Love the Drops.

[hsmitham]

Have had my Hilsen now 7 months I've done a California coastal tour, mini tour & rumble and a multitude of mixed terrain rides and feel I have dialed in Homer well enough...was riding the other day and just had that feeling that Homer and I were fully integrated, symbiotic I knew what to expect handling wise and found my self in the drops with a full tank of steam and felt joy! I don't know but being in the drops cutting through the wind legs churning... though I'm an un-racer Homer whispered in my ear it's okay let's do it... let's race a little. And race we did stars and galaxies we raced; the fatigue you feel when you've expend some energy, beads of sweat sit up and breath relax and cruise cause Homers got me covered for that too. I've been told I'd love a set of albatross bars or "M" bars and I even got a chance to check out the new Albastashes on Manny' ride but I'm just not yet ready to discard the Noodles maybe in the future when my back complains or on another build but for now it's me the Hisen and the drops for as long as we can...Love the drops.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalpusher61/9418447980/

Do you love the drops?

~Hugh

[William]

I love drops.  I have drop bars on all my bikes.  I run 'em high on the Bombadil, and run 'em low on my new lightweight rando bike.  I run them in between on the other bikes, including my Hilsen.  Drops are where it's at, for me.  If I ever get around to a Betty Foy build, it also will be with drops.  No question about it.  

[Eric Norris]

My town bikes have upright bars--great for riding a few miles across Davis, but for anything longer I use drop bars. 

I've tried mustache bars on two different bikes with no success--just can't find a comfortable hand position for long rides.

--Eric Norris
Email: campyo...@me.com
Web: www.campyonly.com
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[Bryan]

Hi, Hugh

I love the drops! Both of my Rivs proudly sport 46 Noodles. I've done the Moustache and Albatross thing (I still have Albatrosses mounted on my old kid-hauling Stumpjumper), but Noodles rule for all my riding needs - commuting, off road, pavement, whatever. Noodles are the only pain-free bar for me, too. Moustache and Albatross bars are both really fun for about 15-20 miles, and then they start to cause pain, at least for me. Noodles keep me moving around and happy. 

Glad you're enjoying that great bike of yours!

Bryan    

[Curtis McKenzie]

Hi Hugh,

A timely post.  On Saturday I changed from Noodles to Albatross bars. Did a 300 plus mile tour with the drops and felt something was missing. So...on went the Albatross bars. First ride using them was yesterday.  Did about 40 miles. So far I really like them here is why:

1.  More up right.  I can see better not only the cars, but the environment as a whole.  At the speed the bike goes I like to look around and see the sights.

2.  My hands seem to fall naturally on the cork grips.

3.  Good for climbing hills.  I can stand up and really pedal.

4.  A wide variety of hand positions;  on the cork, just in front over the brakes, on the tape in front of the cork, or for more areo on the curves and just to the left and right of the stem.

5.  Breaking is more positive for me as well.

6.  The nature of my riding changed.  I had more fun with the Albs.  Was it riding something new or the position?  Time will tell.

So Hugh, I will be happy to let you ride my Hilsen on the up coming rumble so you can get a first hand experience. 

Peace,

Curtis

--

[dougP]

Hugh:

You've really captured a feeling in your description of you ride.  Those times are truly special. 

As to the bars, I've always been comfortable with drops but occasionally muse on trying an upright bar on my Atlantis.  I've tried Moustache bars on another bike & couldn't get used to them.  Drops have more hand positions and allow the rider to sit at various back angles.  Mine are high enough that I'm virtually upright when my hands are on the tops.  When headwinds kick in, drops let the rider hide a bit from the wind. 

Off-road is where I think uprights may have a place, especially with braking.  I suspect that aero levers, even with good quality brake cable housing, lose some force compared to MTB brake levers.  Uprights also seem to fall into the 55-60 cm range in width, providing greater leverage than even wide drops. 

dougP

On Monday, August 12, 2013 10:38:07 AM UTC-7, hsmitham wrote:

[Joe K]

I have always loved the drops, and almost all my adult bikes have had them.  I guess it's partly because I came to love biking during the '70s bike boom, and that's how the bikes were set up.

