Handlebar height

[Jezrant]

A new poll! I cast the first vote.

[jrs665]

The touring bike (Kona Sutra) has handlebars above the saddle for more comfortable position,

The Endrance bike (Ribble Endurance Ti) has handlebars below the saddle for sporty ride, but not as low as a racer giving more comfortable ride than a racer, but not as comfortable as the tourer.

[Paulatic]

I voted level which is close enough. Reality is the bars are an inch lower

[peetee]

When I started cycling the bars were much lower than the saddle. They barely moved for years then, following a neck injury, I had to bring them up a couple of inches. I have a big fleet of bikes and they don't all suit this radical adjustment. In the intervening 4 years since the first lift the bars have needed to be ever higher and I'm facing the prospect of not being able to ride some of my favourite bikes for more than a few minutes at a time.
The flip side of this is being content to re-wire my brain to discard the 'give it some stick' approach to every ride and instead adopt a 'sit up and enjoy the view' attitude.

[pjclinch]

Option 4, "it depends"....

[Nearholmer]

The other point is that with the possible exception of the flattest flat bars, different bits of the bars are at different heights, so ……

[Cyclothesist]

I agree with the others, it does depend on the bike. Gravel bike is pretty much level, summer road bike bars are about 1cm lower than the saddle.
I marvel at folk with a huge saddle to bar drop. I wonder at their flexibility, and how they see where they're going without terminal neck pain.

[djnotts]

Not same "answer" re each bike, altho all higher than in the past. Average would be "level".

[Nicholas]

Who cares?

I don't see the point of these polls.

[rogerzilla]

The older you are, the higher they tend to be. Lower is generally easier for climbing (better use of back and arm muscles for leverage) but can give you Shermer's neck on long rides.

[roger72]

I am 84 years old and on all three of my bikes (drop bars) the bars are 2.5" lower than the saddle.I think I am still 25 !

[cycle tramp]

I don't see the point of these polls.

Have you tried raising your handlebars to give better visibility?

[Cyclothesist]

I don't see the point of these polls.

Have you tried raising your handlebars to give better visibility?

[ANTONISH]

I am 84 years old and on all three of my bikes (drop bars) the bars are 2.5" lower than the saddle.I think I am still 25 !

I'm only a youth of 82 but my bikes are set up the same - I don't feel 25.
I've tried higher handle bar heights but I don't like the position - I have gone to shallow drop bars - less than my old Cinelli Giro's.

[CyberKnight]

also depends on rider height, if like me your on the smaller side its hard to get stock frames smaller then the usual small standard so although i have the same basic body angle as my mate my handlebar drop is maybe an inch whereas he stands a good head over me and his is more like 6 inch drop