[videolife]

Hey, all. New to the forum. Hope everyone's doing well out there. Just a quick note. I don't think I'd consider myself a novice, but I'm far from a pro. I'm unsure of the terms used on the forums most of the time and even need to run to Google to figure it out, so forgive me if I butcher names or anything like that.

I've been on what I believe are called "drop bars" my entire life. Picked up a road bike several years back for the first time ever and that, too, has drop bars. To me, they are very comfortable. However, they need to be replaced. I'm thinking of going carbon and choosing between the two below and have two questions:

1) Which is more comfortable for longer (50+ mile) rides? The aero? Drop? Or is it subjective and due solely on the rider? I understand the concept of "if it works, it works", but I wonder if it could somehow work better?

2) A side question for any of you, if I did go with what I'm familiar with (which is the drop/round bars pictured 1st below), how big a difference do you think not having a taper from the ramps to the hooks makes? If you notice, it's 31.8 mm by the stem and then it very, very slightly tapers towards ramps. Whereas, with other bars, it's usually 31.8 and then it tapers dramatically to, I would assume, make room for bartape? As it stands, the diameter is already too thick as it is, so I assume it would be way thicker than I'm used to what with the bartap and gel pads. What are your thoughts on this?

Any and all comments welcome. Thanks in advance.

DROP:

AERO:

 

[Peter P.]

Drop bars. Drop bars will accommodate your varioius personal wrist angles because they are round on the tops.

 

[tlg]

Both of your pictures are drop bars.
One is a round profile. The other is an aero profile.
It's all personal preference. If you ride the tops a lot, you might find the aero shape more comfortable.
I prefer drop bars with an oval profile.

One thing to keep in mind. You're really limited with aero drop bars with what you can mount on them. Computer, lights, etc don't fit.

 

[aclinjury]

Curiously, why do we use "drop bars" (plural) when referring to 1 handlebar? (We don't use "flat bars" to refer to 1 mtb handlebar). Anyway, my opinion is go "aero" bar if you ride the tops a lot, it will feel much more comfy than round tops, especially going over bumps. Aero bars with flat tops are also more compliant because they flex more.
The only downside to aero bars is already mentioned above, it's not easy to mount accessories. But they do make specific mounts where you can screw into the stem and these mounts would allow you to mount a garmin and a light.

 

[videolife]

Drop bars. Drop bars will accommodate your varioius personal wrist angles because they are round on the tops.

Thanks! Decided to go with drop bars.

Both of your pictures are drop bars.
One is a round profile. The other is an aero profile.
It's all personal preference. If you ride the tops a lot, you might find the aero shape more comfortable.
I prefer drop bars with an oval profile.

Ah, okay. Got it. Thanks!

One thing to keep in mind. You're really limited with aero drop bars with what you can mount on them. Computer, lights, etc don't fit.

A point that didn't cross my mind, but one that no doubt would have been annoying to find out at some later point in time. Despite having decided to go with drop bars, thank you for bringing that point up. I appreciate it. It's definitely good information to have on hand.

Curiously, why do we use "drop bars" (plural) when referring to 1 handlebar? (We don't use "flat bars" to refer to 1 mtb handlebar). Anyway, my opinion is go "aero" bar if you ride the tops a lot, it will feel much more comfy than round tops, especially going over bumps. Aero bars with flat tops are also more compliant because they flex more.
The only downside to aero bars is already mentioned above, it's not easy to mount accessories. But they do make specific mounts where you can screw into the stem and these mounts would allow you to mount a garmin and a light.

I'm no English major, but I'm pretty sure it's grammatically correct to use it the way I did, because I wasn't referring to one bar the first time I mentioned it, but to all bars. The second time I used it was kind of like the royal "we." One person, referring to themselves in a plural sense. Likewise, if you see a handlebar laying in the street and someone asks you, "what is that?", would it be grammatically incorrect of you to say, "Those are handlebars", even though it's a single drop bar?

That said, people seem to be almost evenly split on this topic, so I think it's probably super subjective, as some have said. I wondered if it would lean more towards one side than another, which is why I asked, but apparently that doesn't seem to be the case. Either way, I decided to go with what I'm use to (i.e. drop bars) and call it a day.

Thanks to you and to everyone for the help. Have a great weekend!

 

[tlg]

Ah, okay. Got it. Thanks!

Apparently you don't.

Despite having decided to go with drop bars, thank you for bringing that point up. I appreciate it. It's definitely good information to have on hand.

