So I've done what I said I wouldn't do and bought a retro road frame to build up for nipping around town (either Luxembourg or London depending on the space in the flat here). It's in royal blue and chrome. I've got most of the build kit decided and am left with a dilemma. Should I go flat bars or drop? Cranks, wheelset, seatpost etc will all be silver/chrome parts.
Drop bars will look "better" on the bike but flats are more practical for city riding. I would be taping the drop bars, I don't really like the whole chromed drops thing for practicality as I have a feeling in the cold and wet it'd be unpleasant.
So yes. Drops, flats or risers?
Drops are for hipsters and look far better... but personally for riding round central London I'd want flat bars and my fingers covering the brakes.
Flats, with stubby barends. Best of both worlds.
Best of both worlds??? I've no idea which of these worlds considers bar-ends "best" but I want no part of it 😉
Bar-ends are great on commuter bikes, when you hit that long straight or uphill bit you use them, when there's traffic you don't. And you can hang your shopping off them.
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Bullhorns?
I had a road bike and sold it, hated the dropped bars etc... with the cash i picked up a Giant Rapid, great bike, road gearing, slightly relaxed geometry and flat bars with short bar ends, comfy and fast as a road bike as well.
Much prefer the flat bars to dropped.
I'm fine with dropped bars but PURELY as a city bike, I think flat/riser will be better. But aesthetically, vintage road bikes look nicer with drops. I guess it comes down to if I want safer or prettier then 😉
Whatta bout Mary bars? or some other bendy wendy bar
?
Neither? Swept-back alt bars on mine, love them. Like a narrow carnegie or groovy cycles bar. Comfy, better wrist position, brakes always covered and as a bonus I like the looks.
Don't get why drops are so bad for city/town riding? You can still brake fine on the hoods if you don't want to be on the drops all the time.
jameso - got a picture at all?