Hi I am recovering from a broken collarbone and am finding my bike more uncomfortable than ever. Is there anything to keep in mind wanting to get my first drop bar bike?
by stinkyclint
Hi I am recovering from a broken collarbone and am finding my bike more uncomfortable than ever. Is there anything to keep in mind wanting to get my first drop bar bike?
by stinkyclint
6 Comments
Drop bars are like clipless pedals. Some folks swear by them, others will use them because they think they should, and some don’t like them. Whatever you do, you might try raising your levers first, they’re so far down that it probably takes a pretty unnatural hand position to use them which could certainly impact the overall fit.
I started out with an REI brand hybrid. I grew to really dislike the aesthetics of it. After 500 miles and lots of thought I settled on the type of bike I really wanted (steel frame, big enough tire clearance, mounting points for racks). Decided I would try out drop bars, and if I didn’t like them, I would just sell the bike even if it meant taking a little bit of a loss. Finally found a bike that I fell in love with that fit my criteria. Took a little bit of getting used to but now I have no interest in going back to flat bars. Getting the fit down was a process. I mean you could spend a couple hundred dollars on a professional bike fit, or you can just play around with tweaking things like I did. Wish I had some better advice or knowledge to offer. Good luck and I hope your collarbone heals up well.
Could always toss on some bar ends like Ergon grips. Perhaps also consider a bike fit.
If you can, go take a half hour demo ride with a well-fit drop bar gravel bike. I have multiple injuries from off-road motorcycling that give me all kinds of aches and pains. The Ritchey Corallitos drop bar is the most comfortable bar I have ever ridden. It gives me three very comfortable hand positions, including shallow drops. Being able to move around on the bars really helps.
However, if you find you prefer the flat bar, then as another suggested, Ergon bar-ends would be another solid option.
I just started riding a bike again and I am using my bike from the 90s. Despite my general lack of fitness, it’s just my hands that are sore from my 60km rides. I’ve ordered a bullhorn handle bar from aliexpress for $20 CAD, to see if that helps. I just can’t get into the brakes on drop bars. Do you want to sell me that sweet bike?
I’m skeptical you’ll find drip bar comfortable without some steam and handlebar customization.
So keep that in mind. Generally drip bar backs are less comfortable than flat, so maybe try one to see if it isn’t worse.
Note: I mostly ride drop bar. It’s just that it’s definitely not as comfortable. Different geometries will dramatically change pressure on shoulders and hands, maybe more than bar type.