Watch out! Cyclist coming through

$kully

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Feb 27, 2009
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If you look at the properly set up drops, they have a pretty much the same shape as bullhorns when you're on the hoods but you also have multiple hand positions on the drops which helps on descents and when riding into the wind (plus gives you a better leverage on the brakes for finer control).

Look at the top of the bars, when you're on the hoods, it's almost the same as bullhorns.

View attachment 91449

I think the brakes are set up a bit too high in this pic but you get the idea:

View attachment 91450

I want to replace my stock bars with a carbon bar with more flare.
 

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
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I've seen carbon fiber handlebars fail twice. Both times it was really ugly.
I’ve seen aluminum bars fail plenty of times.

not mad, just disappointed that you didn’t take off and run with my desire to have more flare. I put out the bait and you didn’t take it. You’re slipping.
 

rice

Duke status
Jul 2, 2002
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CA
buy yourself some padded shorts.....

I wear a bib to keep it in place with a pair of mountain biking shorts over and a loose jersey

riding gloves and gel tape for the bars are pretty affordable and take the edge off the vibration
I just wear bibs and a t-shirt mostly.

You should get your bike fitted so that the hoods are where you're the most comfortable. I use the drops a lot in the wind or descending or when I'm just powering out some flat miles. The more you use the drops, the more flexible you'll get and the more comfortable they'll be.
 

afoaf

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Jun 25, 2008
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I've seen carbon fiber handlebars fail twice. Both times it was really ugly.

I get worried going really fast on my bike...like...what if my tire blows
or did I tighten those nuts enough

now I can add face plant in to front post to the list of anxieties

you're a real peach, GeeDub
 

feralseppo

Billy Hamilton status
Feb 28, 2006
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I just wear bibs and a t-shirt mostly.

You should get your bike fitted so that the hoods are where you're the most comfortable. I use the drops a lot in the wind or descending or when I'm just powering out some flat miles. The more you use the drops, the more flexible you'll get and the more comfortable they'll be.
Being on the drops bombing hills in the dirt while trying to keep a finger on the brakes that are not exactly designed for that type of use is a whole new experience. Maybe I need to adjust the location.
 
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plasticbertrand

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Jan 12, 2009
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Yeah, all that makes perfect reasonable sense. Probably why the bike store people gave me the look they did..."He seemed so normal when he came in and asked if he could bring his bike in."

But when I did the drop bar thing for my primary riding (urban commute with occasional mad hair that saw me going up and over Twin Peaks/Protrero Hill/Bernal Hill/Liberty Hill/Buena Vista Heights/Lone Mountain/Mt Davidson on the way home (not all in one go)), I found my hands never on the lower part, pretty much always on the top, and only moving out the ends when I needed to brake, which is too often but I like not getting creamed by cars, so I stop. Switching to a flat bar with bar ends made the brakes more accessible without having to change hand position, gave me a slightly higher up riding stance which is good for seeing above/around cars, and the bar ends were nice so I could stretch out some on the flats when I could time the lights.

On the rare rides north of the GG Bridge, yeah, the wind made me long for the lower profile drop bars afford, not that the mt bike frame was helping much either.

Anyway, the important thing is to thank everyone for their own thoughts/experiences with bicycles as it provides a much more rounded thinking process for me.
If you want to give drop bars a go again, go with a shorter and more angled stem.
There are some really radical ones.

I did that on my Cross Check because I didn't want to be all stretched out in race mode when I'm going shopping.

But then if you have a long flat bit into the wind, you'll be glad to have the drops.

It's all in the stem, bars can only give you so much.

I can't remember the ° on mine

1590197643437.jpeg
 

afoaf

Duke status
Jun 25, 2008
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where's the basket from again?

does it pop on and off?

I want to get out and shoot proper. the cell is garbage for video and in low light
 

feralseppo

Billy Hamilton status
Feb 28, 2006
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where's the basket from again?

does it pop on and off?

I want to get out and shoot proper. the cell is garbage for video and in low light
What about the Nitto Sigma's? Kind of Bullhorn and drop hybrid.

1590203900599.png
 

griffinsurfboard

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Oct 31, 2004
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I get worried going really fast on my bike...like...what if my tire blows
or did I tighten those nuts enough

now I can add face plant in to front post to the list of anxieties

you're a real peach, GeeDub
Yesterday I went for a ride - always incude some I 95
Entered into the slow lane on the on ramp at 85 - perfect flow , then the adventure begins ! ;-)
 
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feralseppo

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Feb 28, 2006
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Yesterday I went for a ride - always incude some I 95
Entered into the slow lane on the on ramp at 85 - perfect flow , then the adventure begins ! ;-)
I can imagine get in front of the wrong person around there and they will think they get to play Rambo and then make up some BS excuse about "stand your ground." "He grabbed my twinkie, so I gots to get out my fully auto AR15 stand my ground." Yee Hah.
 
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griffinsurfboard

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I can imagine get in front of the wrong person around there and they will think they get to play Rambo and then make up some BS excuse about "stand your ground." "He grabbed my twinkie, so I gots to get out my fully auto AR15 stand my ground." Yee Hah.
It seems really strange to see very aggressive , even threatening driving in a state that has so many armed people .

See it every day yet no shootings - thank goodness
 

Sharkbiscuit

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Aug 6, 2003
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Jacksonville Beach
Yesterday I went for a ride - always incude some I 95
Entered into the slow lane on the on ramp at 85 - perfect flow , then the adventure begins ! ;-)

It seems really strange to see very aggressive , even threatening driving in a state that has so many armed people .

See it every day yet no shootings - thank goodness
You're stocked you didn't have someone in front of you accelerating like sh!t flows uphill, looking to merge at 45-50.

I think you're mental enjoying these roads on a motorcycle. About the only decent turn I can think of that you have any chance of taking at speed without going to jail is US1 Southbound onto 210 West. US1 has a fast speed limit, 90 degree right, immediately crest the railroad tracks, the instant it stabilizes after that unweight 90 degree right. Everything else looks like it's 45 minutes inland, in speed trap towns, and kind of a crapshoot. A few slight hill crests with lakes but by and large, just flat as far as the eye can see.

The roads going from Santa Fe up into the mountains in New Mexico, in the dry season once the snow melts....

Mother of God.

Anyway none of these people is hitting a moving target with a handgun. Clown them on the right or just use the shoulder/breakdown lane for the ubiquitous rolling chicanes. It amazes me how available the overtaking lane is on say the 405 at rush hour compared to I-95 at 9-10pm.