# MTBer has drop bar concerns...



## CoastieTX (Oct 23, 2009)

OK, so I'm commuting to work on a rigid 29er and so far, so good...on the rare occasion it's dry here in the Pacific Northwest. I really want to build a dedicated all weather fendered commuter and here's the issue.

I've been doing this long enough to realize the advantages of drop bars. On the straight-aways, they'd be great, especially if there's a headwind. In these conditions, I'm already trying to lower and "tuck" myself into a more aero position. But in all other scenarios, I seem to find the ergonomics of STIs and narrower bars not to my liking - at all - but considering the overwhelming popularity of drops, I can't help to think I just need to get used to them?

Here's what I like about my bike, and what I disliked about my experience riding drops:

The 29er allows me a wide, full grip on the bars, with the brakes and shifters readily accessible. A wide grip just feels so much more natural to me when hanging on tight and muscling my way through sprints away from lights, or negotiating curbs. I like to mash, not spin, up hills and again, the wide grips aid in "rocking" the bike while climbing. I also like to ride through town standing a lot, which gives a good view of what's happening. 

Drops and STIs: First, the narrow grip. I'd never ride my bike gripping the bar next to the stem, especially not going through anything rough, including up and down curbs, and this is what riding the tops feels like to me. I'm used to having more leverage. And when sprinting from a stop, or mashing up hills, which I like to do out of the saddle, grabbing the hoods just doesn't feel as secure. I also do not like having to go from the tops to the hoods just to shift or brake, especially in town.

To make a long story short - drops feel confining, they don't give me confidence in out of the saddle sprinting and climbing, and I don't like having to go to the hoods around traffic and pedestrians to shift and brake.

So, at this point, I'm wondering if my riding style just isn't compatible with drops, or I would just have to give them some time and get used to them. If any of you guys mountain bike also, were you able to feel as comfortable and agile with a drop bar bike as you did with your MTB?

The overwhelming collective experience seems to indicate if I go with a flar bar bike, I'll regret the decision, and I want to do this purchase right...


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## tuffguy1500 (Jul 17, 2008)

Try drop bars with less drop, like a randonneur style. There's tons of options out there for situations like yours. I went from MTB to road with drop bars(42cm), and I find my hands on the hoods for the majority of my ride.. it's rare that i fun flat on the top, and I'm only in the drops going downhill.. It's actually more odd to me to back to the MTB with flat bars.. 

/I'm a Norwester and commute 4 days week rain or shine, so fenders are an easy recommendation


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## brucew (Jun 3, 2006)

You may be more comfortable on a bike with a more relaxed front end. If you find you ride the tops more than the hoods, the bars may be too low or the reach too far. A taller stem, shorter stem, or relaxed front end may be the fix. My favorite bike--which is my commuting rig--has a relaxed front end.

As for having your hands in the right place for braking or shifting, when the bike is dialed-in right for commuting, the hoods should feel just right for your default position. If you don't feel right on the hoods, the fit is wrong. (Racing may be another story, but I can't say since I don't race.) I also climb from the hoods. Gives me something to pull on.

The only time I ever use the tops is when I'm sitting up drinking. Three or four gulps from the bottle, then it's back to the hoods. I use the drops only in headwinds and on fast descents. 

In short, I could wrap my bars in barbed wire instead of cork, and it would hardly change a thing for how I ride on it, because the hoods are in the right place to begin with, for the most comfortable ride.

As for aero, width is perhaps more important than getting low. Take a look at the pros on aerobars. They'll sometimes sacrifice low for narrow. Drop bars come in different widths, generally from 38cm to 44cm in 2 cm increments. I also like 42s. Not so narrow, but I'm not a pro and it seems to help keep my chest open for better breathing.


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## stunzeed (Jul 27, 2007)

It took me awhile to get used to drop bars when I start road riding but then I got used to it and feel very comfortable. I just got a SS CX Commuter bike that came with drop bars. I want it for more of a fun summer/spring bike so i just put flat bars on there for more relaxed riding.

I plan to switch to the drops in the winter months when i will be using the bike more for road riding and training.

So I would say you will be probably be fine on drops once you get used to them. If you do spend more time on the tops of the bars consider putting MTB type levers on the flats and not use STI


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Many roadies don't use their drops, and the primary reason is that their handlebars are too low. If you raise the handlebars (or use a bar with shallower drops), it is very comfortable riding in the drops. If road handlebars feel too narrow, maybe they are too narrow. Road bars come in a variety of widths, so get wider drop bars if that's what you like.

