First impressions are mixed but mainly good. I love how light/fast it is and it's actually pretty comfy when using the flat bit of the bar. Currently I'm not enjoying using the drops at all, it's far too low and just feels so awkward. The steering is also really twitchy especially when standing up to pedal – bars are really narrow. I'll see how it goes but I may be tempted to swap for a wider flat bar in a few weeks – what diameter do I need and will the brakes work with v-brake levers?

Oh and a pic to prove its existence. It looks odd as I'm using bmx pedals (have no spd shoes), have flipped the stem to make it a bit comfier and also have no idea how to angle the bars.

I don't dare ride it fixed yet, it's hard enough trying to get used to a completely new riding position!

If the drops aren't comfy, stick to the hoods, it's easier anyway for braking.

Ride on the hoods to get used to it, I'd definitely recommend persevering rather than going to flats. Most people don't spend that much time in the drops anyway – I only use them maybe 20% of the time at most, when there's a headwind or I'm pushing hard.

the usual mtb'er response to a road bike. flexibility will improve the more you ride it.
why put a flat bar on it and turn it into a nodder hybrid? you could have slicked up an old hardtail instead.

Most people don't spend that much time in the drops anyway

then the bike is set up wrong or you lack flexibilty. i use mine more than half the time, the lower you are the faster you go 🙂

You will likely grow to love twitchiness/responsiveness once you get used to it – it is something that at slow speeds can sometimes feel a bit awkward but when going faster it is like the bike just comes alive.

Yeah it is a bit faster on the drops, it just feels so weird. Gonna go for a proper ride soon as its finally stopped raining.

I only bought this bike for fitness and hopefully commuting, so I'm not that bothered about how "proper roadXcore" it is, I just wanted something that rolls on road well rather than compromising on tyre choice etc with my MTB.

tempted to swap for a wider flat bar

🙄

To match your pedals???!!! 😉

Just pullin ya leg. Stick with the drops a while. They'll grow on you. Be a shame to spoil such a nice looking bike.

SB

then the bike is set up wrong or you lack flexibilty. i use mine more than half the time, the lower you are the faster you go

You're obviously in too much of a hurry 😉

I *can* spend all day in the drops, but I also like to enjoy the view beyond the 6ft of tarmac in front of me.

To match your pedals???!!!

😀

Can't really afford SPD shoes at the minute so the hideous yellow pedals are gonna have to stay for a while. My mtb needs some new things (wider bars, incidentally!) so that comes first.

i know exactly how you feel, i went through the same thing as im predominately a mtber and got a road bike to commute and get fit…. you'll find that the fitter and faster you get the more you will naturally use the whole bar, enjoy it dude. the fitter you get the more you will love it

Just had a quick 3-4 mile blast before it got too dark to be seen. So very fast compared to my mtb 😀 I think the bar position needs to be adjusted though, my palms got sore really quickly. Does this mean they need to be angled more up or down?

Already got used to riding on the hoods, even used the drops a few times. It does make sense when there's a headwind.

*high fives another langster owner*

I rode mine free for about 2 months, before taking the plunge into fixed wheel biking. Not switched back yet 😉

Only thing I have replaced since buying (Aug 09) is the brake pads.

I can recommend the Shimano A530 pedals – useful when you're popping down the shops in trainers, yet flip over and they're SPDs….

Hi Tom,

Some traditional advice says to have the bottom of the drops parrallel to the ground but this doesn't work with a lot of modern bar shapes and groupsets – the drop section usually points down a bit like yours, just not so much your hands slip off on bumpy roads.

The bar position on Xiphon's bike is pretty much how I have mine, with the top portion of the bar flat leading into a pretty flat hoods section. His bar shape, which has a smaller drop to the bottom section and quite a tight curl, is pretty popular at the moment as top and bottom end up at about the same angle and you are not so low down on the drops so you use them more. As a newer roadie you may prefer this option.

It's well worth having a play with lever and bar position (you can loosen the levers and move them up and down a fair bit without it messing with the tape – it's surprising how much difference this can make), and if you can't get a position you are comfy with try some other bars – decent ones are really inexpensive and you can see what different brands/shapes feel like in a shop if you have on nearby. Bars like Xiphons are called compact bars and may be worth seeking out if you can't get comfy on yours.

Don't change anything too soon though – still early days and you may settle with it!

Don't worry about the hands being a bit sore – you probably just need to get used to carrying a bit more weight there. Your bars aren't much below your saddle so I doubt you are leaning too far forward which can force you to put too much weight on your hands. As you suggest, bar/lever position first and a few more miles on the clock :o)

Ride on the hoods to get used to it, I'd definitely recommend persevering rather than going to flats. Most people don't spend that much time in the drops anyway – I only use them maybe 20% of the time at most, when there's a headwind or I'm pushing hard.

+1

I *can* spend all day in the drops, but I also like to enjoy the view beyond the 6ft of tarmac in front of me.

maybe you need to look at your bar position too 🙂

To the OP – try angling the bars down a bit so that your hands "fall" more naturally into the hooks. You might actually find that flipping the stem back helps this.

just keep working on it – making little adjustments and see how it feels on the next ride.

It's hard to tell from the above picture from the OP, but it does look like the bike has a very long stem on it. might be worth trying a shorter one – see xipher's bike, it has a much shorter stem.