So I got comfortable on those.  Then I tried some more-or-less Alba-type bars (on a nice Schwinn 5-speed) and discovered I really didn't like them.  I suspect the reason has less to do with what I'm used to than that I'm a pianist, and it bugs me to keep my hands in one place for any period of time.  I need the change of positions, it seems.

Joe K

[Andy Smitty Schmidt]

Great description, Hugh. What you describe is exactly what I felt when I test rode a Homer. I had been thinking Atlantis, Sam or possibly a Hunqa. But the test ride Homer fit perfectly and cajoled me forward. The Atlantis, Sam and Hunqa were all suddenly in 2nd place. 

Regarding bars...

I have 3 bikes that I ride regularly... Homer w/ 48 Noodles, Jackalope city bike w/ Albas, and Big Dummy cargo bike w/ Bosco Bars. They all (the different bars) seem to have their place. I think about swapping the Noodles/Albas on the Homer/Jackalope but I think to get the most out of it I'd have to change several other things too, so laziness leaves things how they are. 

--Smitty

[Hugh Smitham]

Hey Bryan,

Thanks I am enjoying the Hilsen. We need to get a ride in soon. I figure you've been busy of late.

Best,

Hugh

Sunland, Ca

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[Evan Spacht]

Hugh, 

Your post made me feel a bit of nostalgia for my 41cm Noodles! I envy your comfort on the Noodles because for me I could never quite find them relaxed.

If only I had a longer arms, and didn't have as much of a reach (with even the shortest stem)  I'd probably have kept them.

I dig the the Noodles, but I guess the Albas provided a more comfortable fit with the drawback of being a bit less aerodynamic.

[dougP]

Comfort is king.  Aero only matters in a headwind or hurry. 

dougP

[Hugh Smitham]

Curtis,

I appreciate the offer however the differential between my Hilsen 58 cm and your 67cm Hilsen probably wouldn't be the most effective trial geometry. I'd have to plant my magic bean just to mount your bike friendly giant. I will give it a go just for the humor of it.

Of course it's all based on individual need and I'm sure I'll love a bicycle outfitted with an albatross or stash bar.

Best,

Hugh

Sunland, Ca

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[Hugh Smitham]

Andy.

Thanks for the kind words.

As far as bars go if I had the bikes you speak of I'm sure I'd love up right bars on a cargo or strictly city bicycle. I remember considering the Atlantis, Hillborne and Hilsen , the Hilsen obviously won because it promised to carry a medium load but was willing to get up and go, It was so nimble. With my noodle's I count at the least 5 different hand positions:

1.Hoods,

2. Behind the Hoods on the flat,.

3.On the curve,.

4.Top of the bars close to the stem and

5.The drops

...yeah I won't be changing anytime soon.

Best,

Hugh

Sunland, Ca

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[cyclotourist]

Albas and M-bars are great, but lack that extra position in the drops
that I find necessary on longer rides (>3 hrs). Yes there are multiple
hand positions on those bars, but they're on the same plane, so my
arm, neck and shoulder muscles don't get enough change in the ride to
be most comfortable. I don't ride in the drops that much, but having
them as an option is quite helpful.

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Cheers,
David

"it isn't a contest. Just enjoy the ride." - Seth Vidal

[Mike Schiller]

no disagreement here... I have 46 cm Noodles on all of my bikes I ride any distance on (well one has Soba's...but it's the same design).  Even have a spare set or two sitting in storage for the next bike project.  I'm trying upright  bars on my new city bike but it just doesn't feel right...yet.

~mike

[fulf]

Yes, love the drops. I've had them on my Atlantis since day one and have never considered changing. I really enjoyed reading your description, Hugh. I know the feeling you describe. Well done.  Bill

[Bryan]

Hi, Hugh

Sounds good. Let me know if you ever have a Sunday off from work and want to ride. 

Bryan

[Ryan]

Agreed

 

I've been flirting with the idea of taking off the Nitto "Dream" bars ...whatever the model# is from my Road and completely switching out to M bars which I use on my other 3 bikes

 

But...the drop bars...especially with those dreamy TRP road levers are the ticket for the longer rides (35+ miles) are staying for now. Especially when it's windy. And winds are a feature

of my world.

