Drop bar alternatives?

[meejozzz]

After being bitten by the touring bug about 6 years ago I’ve used various bikes which I’ve built up from the scratch: a vintage Raleigh, a modern-ish Claud Butler and this year I’ve got myself a lovely Racelight T to build up over the winter (it keeps me busy and out of trouble).

Last year en route to Düsseldorf for the TDF (admittedly long days) I started getting sore neck & shoulders. I’ve always used various incarnations of drop bars as I like how they look and I generally use my tourer as a winter bike so it’s good for club rides. However on starting the Racelight build I thought I might try something different (for me any way). I probably don’t use the drops too much while touring so the world’s my lobster. So to speak.

I’ve got flat bar shifters & levers lying around from other projects so it’s only the bars I’m thinking about.

What’s everyone using and could recommend? Are butterfly bars the best option? Or should I use a mtb riser bar with bar ends? Anyone using anything a bit left field? Of course it’s all subjective but any suggestions or food for thought would be gratefully appreciated.

[mjr]

I think North Roads are lovely compromises: none of the flex that most butterflies have, but a choice of a relaxed normal hand position, leaning forward into the sweep for headwinds or sitting up and tiller-steering in busy urban areas or when you want to enjoy the view on a long gentle downhill.

I've got porter bars on two bikes too - one regular, one flipped.

[iandriver]

I've got a couple of Kinesis frames and have found you need a monstrously long stem if you are going to use flat bars. The only thing I've found to give me the correct hand position is bull horn bars, which tend to be no good with trigger pods. I use a bar end shifter. I use this set up with clip on tri bars that give me something different. This probably won't be so good for the neck and shoulders though on very long rides. I'd suggest an experiment with any bits you've got before shelling out any real money.

[Brucey]

possibly the stiff neck and shoulders have their origins in the bike setup; if the saddle is too far forwards there is too much weight on the hands and the result is sore neck and shoulders. Of course it is likely that the handlebars get the blame but really it may be nothing to do with them!

cheers

[531colin]

OK, the situation as I understand it is that you have one (or more) bikes with drop bars which give you a sore neck/shoulders, at least following (several?) long days in the saddle.
As Brucey says, almost everything you will find on You-tube etc about bike setup are written from a racing/time trialling/triathlon point of view......the object seems to me to be increasingly to get as low and aerodynamic as possible, with the bars low and forwards, the saddle high and forwards, and the rider's body rotated forwards round the pedal spindles. This is OK for world-class athletes engaged in relatively short races with a daily massage, but its pretty hopeless for the average recreational rider doing a touring holiday, because it puts a disproportionate amount of weight on your hands. (Racing cyclists press harder on their pedals than I do, and the "equal and opposite reaction" of Newtonian physics helps support their torso)
By all means get rid of the drops if you want to, but in doing so there is a real danger of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Drops can be set up to be comfortable as well as efficient for the average recreational rider, as in the link in my signature strip, and the variety of hand and body positions drops offer is a boon to many riders on long trips.
I have had to forgo my drops because arthritis in my hands means I can't now brake effectively from the hoods.....I'm using aero base bars (to get adequate reach) and I will try to link to them......
Here it is....this link should get you to a bit of discussion of riding position (esp. saddle height) https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=113772&hilit=bullbars&start=60

[pwa]

Just as an alternative, short reach drop bars on a short stem, perhaps a little higher than before. Brake lever tops tilted a little up to give a relaxed, more upright position. I have that sort of thing on my tourer. The stem is very short. 6cm or something like that. The handling is still good. The hands are mostly on the brake hoods, which causes less discomfort to hands and wrists that straight bars. For me at least.

[scottg]

From right field, Jack Lauterwasser bars, direct from the 1930s.

Soma make new ones, old ones go for real money on Ehh'Bay.
Available in alloy or chrome steel.
Put them on Surly Troll, and on 1937 Wm. J Hood.
They use mountain levers/shifters, but do have some drop to them and a aero position.
http://www.somafab.com/archives/product ... -handlebar

[mjr]

And I foolishly answered the question as asked but you still got some real expert opinions too

[531colin]

And I foolishly answered the question as asked but you still got some real expert opinions too

never mind, I'm sure you'll get over it

[meejozzz]

Sorry for the rather late response! Thank you all for your wisdom and advice. Essentially I want a more upright position on the bike while touring - hopefully I’ll take in more of my surroundings in the process. My neck and shoulder pain came from a rather unexpected long day in the saddle where we arrived late at a campsite and a 75 mile day turned into a 100 mile day looking for a new pitch. The cool evening air and the rapid pace were probable causes.

Anyway, the Racelight T has progressed and I’ve managed aged to pick up a pair of Titec/Jones H bars. They do look a bit peculiar. The sweep enables a relatively upright position but the ‘horns’ allow a more aero/stretched out position on the downhills. I’ve got plenty of time to try it out before my next tour so I could switch back to the drops if necessary. I always thought I’d miss the multiple hand positions of the drop bars but these H bars offer 4 decent positions. They might take some getting used to but time will tell.
And yes, I know the fork steerer needs cutting down, just want to make 100% sure before I do (I’ve made that mistake before...)