I have tried to make it work but drop handlebars. I mean I love the look, especially my Midge’s but I just don’t think they improve any bike!
It must be me cause most of Britain likes them, if I’d been born in Europe I probably wouldn’t want them on anything but a road ‘racer’.
People are even sticking them on MTB’s!

Luddite = Luddite shocker.

Back in my day, etc etc…

I can’t get on with them and have kneck pain and squashed nads if I use them, I have straights on my road bike

There are way more variables and setup tweaks than with MTB bars. If your nads are squashed, for instance, tilt your saddle forward a few mm – or raise the bars.. or rotate them back.. or forward…

It’s not me ‘nads, there fine (thanks!)……
…. I just don’t see the benefit.

On an MTB I don’t think there is one.

I think the main benefit is tweakability and multiple hand positions. Which is good on long road rides but not much benefit on a MTB.

mr potatohead: if you are getting neck pain and squashed nads then your setup is wrong. (Also you’re not actually riding about on the drops all the time are you? Use the hoods man!)

I think I’m too much a mountain biker… Partly, I need a really weird setup in order to make the drops work well for me, which ends up really compromising the hoods. And partly, I just don’t much like how it feels.

So, I sacked off all that and got a flatbarred fast hybrid, and man do I wish I’d done it sooner. I might do some bar-end finagling to add some extra positions for longer distance though. I’m not a roadie, mind, but I’m yet to find the road ride where I’d rather have drops.

Flat barred road bikes can work very well. Bar ends can give you another position.

I like drops cos I can go faster, but I’ve spend ages getting them set up right and I can be comfortably on them for ages. Plus I’m a bit more flexible than your typical fat old mamil.

I’m as flexible as an oak door. I use the drops when I’m descending fast (out the wind and more control) but ride on the hoods the rest of the time.

I did a skills day with Chris Ball and one of our group had some curly mtb bars, maybe marys. Chris, who trains world cup dhers, pointed out they they dramatically reduce the amount of bending you can do with your elbows over the rough stuff, reducing how fast/well you can ride rough trails.

Probably fine if you ride a lot of smooth trails for long distances but not for technical stuff.

Chris, who trains world cup dhers, pointed out they they dramatically reduce the amount of bending you can do with your elbows over the rough stuff, reducing how fast/well you can ride rough trails.

I’d disagree with that, riding bars like that on a rigid says I get more arm bend and ability to soak up the rough stuff, partly as they let me engage the stronger muscles in my sides more. Put me on a susser at speed and I’d go for 750mm risers tho, just saying there’s no rule that says one bar is better / worse, just opinions and it depends on what you ride.

Drops – love them on road. Not a fan off-road unless it’s a CX-type bike that does a bit of both and the off-road stuff is tame.

Got myself a road bike a few months ago after a few yrs on a flat barred road hybrid. Never thought I’d get on with drops, especially with arthritic thumbs. Its been a revelation, lot more comfy & combined with Shimano STI units it means not having to use my thumbs to shift, just my fingers. I find the hoods that comfy i rarely if ever use the tops. Only really use the drops for descents in order to brake properly.