In The Drops

As the 15mph headwind pushed against me and the Varsity on Monday afternoon on the long gradual incline of W. Exchange, I slipped my hands onto "the hoods" to cut the wind.  It made all the difference.  The slight shifting of my body position improved the aerodynamics and caused me to generate more power in my legs.  Since I was stuck in a high gear, that little trick made it possible for me to climb without huffing and puffing.

Drop handlebars are, in a word, ingenious.  I am in love.

The last time I had a bike with drops it was my mother's old something or other from the 80's.  I never used the drops because they intimidated me and the bike was quickly traded in for the Diamondback.  In college when I rode the Varsity, I never used the drops either, because, well, they still intimidated me (plus the bars had this weird foam on them that made switching positions awkward and uncomfortable.  Other than that, I've always had risers or flat bars.  However, now that I've gone back to using the Varsity (hopefully, I'll get some good news from the LBS today) and I'm a more confident cyclist, I've really enjoyed having them.

Drop handle bars basically look like this:

There are some modifications on the design such as flatter curves, or flattened tops, and grooves for cables so they lay nicely under the bar tape.   Drop bars are typically found on road or touring bikes.  They are also common on Cross bikes.  The style of the drops depends on the bicycle and its rider.  Some people find the traditional style (shown above) to be more comfortable and others prefer ones that have flatter curves (common on racing bikes).  No matter their style, the drops provide 4 hand positions:

The first position, "on the flats" or "the tops," is often used for climbing and will put you in the most upright position.  I tend to ride there if I'm in a more congested area so I'm more visible and have better visibility myself.  Plus, for me, the brakes are easiest to grasp in this position on the Varsity.  The second position is called "on the hoods", which refers to you resting the your hands on the tops of the brake levers.  Its still a higher position, but lower than being on the flats.  This is where I typically place my hands as it doesn't aggravate my carpal tunnel, and it can be easily exited when I need to stop or shift.  The third position is called "in the drops."  This is the most common position, where there is access to shifters and brakes.  It puts the cyclist in a more aerodynamic position.  The last position is called "in the hooks."  It is the most aerodynamic position because it straightens the back and is the lowest.  Brakes and shifters (unless you have bar end shifters) are inaccessible from the hooks.  Drop bars tend to be narrower than straight or riser bars and, typically, they should match the cyclist's shoulder width.

The great thing about having drop bars is that they allow you to change your position in response to the conditions.  Let's face it, most of us that commute encounter varying terrain and obstacles throughout the ride so it helps to have options.  In the mornings, most of my ride is a long climb.  When I take the Varsity, I'm more comfortable and efficient.  In the afternoon, there's almost always a strong wind from the west, so being in the drops has greatly reduced the resistance.  Another advantage is that they allow you to move around more, reducing hand and arm fatigue on those long rides.  Plus, they can be tipped up or tipped down depending on the cyclist's needs.  While we were at the LBS last week, someone brought in the same model Redline my husband has.  Unlike my husband that left his bars in the stock position, this guy had tipped his up for his comfort.  It looked completely different.

This morning I took the FX to work.  After using the Varsity the last few weeks, I really noticed  how handlebars dictate how I ride.  Since I've fallen in love with them, I really missed the drops this morning.  I know I will miss them during the climb through the headwind this afternoon.  The plan, depending on how much of a hit we take with the derailleur repair, is to eventually install drops on the FX.  I'm looking forward to my most versatile bicycle being even more versatile.

Of course, its up to the cyclist on the type of bars they use.  I've noticed a variety of styles here in Akron on hybrids, road, and mountain bikes.  I've seen risers, flat, bullhorn, mustache, upright, butterfly, and even ape hanger bars.  Yes, that means there are many more people on bikes in AK-Rowdy than there were in 2010.

No matter what bars they use, I'm glad they're riding.

If you want to see all sorts of weird handlebar configurations, check out Bike Snob NYC's blog.  There are some real doozies on there.

via Bike Snob NYC