hand position - drop bars

I currently ride a fixie with riser bars. I’m contemplating a 2nd project with drop bars.

Quick question to those with drop bars, where do you normally place your hands when riding? On the drops or on the top horizontals?

Reason I ask is that on my road bike I’m 80% on the hoods (which obvioulsy won’t exist on my fixie).

Thanks

on the tops for crusing. on the drops for going fast.

i would ride normally holding them in a ‘flat bar’ position when sitting upright or for seeing easier. i only use the drop bar section when wanting more power (uphill etc) or going faster (more efficient riding position).

i think the correct way to position the bars is to have the drop bar roughly pointing to the rear hub.

I know its not hip but I just run two brakes and stay on the hoods

on the hoods mostly
tops occasionally
rarely in the drops…

or choose a bar that’s reasonably flat on the topside of the hooks like a Nitto Noodle or Nitto Rando. With some grippy bar tape there’s a pretty comfy position on the outer tops, sort of a shade behind where your hoods would be. Gives you tops, outer tops and drops to mix things up a little.

on the tops most of the time…

But I use the drops for sprinting and climbing, defiantly makes climbing easier.

however i bought some hillbrick track drops (ebay) and my hands dont fully fit on the “flat bar” unless they are right next to the stem. long rides on the flats tend to give me a dull ache in my wrists.

imo… try before you buy.

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Good range of positions, easy to skid, easy to go fast

even though i dont have hoods, i put my hands there mostly anyways, mainly when just cruzing. but deffs on the drops for going fast or when in traffic

who says?

I live in the hood and have brakes.

Being hip is overrated.

I am in the drops all the time, like I only go on the tops when I hit the city, down royal parade I just fly. I got track grips to persuade me some more :stuck_out_tongue:

Its what the young uns say. But maybe as the The Chevelles said the kids aint hip

You’d be surprised how few people in Collingwood notice your riding fixed if you run two brakes, don’t have deep v’s or B43 and rock the hi-viz.

Brakes (vees F&R!), drops, hoods, baggies & CXP33s = me, the incognito fixed rider.

Too straight for the hipsters, too hip for the straightsters…

flats would pretty much be the same as drops if the width was the same. I guess risers give you a more upright position therefore would be better in traffic.

ive got drops too with a single brake lever mounted on the flat part of the bars. i find myself mainly on the flats and sometimes a shade behind where the hood would be. i kinda wish i had hoods coz i like how that feels and i’m closing to doing the old chop n flop and making myself a loverly bullhorn setup but dont want to chop me bars coz i reckon theyre a little too nice even though they’re not branded.

dont chop!! dont do it, seriously, i reckon they look better as drops. as for getting hoods, i wouldnt. it kind of takes that little bit out of the simplistic look, and puts a bit of road riding look into it. i dono is that makes sense though :roll:

i reckon a functional bar setup comes before looks m8…

Sounds like:

  • drops for going fast/climbing and aesthetically

  • bullhorns/cowhorns comfort and practicality

Given that I’ve already got a city commuter fixie (risers) and a road bike (which I train on/hit the hills/race mates) I might make a sweet looking fixie to cruise to breakfast on haha.

Thanks for the replies.

only a matter of time before the hipsters click onto rocking the hi-viz - that shit’s where it’s at

drop bars for life!!