Hey guys, I just can't stay in the drops and can barely see the road ahead of me. I can't lift my head up high enough to do so. I have to force it. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Well, lots of folks rarely ride in the drops, depending on their flexibility, core body strength, having their saddle nosed up, etc. It can especially be a challenge if you have a lot of drop from your saddle height to your bar height. How big a drop do you have from saddle to the tops of the handlebars?

I'll ride in the drops more when it is windy out; for obvious reasons. But otherwise, I just ride in them to switch up my position every once and a while.

If you're a new rider, as jtolleson said, it may be a flexibility issue. I would give it time for your body to adjust. And it goes without saying - make sure you were fitted properly for your body and the type of riding you do.

Well, lots of folks rarely ride in the drops, depending on their flexibility, core body strength, having their saddle nosed up, etc. It can especially be a challenge if you have a lot of drop from your saddle height to your bar height. How big a drop do you have from saddle to the tops of the handlebars?

It's about a 4 inch drop. Is there a rule of thumb of how much of a drop there should be?

I just flipped the stem and I'll see if that makes any difference next time I ride.

Personally, I have the bars on all my bikes level with the saddle. I raised them after I bought my Atlantis four years ago and found that Rivendell's recommendation to do that made me more comfortable than I'd been in 25+ years of riding. I'm a geezer, but four inches is a big drop even for a young rider, especially a new one. Can you flop your stem over and get them higher, or try a new stem? I used to ride in the drops far less than 1 percent of the time, virtually never. With the bars higher, I probably spend 15-20 percent of my time there. I have a comfortable cruising position on the tops, but can still get aero in a headwind when I need to.

It's about a 4 inch drop. Is there a rule of thumb of how much of a drop there should be?
I have 4" on my most extreme bike. I can see the road, yes. But I'm very flexible; I can reach 42cm past my toes. And even then the road is slightly hard to see - I'm most comfortable loking a couple feet in front of me.
Try 3". I have 3 to 3.5 on my Litespeed, and I'm very comfortable in the drops then. Low and fast, but still able t see the road.
However, 3" is still considered extreme by a lot of people. You could try havin the saddle/handlebars even.
-estone2

Hey guys, I just can't stay in the drops and can barely see the road ahead of me. I can't lift my head up high enough to do so. I have to force it. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Either don't ride in the drops, or raise your bars up slightly. Loosen stem, rotate up towards you, just a touch, or better yet, get a proper bike fitting to see where your bike needs to be. I've been riding and racing for quite some time, and most people I know and ride with, rarely, if ever, ride in the drops on a day to day basis. Riding in the drops is for racing, and riding really fast.

I have 4" on my most extreme bike. I can see the road, yes. But I'm very flexible; I can reach 42cm past my toes.
-estone2


Well, that's just a classic vision...

"But I'm very flexible; I can reach 42cm past my toes."
.
I can do the same......(if I bend my knees)
.
.
To the OP:
I had trouble riding in the drops on my first bike. It took a year or two to figure out that a big drop in saddle to bar distance, plus a deep drop bar, adds up to trouble for most people. With a quill stem, it was rather easy to raise the stem two inches..(I still had a three inch drop)

Dude,
Get urself an aerobar. Best thing I ever did. No more backache, no more numb hands, and it works even better when u turn into the wind.
:thumbsup:

Well, that's just a classic vision...
I'm confused. What do you mean?
What I'm trying to point out by giving that information is that although it works for me, it wont necessarily work for everyone
-estone2

Dude,
Get urself an aerobar. Best thing I ever did. No more backache, no more numb hands, and it works even better when u turn into the wind.
:thumbsup:

Problem with those is that:

A. Shouldn't ride them in a group. Ever. Period. No arguments.

B. Can't ride them in mass start events. Even most century rides around me won't allow them.

C. Most aerobar set ups I've seen over the years emphasize the comfort, and not the aero. I'm betting 99% of guys I see on aerobars I'm more aero holding onto my hoods.

:out:

Problem with those is that:

A. Shouldn't ride them in a group. Ever. Period. No arguments.

B. Can't ride them in mass start events. Even most century rides around me won't allow them.

C. Most aerobar set ups I've seen over the years emphasize the comfort, and not the aero. I'm betting 99% of guys I see on aerobars I'm more aero holding onto my hoods.