I have the flat of the drops on both my road bikes slightly pointing up, which drops the hoods but make the bike feel much more secure (to me) on the drops. It works for me (long legs, short upper body, long arms).

There's no golden rule – just keep tinkering. seat position (fore-aft, height), stem height & length, bar angle.

Keep at it though.. my first ride on a single speed track bike was scary as. So was the second. and third. though by this stage things were getting better & I had more confidence, esp. in traffic and on rough descents in the peaks. Now I love the fast handling of both my singlecross and focus road bike – the mtb's feel barge-like by comparison!!!

+1 john_l's comment – kind of what I was alluding too with rotating the bars so the bottoms swing up. the hoods drop a bit and for me actually makes a much better & more comfortable grip. you'll prob get hand pain for a while whilst your hands get used to the new riding positions.

For the record, my langster is 100% stock, apart from the pedals.

I'm slowly building up my maximum cadence I can handle downhill. No idea what RPM, but I look like an egg whisk.

exactly the same bike as you Xiphon

🙂

Yeah the stem is long, at least 100mm I think. Not sure if its too long, I think my arms are straight when on the hoods, watched a video yesterday saying that arms should be slightly bent on them so I'm thinking maybe it is a little bit, maybe a 90mm would be better. Will persevere and play with the angle more as I hate buying new stuff all the time!

yep, arms should defo be slightly bent -helps to turn 🙂 just find a cheap shorter one or two to experiment with.

I also put an inline seat post on both mine as I prefer the 'attack' position.

Just had a proper ride, it feels great although I do think I need a slightly shorter stem in the future, probably a 90mm. Glad I didn't get a geared bike as I managed to get up the hills without too much hassle, had to push up the very last bit of one as my legs were giving in. The only problem is that due to the narrow bars it doesn't feel like I can get enough leverage to really crank up the longer hills. Don't think there's much I can do about that though..

v levers pull too much cable just to let you know.

langsters have awful headset arrangements but apart from that they are great, mines one of the dark green ones.

What levers will work with these brakes then?

Just did a test run of my commute, it only takes about 25 minutes on the way there, and that was with some lengthy traffic light stops. I was absolutely shattered coming back though, haven't got the legs for SS on hills yet. I'm also still annoyed about not having enough leverage to get the most power up hills – how do you get around this without resorting to wider bars?!

Lovely bike _tom_, I've got one exactly the same (but with proper pedals!).
I'd say that's where you're going wrong, you NEED spd type pedals on a road bike, you lose SO much power on flats. Even just whacking a cheap set of MTB spds on there and using your MTB shoes will be better than flats then you can get some roadie pedals/shoes when funds allow.

Climb on the hoods, it allows you to use your biceps to pull on the bars. If you try climbing on the tops, you're using your triceps which are smaller and so tire quicker.

Perservere with it, they are truly fantastic bikes those first generation Langsters. Apart from the dodgy headset and the rubbish hubs that they came with…

I'm also still annoyed about not having enough leverage to get the most power up hills – how do you get around this without resorting to wider bars?!

by riding fixed.

Get some cheap look pedals, with 9degree movement.

At the end of rides I can't use the drops, like last sunday when I did this Killin hillyride with 1100m climbing.

My new bike has 105 levers and hoods and I get three positions just on the hoods when climbing, which I find helps.

Using drops is lower back muscles. Cunego climbs on the drops …….

Nick

not to mention pantani

Ah, but Pantani had special sweets……..

Climb on the hoods, it allows you to use your biceps to pull on the bars. If you try climbing on the tops, you're using your triceps which are smaller and so tire quicker.

That's what I've been doing. I assume the hoods are the rubbery platiccy bit that runs to the top of the brake lever anyway?

by riding fixed.

I fail to see how fixed will make a difference to climbing since it's not like I'll be freewheeling at any point 😕

I will eventually get some spds, I have some spd pedals that came with my old rockhopper that I've never used (although they are 2nd hand), I guess they'll do. I suppose I need some cleats and shoes, but if I'm honest I have no idea how these fancy attached-to-the-bike things work.

Tried to use the drops a bit more than usual on this mornings 40 miler – it seems my gut gets in the way and you cant go down the block on campag very easily from down there. 😳

Riding fixed helps when climbing as it minimises the dead spot in the pedalling circle, the cranks want to keep turning. However, if you're just starting out on it and you're using flats, DON'T try riding fixed, you will die horribly.

Perhaps fit a slightly lower gear? Those first gen Langsters came with a 48:16 which is pretty high although the following years they went all gay and came with a 42:18 which is silly low.
I use a 48:17 on mine which gets me up most things.

not to mention pantani

Pantani is dead he doesn't do climbing anymore

Tried to use the drops a bit more than usual on this mornings 40 miler – it seems my gut gets in the way

😆 This is my problem as well, feels like I'm constantly kneeing my belly when I pedal. I suppose the point is to get rid of the belly though!

I didn't realise was in 48:16, suppose that's why I'm finding it so hard at the minute! My usual gear on mtb is about 32:16 😆

Ride souplesse like you may do on your MTB until you get fitter.

It is a nice feeling when you don't 'belly-knee', especially hunched over on a tough long climb.

Nick