use, increasing comfort, and, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, still have the flat bit on the top for you to use. Bike manufacturers agree with me, and I suspect you haven’t put as much thought or R&D into your bike (which my old boss would have called an abortionated lump).

Telling me to pull my head out of my arse makes you look like a ********.

firestarter – sorry chap, reference wasn’t to you! It was to why we were seeing pics of kona mountain bikes with shorter stems when the thread was about flat road bikes.

Well you can do anything really but yes i agree its what ever suits personally ive found i needed a longer stem on conversions ive done before. But thf they were both on cx bikes which have generally even ahorter tt than road bikes

I now have a fashion dilemma myself 🙂 new bike it is sound with 110mm 6+ pos rise stem and no spacers or virtually identical with 100mm -6 neg stem and 20mm spacers

Now i prefer the look of no spacers but the look of neg stem is better and the 20mm spare steerer could be useful in old age. Bah.. what are bike choices never easy lol

Thinking about this for my roadie, no matter what I just cant seem to get comfy with drop bars. I’m 6’2, not particularly flexible, have a 56cm road bike, but with the stock 130mm stem and original bar everything feels off in the distance.

I can adjust my saddle position to move me forward, but then I feel too far over the BB, so move that back to being comfy for my legs and yep, the bars are too far away again for both hoods, where my hands like to be, and drops.

currently on a 90mm stem with the same bars and still not happy.

Just bought come compact drops to see if that helps and hopefully I’ll get more used to it.

The difference in the compact drops taht I think will help is not only the reach, but also the flat section to the hoods. The old bars are quite traditional in that when setup with the drops horizontal there’s quite a drop down to the hoods (without pointing them to the sky). The flatter section will hopefully make for a better transition to the hoods and more comfy hands.

Failing all that I have a set of 580mm flat bars and kit to fit with the inverted longer stem.

No probs coomber 😉

Flat bars & triple chainsets rock 🙂

Now i prefer the look of no spacers but the look of neg stem is better

Negative rise long stem and flat 580mm bars (and bar ends) on my commuter look kick-ass. The mudguards and rack less so. Still rides much better than it looks though due to said stem and bars 🙂

the bars are too far away again for both hoods,

Rotate bars forwards, then move hoods back up the curve.

Sorry molgrips its coming with drops 😉 tho ive specced guards lol

Like this you mean….

AAAAH! 😯

English bikes usually look great, but that’s gopping 😯

I have a short commute that until recently I did on my MTB as I prefer the riding position a flat/riser bar gives in traffic.

I’ve just built up my old Kinesis T5 CX bike with a flat bar and bar ends. I did put a longer stem on it (110mm 5deg rise) than when it had drop bars. It has worked out really well. With a shorter stem it was a little too upright/cramped.

swapped the bars on the cross bike to flats and its really comfy handles a lot better as well wouldnt go back to drop bars never used the drops anyway. biggest improvement was the extra increase in the braking power as opposed to braking off the hoods , i kept locking the back wheel at first .

both my roadies are flat bars+bar ends

drop bars are just a historical accident. Everyone just rides on the hoods anyway, which aren’t that comfy and the wrong angle.

The problem alot of people have is they don’t set their road bikes up properly and adopt a good road cycling position.

Here’s my roadie; it has the bars set quite low and a long stem, combined with a setback seatpost. Give’s lots of space to rotate into and allows a flat/straight back which is very comfortable, but also fairly aerodynamic. No straining my neck to look up, or bending my back severely to reach the bars, it’s all done in the rotation of the pelvis.

THe bike on the right is almsot how alot of people try and set their road bikes up; short and high. Which means sitting bolt upright (like on a chair) and then trying to reach/stretch/bend their backs to get to the handlebars.

HTH

The ATR thread has a few flat bar conversions. I like using the drops especially when tired as it just makes it so slightly easier in a headwind. I am not particularly flexible and despite reservations found that a bike fit helped.

I couldn’t get away with riding on the drops, comfy on the hoods but then wasn’t confident with braking.
Got some cheap ‘Bullhorn’ bars and modified them to fit the STi units.

David, that Cannondale may be perfect for you but it would kill my back in minutes. I’m one of those whose drop bars are fitted to an upturned 6 degree stem mounted above all the spacers I can fit on my steerer. I’ve ridden 3 figure mileage audaxes without back pain.

We’re all different.

Everyone just rides on the hoods anyway

Errr no we don’t. That’s like saying 2×10 is an accident and everyone rides on the outer chainring anyway. Pick the wrong gearing and it’s true. Pick the wrong set up and it’s true for drop bars as well.

like i said, I’m not a flexible rider, but I can manage an hour on the drops

I use the drops quite a lot after finally sorting the position. Oh and I forgot to mention, saddle angle also critical. I have mine very slightly nose down, helps drop use.

Old bloke… got any pictures of that set up?

interesting thread. my wife always holds the flat section of drop bars, not very safe so i changed to flat bars and she is delighted, can see around her and hands are right on the gears or more importantly, the brakes. i then put flat bars on my touring bike. great to see the scenery and easy to locate brakes etc.
however when riding over 50 miles i like the variety of hand positions that the drops give, and i find that when climbing out of the saddle the flatbar position is not as well balanced as riding on the hoods.
anyway, half the fun is tinkering about with different setups !