Either way, I decided to go with what I'm use to (i.e. drop bars) and call it a day.

Which 'drop bars' did you decide to go with?

These are drob bars.

These are aero bars

 

[Lombard]

Curiously, why do we use "drop bars" (plural) when referring to 1 handlebar?

Why do we use "pants" when referring to one article of clothing that covers our lower regions?

Semantics aside, I have both of those types of bars and I find little advantage to the flat top over long distances. I still need to change hand positions to avoid discomfort regardless.

 

[tlg]

Why do we use "pants" when referring to one article of clothing that covers our lower regions?

When I get dressed I only wear one pant. And I put my pant on one leg at a time.

 

[Lombard]

When I get dressed I only wear one pant. And I put my pant on one leg at a time.

Is that like this?

 

[No Time Toulouse]

Is that like this?

View attachment 478991

Now you're just being hyperbolic. Try just being "bolic".......

 

[videolife]

Apparently you don't.

Which 'drop bars' did you decide to go with?

These are drob bars.

These are aero bars

Force of habit. I got it, though. One round, one aero. I opted for the round drop bars.

Semantics aside, I have both of those types of bars and I find little advantage to the flat top over long distances. I still need to change hand positions to avoid discomfort regardless.

Gotcha! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Fredrico]

Why do we use "pants" when referring to one article of clothing that covers our lower regions?

Semantics aside, I have both of those types of bars and I find little advantage to the flat top over long distances. I still need to change hand positions to avoid discomfort regardless.

Pants are two legs joined at the top, generally with left and right pockets. Two handlebars joined at the stem extend out in opposite directions. Riders have two legs, two hands, eyes, ears, y'know. Engineers refer to that as "redundancy." If one fails, you got backup right there at the ready.

Well, the "aero" bars OP shows are the new rage, right? The ones pictured are narrower than the round bars to keep the arms from splaying out and catching more wind. The round wider drop bars offer more hand positions and therefore would be more comfortable on a long ride. I like thick round bars, such as Cinelli Campione Del Mondo for example. Gloves and fore-aft balance take care of shocks riding on the tops, but OP will spend time on the hoods for sure, and limber up in the drops occasionally. So IMO, OP, you're making the right choice.

 

[Lombard]

Pants are two legs joined at the top, generally with left and right pockets. Two handlebars joined at the stem extend out in opposite directions. Riders have two legs, two hands, eyes, ears, y'know. Engineers refer to that as "redundancy." If one fails, you got backup right there at the ready.

You mean the "third leg"?

 

[pmf]

Curiously, why do we use "drop bars" (plural) when referring to 1 handlebar? (We don't use "flat bars" to refer to 1 mtb handlebar). Anyway, my opinion is go "aero" bar if you ride the tops a lot, it will feel much more comfy than round tops, especially going over bumps. Aero bars with flat tops are also more compliant because they flex more.
The only downside to aero bars is already mentioned above, it's not easy to mount accessories. But they do make specific mounts where you can screw into the stem and these mounts would allow you to mount a garmin and a light.

I call them a bar, not plural. Same with a fork. Its not forks.

 

[duriel]

Yes it is!

 

[aclinjury]

Why do we use "pants" when referring to one article of clothing that covers our lower regions?

Semantics aside, I have both of those types of bars and I find little advantage to the flat top over long distances. I still need to change hand positions to avoid discomfort regardless.

well technically it's "pair of pants". But I know, nobody is gonna want to say "pair of drop bars", so drop bars it is. But in my humble opinion the more accurate term is "dropbar handlebar" (though it's a mouthful to say).

 

[duriel]

I will not put a pair of round drop bars on my bike again, ever. You want some?
I have aero drop bars and aero bars on my bike right now.

 

[Vitael4]

Drop bars all the way mate

 

[videolife]

So IMO, OP, you're making the right choice.

Thanks for the reassurance. Makes me feel more at ease about my purchase.

Now the only thing that I think may be an issue is the circumference. For most round drop bars, it's much thicker by the stem than it is by the tops. Most bars tend to have a pretty noticeable taper about an inch or so past the stem. With the round bar above, though, the taper is very gradual, so I'm expecting it to have a much thicker diameter , which is something I may or may not need to get use to. I guess I have no choice but to test it out and see for myself.

I will not put a pair of round drop bars on my bike again, ever.

Why?

Drop bars all the way mate

Round or aero?

 

[duriel]

Why?

I have tender thumb joints, I find that the aero drop bars have a wider surface to put my hand on and not have the bar working up in between my thumb and first finger.