Hmmm, I see the old "I can't do it so it can't be done" arguement has raised its ugly head.
[i]The simple reason being they were never made for it[/i]
BS, look at bike the pass stormers rode back in the late 1800's across america or the early TdF whch was all on rough tracks (and on fixies with big wheels but I digress) Wides flared drop bars were the way to do it.
Off road drop bars, Jones / Mary / Luv Handles all put your arms at a more natural and efficient angle for steering and shock absorbtion. If they are set up right (hooks of the drop bars at the level of "regular" bars) they are just as good if not better.
SSP
Dropbars and other freak bars are fine for,
The very skilled
People not wanting to travel fast off road
People who ride dull trails
(no doubt we'll get the usual Jeff Jones picture at this point to prove the viabillity of daft bars, but just imagine how fast he'd go on aproper bike)
So perfect for the average STWer then ;0)
I'm not seeing drop bars on the following
DH/Freeride bikes
Motocross bikes
XC Race bikes
Enduro bikes MTB or with engines.
Could there be a reason for this?
They are ace on road and cross bikes though.
They are ace on road and cross bikes though.
And also monstercross/dropbar 29ers.
It's all riding and a good excuse to own [b]another[/b] bike.
i saw a jones SS in the Wyre tonight
monstercross - that's just cyclo cross without the racing yeah?
I did love my cyclo cross bike and it was ace taking it down silly trails but I'm just too limp wristed to cope with skinny tyres and the sort of trails I want to ride it on.
no way can you have the same control from drops as say 700mm risers. Happy for folk to ride them off road for whatever reason but please be reasonable!
For me: flats/risers for 'proper' off-road, drops for 'dirt roadie'
I can ride most trails with drops just for the record! Its just risers or flar bar and bar ends is just way better! I have gone down wharncliffe woods on my old Kaffenback with flat bars and ends and then tried it on my old PX Uncle John with Salsa Bell Laps. It felt much better with flat bars. Much better and safer on a bike that had proper MTB style bars. I could ride BMX with drop bars and do air on ramps. Would it not be safer and easier on BMX bars though?
Its just niche bikes have to have niche bars. I can use my teeth to take a bottle top off but its better to use my hand!