Seriously, most roadies could probably get by with bullhorns because their handlebars are so that that they can't comfortably ride in their drops. However, drops are great if you have the flexibility to use them or run your handlebars high enough.


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## mitmoned (Apr 7, 2008)

How wide were the drop bars you were using? I think Nitto makes a rather wider bar - like 46cm or 48cm wide instead of the standard 42 or 44. When I first got a road bike, I was sized for a 42, but have since gone to 44s since they make me feel more stable and open up my chest some more. If you're wide shouldered, you might require a wider bar for ergonomics. 

I'm a roadie who got into mtbing. The wide bar thing did, and still does freak me out sometimes. Especially when the trail darts between 2 trees that are narrowly spaced. I have to rock the bike just at the right time and point one bar end past the tree to make it through. I've even thought about going to a narrower bar so I never catch one of those trees.

But I totally understand what you mean by wanting to get more aero on a bar that doesn't allow it. I used to ride my rigid SS 29er to trails 8 miles away from my house. On the windy days, it would suck getting on a long straight away and just feel like you could go faster if you could get low and narrow - which can't happen on a straight bar.


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## CoastieTX (Oct 23, 2009)

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've ridden a few Kona Jakes now, both new and used, and a used Salsa Casseroll. This particular Casseroll I dismissed rather quickly because of its build - it was set up much racier than I would have liked, and there were too many parts on it that would have needed swapping out. Now, when I talk about narrow bars, I am referring to the Jakes I had ridden. I don't know their measurements, but their bars felt very confining to me. The only thing that was changed on all my test rides was seat post height, so that probably explains my initial impressions of drop bar bikes.

brucew, what you said makes a lot of sense, especially about having a bike with a relaxed front end. I'm focusing on something like a Salsa Vaya with a taller headtube for this reason (and discs - tried to make my peace with the canti bikes, but couldn't). I figure a drop bar bike probably doesn't get much more relaxed than the Vaya. I've actually read through a lot of your posts because you've been commuting a while now on a drop bar disc bike, which is exactly what I want, and have learned a lot. Thanks for your input in the forum.

I can't test ride a Vaya before ordering one, so this will be a "cold" buy. I have kicked around the idea of doing a 1x9 flar bar Vaya, with Rival everywhere, including their double-tap trigger shifter. This seems the most cost effective route to go - it'd be cheaper to go from flat bar to drop than the inverse, considering what brifters cost. But again, collective experience indicates I'll regret this and want drops.

I think part of my indecision is the result of not being able to test ride a Vaya adjusted properly for me...I have a feeling if I could, the experience would be like a revelation.


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## eric_syd (Feb 25, 2006)

There are lots of threads you could be interested in the 29er forum.
Search for Monstercross or MTB drop bars.
Typically the On-one Midge or Origin8 Gary fit your description. Wide shallow drop.
Funny enough, My pics are from a Zion 29er but I'm waiting for a Vaya frame that I will fit with all the parts from this build for better on-road performance.
I'm not fit and flexible enough to use normal drop-bars or at least use the drops more than a few minutes at a time in a downhill. Neither do I like my wrist position in the drops.
This Midge in a more relaxed position has been a revelation for me. It is so comfortable even off-road.


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## Klong (Dec 6, 2007)

There are lots of 29ers with comfortable drops (including mine) over on MTBR.

The Monstercross thread should give you lots of setup ideas as well. Both threads contain discussions of brake and shifter options/choices.

I agree with the other posters, drops are very versatile if you take the time to set them up for the type of riding you do. Forget about how racers set them up, put 'em up high. WTB, Soma, On-One, Origin-8, and Salsa all offer off-road drops that are wide and flared for comfort and control in the drops.

If you check the Salsa site, you'll see that they spec different width bars on different sizes for different body types.The Vaya looks sweet, but the size you buy will depend somewhat on the setup you want. For example, you might want a longer TT if you use flat bars than if you kept the drops.

Happy commuting.


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## Lifelover (Jul 8, 2004)

Stick with flat bars. Like yourself, I FEEL much more confident with wide flat bars. I spend much more time on a drop bar road bike and have never really MTB too much.

I have always wondered why I prefer it. I'm not sure if it's the width, the flat hand grip or just the nature of the bikes.

As a test, I just completed the conversion of my Airborne to a flat bar road bike. I intentionally chose narrow bars to see how that impacted my perceived handling.

I only have a couple of miles on the bike and still need to dial in some saddle issues. After I have at least a few hundred miles on it I'm going to swap out the bars with some much wider riser bars. If I think about it I will report back what I find.


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