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...will I be happier? I used to ride my MTB to work and had many smiley miles. Since changing to the CX bike and drop bars hand discomfort has been a constant issue.
I've tried many different positions for the brakes, height, angle, etc. but never found a truely comfortable position in thousands of miles.
Is it time to bite the bullet and stick some straight bars on? My main concern would be a short top tube, but the thought of having hydraulic disks again is appealing too!
try moving your saddle back a bit.
make your pointy-downy stem a pointy-uppy stem?
a deeply unfashionable pointy-uppy stem, and shallow drop bars turned my drop-bar commuter from a chiropractic nightmare, to sofa-on-wheels.
Seat is as far back as it will go, but I've not tried a lay back seat post.
The front end has been through every variation possible including different shaped drop bars. Some improvements experienced, but all just different levels of discomfort!
Seat is as far back as it will go, but I've not tried a lay back seat post.
Guess it depends on your hegiht and the frame angles. But most road bikes (unless the rider is ver small) tend to be run with a set back seatpost.
How tall are you? What frame is it?
You might just need to take some more weight off your hands. You might just need some decent gloves!
I've tried the gloves route too! Got massive pads on my paws.
Its a Jamis Nova Sport 54cm and I'm 5'9".
Sounds like you aren't getting on with drops.
Fit some flats, but if you are wanting hydros too, you may b best flogging the bike - reet trendy these days.
You're right at the top end of the sizing for a 54cm frame so presumably have a fair bit of seatpost out? Can you try to reduce the saddle - bar drop? Some spacers if you have anything left on the steerer, or as above flip your stem/change for one with a decent bit of rise.
I've got a CX bike as a commuter with bullhorn bars and road bike levers. My main concern with going back to flats would be the width. I like the fact I can wizz up the inside of cars without too many issues, that was always a problem when I used a MTB as a commuter.
I do miss brakes that actually work though...
If you like flats, fit flats but make sure you get brake levers with the right pull ratio if you have canti brakes. Maybe ignore the fashion police and fit a set of bar ends for the straighter, faster sections of your rides.
Do the fashion police have jurisdiction over commuters? Outside of that there London of course.
it would probably be easier to just sell the bike and buy a new/second hand flat bar bike.
Try a shallower drop. The Great North Road bar was very popular over a 30 year period for the same reasons you are looking at getting rid of your drops.
A modern equivalent is the Satori Minotaur bar (also known as the One23 Bull bar)
It's what I use for road rides, and has the advantage it fits mtb levers.
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I said goodbye to drops, only thing I regret is not doing it earlier. I never tried flats on those bikes though, sold the whole thing and changed to a fast hybrid. Love it tbh.
I sold it in the end. Now using a rigid MTB with large kojak slicks. Very pleased I made the change!
billytinkle - Member
I sold it in the end. Now using a rigid MTB with large kojak slicks. Very pleased I made the change!
My road bike (2 posts ^) is an mtb - 29er with Big Apple tyres. The fatter tyres made more difference to comfort than anything else. They get rid of the impacts before they get to me and make no appreciable difference to my average speeds.
What a strange thread resurrection.
I used to have a unicycle with a 29x2.35" Big Apple tyre, it was ace... so smooooth and quiet, it was almost eerie compared to the buzzing of tyres with even small knobbly bits on.