Got my Trek Checkpoint ALR5 delivered and fitted yesterday. 58cm frame. Had the stem switched from a 90mm to a 70mm flipped positive to get me a better posture.
Riding drop bars for the first time wasn't as weird and different as I was expecting. It will take me some time to get used to. It's not my wide flarbars from my Giant Talon 3 anymore… A XC bike. But two things feels different on the drop bars.
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Shifting is a totally different experience. More often than not I'm occasionally applying the brakes as well when I shift. I'd say this may come with experience.
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Riding the drops puts me on a position that feels very weird. It gives me a very confident access to the brakes. But feels like I'm too curled in somehow. Maybe I should be more stretched? I had a bike fit done, so maybe that's just me?
Generally riding the bike is a total new experience. I'm very scared of riding it fast, still. Feels like I'm learning to ride again. I was impressed by how stable the steering is. More stable than the MTBs I had. Turning also feels different. Leaning in pulled my steering more than I was expecting.
If anyone can give opinions about riding on the drops and / or general points of view, I'd love that.
by Outrageous-Ground-41
5 Comments
Riding in the drops is an important skill. You dont want to descend on the hoods, hit a rock and slip off the bars because that’s a faceplant and a trip to the dentist right there. Costly and he has a more expensive bike causing a N+1 situation.
It’s scary at first but you’ll get used to it. You’ll feel more stable and confident over time.
If you feel curled up in the drops you might be not be stretched out enough which could cause neck and shoulder issues (anecdotally but it did for both me, my GF and my brother). Getting low and long is something you need to get used to and most importantly feel for yourself how far your body allows you to go and keep that position. Not everybody is a skinny pro cyclist that can fold in half.
The shifting/braking is also just something to get used to. I never really got used to the shifting style so I went with SRAM after a while but it’s 100% a rider thing. You’ll get used to it over time.
Welcome to the drop bar world! I’ll validate the difference you’re experiencing between your mtb and this ride as very different and will take a while to get used to in general. When it comes to judging a bike fit, it’s important to get a few hundred miles in at least before considering adjustments (barring anything hurting of course). That said, while 70mm ain’t unheard of for gravel bikes especially with today’s geo, it makes me wonder if it’s an actual fit thing or if it’s a compensation for the frame being too big for you.
When you say bike fit, what does that mean? As in you paid a professional for a few hours of fit work, or the shop you bought this from “fit” you to the bike as an included service?
Nice bike!
I think you just need some time riding it. Stick with easier terrain or just pavement for a little bit. Since you got a bike fit I would trust it for a little while. You can always make changes later if a fit issue is still sticking out as a problem or just not working well with your personal preference. If a longer stem stretches you out and forces you to put more weight on your hands it’s going to be much less comfortable on gravel. You really want your hands to be pretty light on the bars for gravel so your upper body isn’t absorbing the full force of the terrain.
For the brakes from the top of the hoods it’s always good to wrap at least two fingers around the hoods for a secure hold. Keep the other finger or two on the brake lever. Depending on your local gravel and the ambient lighting it can be very hard to see some holes while descending at 25+mph. Hitting one can bounce your hand off the handlebar and cause a crash if you don’t have a few fingers wrapped around. Using the drops is a more secure position but I don’t care to spend every downhill with my hands on the drop position.
You need some time in the saddle if your new to dropbars and the feel for any new bike in general before you start pushing it. Fine bike you got there so bet you will have much fun on it when you get comfortable on it.
Shifting while applying the brakes isn’t a very common thing and not something you should regularly be doing. You need pedal for the shifting to work. Pedaling while braking is counterintuitive. I would break hard enough to get to a comfortable speed, release the brakes, shift, pedaling to complete the shift, then go back on brakes if you need.