 

I do have 2 new sets of M-bars in the bin now in case I ever change my mind.

[Brian Campbell]

+1! Love the drops. I have 3 road bikes and one tandem. All have 46cm noodles. I have tried the upright bars and they Don't work for anything but a short ride for me.0

[hsmitham]

Bryan.

I have Sunday mornings off I can feasibly start at 8 am do a 20 or 25 miler with some lunch and then split for work. If we met say around Griffith park we could ride some of the LA river trail then loop up to the observatory and down garbage truck back to our cars? I'm also open to riding David's SM to Pacific Palisades mixed terrain loop I think it's 26 miles with some great views I'd need to get an earlier start to take account for travel time back to Downtown. Let me know what you think. Of course we can invite others too :-) 

Best,

~Hugh

[Steven Frederick]

Yeah, I've run noodles for years and, since an unfortunate episode with a herniated disc in my neck last summer, find myself wanting to shorten the reach beyond what is possible to accomplish by using a shorter stem.  I put a set of short/shallow bars from Soma (HWY 1) on my latest bike and they're pretty good.   Steve

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[Patrick Moore]

Would raising them significantly make them work? Don't suppose this hasn't occurred to you, but it does allow me to mention that after replacing the Midge bar on the Fargo with a much narrower but much deeper drop 44 cm B 135, I found that placing the bar about 1" above the saddle -- 2" higher than on my road bikes -- but further forward made it wonderfully comfortable. I can get a low, aero tuck in the hooks but sit up practically straight on the flats.

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[Hugh Smitham]

Patrick,

Yes, that essentially describes my set up and why my drops feel so good. When I sit up hands on top of the bar I sit fairly upright so I get the best of both. When riding a carbon race bike I could only stand being in the drops for a really brief period.

What Steven described would probably have me going to an albatross bar. Even as I like my current position it's still not completely upright so if I had neck pain I would have to concede and discard the noodles.

~Hugh

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[Steven Frederick]

I did run the drops higher than my saddle for a while right after I recovered enough to get back on my drop-barred bikes but it feels unbalanced to me and puts too much pressure on my hands.  Same (hand pressure) problem, plus lack of varied hand-position and back angle options keeps me from using Albas on anything I'm going to ride more than a couple of miiles.  I need my bars at or just below saddle height it seems, but I think I might now need the hoods closer than Noodles will allow.  I'm going to spend a bit more time on these short and shallow bars before I change over any other bikes, though-no sense rushing into anything! 

Steve

[Patrick Moore]

Hugh and Steve: I think -- not sure, but I *think* -- that the key to higher-bar comfort and efficiency, at least in my own case, is to maintain the bend at the hips and sufficient weight forward of the bike centerline by extending the bar forward as it comes up. I've described this before, but once again: beside the higher/further B135 Randos on the Fargo, last year or so I removed the short 42 cm 185s (90/140) circa 2" below saddle and replaced them with Grand Bois Maes Parallels on the two custom Rivs, at 115/125 and 1" below saddle. The overall effect is a higher position to accomodate my aging neck, but the significantly longer reach seems to give me just as much power as shorter and lower, while being more comfortable (same 8 cm stems as with the 185s).

On the Ram, the bar a wee bit higher yet -- perhaps 2 cm below saddle instead of 3 cm -- but with a 9 instead of an 8 cm stem. Of course, the Noodles sweep back, too. At any rate, on all four bikes, higher but further forward gives me a very nice combination of comfort and power -- I use the hooks as much for the power contributed by the muscles brought into play as you bend further forward, as for aerodynamics.

Patrick Moore, who 22 years ago had his bars 6" below saddle.

[Patrick Moore]

I forgot to add that, with bars set up as described, 5 miles in the hooks nonstop is no problem, almost indefinitely with the Fargo. I am doing neck stretching exercises recommended by Mark Rosenberg (?) at howtostretch.com, but given that I routinely ride 5 miles or so in the hooks non stop -- the last 5 miles of the 11 miles between my mother's house and mine, four of which going south and often against a wind on a flat, uninterrupted bike trail -- I must be doing something right.