Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
  • Ditching drop bars from my cx commuter…
  • billytinkle
    Free Member

    …will I be happier? I used to ride my MTB to work and had many smiley miles. Since changing to the CX bike and drop bars hand discomfort has been a constant issue.

    I’ve tried many different positions for the brakes, height, angle, etc. but never found a truely comfortable position in thousands of miles.

    Is it time to bite the bullet and stick some straight bars on? My main concern would be a short top tube, but the thought of having hydraulic disks again is appealing too!

    davidtaylforth
    Free Member

    try moving your saddle back a bit.

    ahwiles
    Free Member

    make your pointy-downy stem a pointy-uppy stem?

    a deeply unfashionable pointy-uppy stem, and shallow drop bars turned my drop-bar commuter from a chiropractic nightmare, to sofa-on-wheels.

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    billytinkle
    Free Member

    Seat is as far back as it will go, but I’ve not tried a lay back seat post.

    The front end has been through every variation possible including different shaped drop bars. Some improvements experienced, but all just different levels of discomfort!

    davidtaylforth
    Free Member

    Seat is as far back as it will go, but I’ve not tried a lay back seat post.

    Guess it depends on your hegiht and the frame angles. But most road bikes (unless the rider is ver small) tend to be run with a set back seatpost.

    How tall are you? What frame is it?

    You might just need to take some more weight off your hands. You might just need some decent gloves!

    billytinkle
    Free Member

    I’ve tried the gloves route too! Got massive pads on my paws.

    Its a Jamis Nova Sport 54cm and I’m 5’9″.

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    Sounds like you aren’t getting on with drops.

    Fit some flats, but if you are wanting hydros too, you may b best flogging the bike – reet trendy these days.

    tonyd
    Full Member

    You’re right at the top end of the sizing for a 54cm frame so presumably have a fair bit of seatpost out? Can you try to reduce the saddle – bar drop? Some spacers if you have anything left on the steerer, or as above flip your stem/change for one with a decent bit of rise.

    beanum
    Full Member

    I’ve got a CX bike as a commuter with bullhorn bars and road bike levers. My main concern with going back to flats would be the width. I like the fact I can wizz up the inside of cars without too many issues, that was always a problem when I used a MTB as a commuter.
    I do miss brakes that actually work though…

    MostlyBalanced
    Free Member

    If you like flats, fit flats but make sure you get brake levers with the right pull ratio if you have canti brakes. Maybe ignore the fashion police and fit a set of bar ends for the straighter, faster sections of your rides.

    tonyd
    Full Member

    Do the fashion police have jurisdiction over commuters? Outside of that there London of course.

    PMK2060
    Full Member

    it would probably be easier to just sell the bike and buy a new/second hand flat bar bike.

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    Try a shallower drop. The Great North Road bar was very popular over a 30 year period for the same reasons you are looking at getting rid of your drops.

    A modern equivalent is the Satori Minotaur bar (also known as the One23 Bull bar)

    It’s what I use for road rides, and has the advantage it fits mtb levers.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    I said goodbye to drops, only thing I regret is not doing it earlier. I never tried flats on those bikes though, sold the whole thing and changed to a fast hybrid. Love it tbh.

    billytinkle
    Free Member

    I sold it in the end. Now using a rigid MTB with large kojak slicks. Very pleased I made the change!

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    billytinkle – Member
    I sold it in the end. Now using a rigid MTB with large kojak slicks. Very pleased I made the change!

    My road bike (2 posts ^) is an mtb – 29er with Big Apple tyres. The fatter tyres made more difference to comfort than anything else. They get rid of the impacts before they get to me and make no appreciable difference to my average speeds.

    phiiiiil
    Full Member

    What a strange thread resurrection.

    I used to have a unicycle with a 29×2.35″ Big Apple tyre, it was ace… so smooooth and quiet, it was almost eerie compared to the buzzing of tyres with even small knobbly bits on.

Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)

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