:out:
Youre more/as aero, but they're getting a great placebo effect. :p
I find that my bridging or similar efforts (stuff above 30mph) benefits from aerobars. I think part of that however, is that i pull back on the bars, which causes my core to flex and stabilize more. But whatever.
-estone2

C. Most aerobar set ups I've seen over the years emphasize the comfort, and not the aero.

I agree with that statement, but it shouldn't appear in a list of problems. For many riders, an aerobar comfort setup is the solution to a comfort problem, as the spyder pointed out. The OP asked how to get rid of the pain, not how to get aero.

I'm confused. What do you mean?Think code, not bike. I had a vision myself.

:eek: Problem with those is that:

A. Shouldn't ride them in a group. Ever. Period. No arguments.

B. Can't ride them in mass start events. Even most century rides around me won't allow them.

C. Most aerobar set ups I've seen over the years emphasize the comfort, and not the aero. I'm betting 99% of guys I see on aerobars I'm more aero holding onto my hoods.

:out:


What century rides are you talking about? The hotter than hell allows use of aerobars
2. The Santa Fe Century allows use of aerobars
3. RAGBRAI allows use of aerobars
4. Cochise county cycling classic allows use of aerobars
5. Bridge to Bridge in Carolina allows use of aerobars
Need I go on?


Aerobars can be used for comfort and can maintain an aero position. Gee they seemed to work for Greg Lemond in the Tour so let's ban them all over the plac........

Gee they seemed to work for Greg Lemond in the Tour so let's ban them all over the plac........
Yeah, I'll never forget the image of Lemond jumping out of the pack on the Champs Elysees leaning forward on his aerobars to outsprint Fignon and win the Tour.

Yeah, I'll never forget the image of Lemond jumping out of the pack on the Champs Elysees leaning forward on his aerobars to outsprint Fignon and win the Tour.

Actually studies whow that an Aero helmet is more significant that aero bars in terms of drag reduction.

Besides where I live most 'Aero bars' can be seen mounted on the handlbars of Freds, normally at 45 deg up like they are 'standing proud' LOL :) I do laugh when I see someone in an 'aero tuck' at 15 k/hr struggling along on a fat tired Fred bike with paniers etc, I guess it is a comfort think maybe, but IMO aerobars are unsafe on cycle paths, roads with traffic pedestrians etc.

. . . I guess it is a comfort think maybe, but IMO aerobars are unsafe on cycle paths, roads with traffic pedestrians etc.

Aerobars are completly retarted looking and dangerous on public roads. If you can't ride on your drops, get a fitting. If you're not a pro cyclist IMO anything more that 2" is going to be too much. You're not on your bike 15+ hours a week.

:eek:


What century rides are you talking about? The hotter than hell allows use of aerobars
2. The Santa Fe Century allows use of aerobars
3. RAGBRAI allows use of aerobars
4. Cochise county cycling classic allows use of aerobars
5. Bridge to Bridge in Carolina allows use of aerobars
Need I go on?


Aerobars can be used for comfort and can maintain an aero position. Gee they seemed to work for Greg Lemond in the Tour so let's ban them all over the plac........

I said lots of rides around me, the only one around me that you mentioned is Bridge to Bridge, and look at the guys who finish near the front on that one. You won't see any aero bars.

If you're using them for comfort, get a better fitting bike seriously. Lemond used them in a time trial, where it is not banned of course. As do all professional racers.

The first place to look is bike fit. I have found that I need a bike with a head tube that is 13.5 to 15cm. So many bikes have too short of head tubes for my reach. Litespeeds have like 11cm head tubes which is ridiculously short. I will never consider buying a bike with a head tube less than 13cm. And obviously I am not alone.

The answer is not having handlebars that are level with the seat. That is an old school geometry which dictates a very long top tube. Those bikes are not very nimble to say the least.

Modern geometry has a shorter top tube with plenty of drop which increases handling ability. The effective reach is the same - but it is very important to consider the position of the head and neck. Too much drop can cause neck and upper shoulder pain, and too much reach can cause hand numbness.

How much of a change can effect this? Not much. I may have damaged the fork on my Merckx, so I swaped it out for an Easton EC 90 (first generation.) I immediately started having neck and upper back pain. Why? The easton fork was less than a centimeter shorter than the Merckx fork.

The suggestions of others to flip the stem is good, and you might want to see if you can find some shallower drop bars. Another thing to look at is your saddle position. You may be riding with it a little higher than you need to. Make sure you heel is dropping to the same level as the pedal spindle. Be sure you are not riding toe down. If you are able to drop your saddle without effecting your leg extension negatively, that will help your neck. Careful with this though.

Yeah, I'll never forget the image of Lemond jumping out of the pack on the Champs Elysees leaning forward on his aerobars to outsprint Fignon and win the Tour.
It was a time trial...

I have 4" on my most extreme bike. I can see the road, yes. But I'm very flexible; I can reach 42cm past my toes. And even then the road is slightly hard to see - I'm most comfortable loking a couple feet in front of me.
Try 3". I have 3 to 3.5 on my Litespeed, and I'm very comfortable in the drops then. Low and fast, but still able t see the road.
However, 3" is still considered extreme by a lot of people. You could try havin the saddle/handlebars even.
-estone2


Hey I'm about as flexible as you are estone!! :D

I have about 2.5-3'' drop... Might lower my bars, might not.. Does it really make much of a diff, say, 1cm more or so? I can only lower it by 2cm more max and that will be without spacers even...

OP, yeah, if you're new, go with less drop first... Then as you gain strength/flexibility, lower your bars.. Or not.. Depending on comfort.

It was a time trial...

Er I think it the OP'er was being sarcastic?!

Yep, I was noting that it would be physically impossible for anyone to reach 42 cm past their toes ... even if fully flexible you'd either need a disproportionately long arms and torso and/or freakishly short legs.

Actually studies whow that an Aero helmet is more significant that aero bars in terms of drag reduction.
Source, please? I'm sure you're not referring to the MIT study because a) it compared aero helmet to aero wheels, and b) was so flawed as to be meaningless at best and more likely just plain wrong. http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=906997;page=1;sb =post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25;

Yep, I was noting that it would be physically impossible for anyone to reach 42 cm past their toes ... even if fully flexible you'd either need a disproportionately long arms and torso and/or freakishly short legs.

Er I thought it was physically impossible for a man to erm.....cough...orally 'please' himself but I saw a video on the internet.

Source, please? I'm sure you're not referring to the MIT study because a) it compared aero helmet to aero wheels, and b) was so flawed as to be meaningless at best and more likely just plain wrong. http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=906997;page=1;sb =post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25;

Quote from the MIT study - " In reality, a well designed aero-helmet will save you more time (power) than anything else."

If you think about it a conventional helmet with vents and stuff is extremely costly in terms of drag so this makes sense IMO, inless you are going super aero like Obree's superman (illegal) position.

Quote from the MIT study - " In reality, a well designed aero-helmet will save you more time (power) than anything else."
And as I wrote, the methodology of that study was seriously flawed and the conclusions are wrong. There are many explanations of the problems with the MIT work floating around. Here's another one, http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=946612;search_string=MIT%20helmet% 20wheel;#946612

Yep, I was noting that it would be physically impossible for anyone to reach 42 cm past their toes ... even if fully flexible you'd either need a disproportionately long arms and torso and/or freakishly short legs.
It's only 18 inches. My arms are long - they go to the "knot" in my quads almost (the bulge type thing when flexed). I'm 5'9-5'10 with a 31" or 32" inseam. It's not that disproportionate.
-estone2

Hey guys, I just can't stay in the drops and can barely see the road ahead of me. I can't lift my head up high enough to do so. I have to force it. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Do you have any neck/back flexibility problems? If so you'll need to work on them long term, and raise your bars short term.

Possibly a stupid question: you don't have a visor on your helmet, do you? Or glasses that sit low on your face or have thick rims? Anything that makes it hard to look up when you are standing will interfere with your forward vision when you have your upper body leaning forward as you would when on the drops. If your helmet or glasses get in the way of your vision you have to raise your head more to compensate. If you're already close to the limit of comfort that extra may put you over.

If you have just started road riding you may just need to strenghten the muscles that hold your head up. One way I have done that is to do a wrestler's bridge while doing chest presses with moderate amounts of weight. (in a wrestler's bridge you tense the muscles on the back of your neck and shoulders so your shoulders stay off the matt). Be careful starting out on this.

Four inches of drop is a fair amount but not super extreme. That's what I run. I'm tall and limber but I'm also 46 years old and do long rides. When I was 30 and did shorter races I used more drop.

The rule of thumb is to run as much drop as is comfortable for your body and the rides you do.