drop bar or flatbar racer?

PrairieDawn

Hi
I am planning on buying a bike with BTW scheme shortly, would love to get order in this week,

The giant avail 3 is my favourite bike so far.
It has drop handlebars but also has top lever brakes which I like as am not used to riding racer style.

Its 860 .

Yesterday came across a merida ride lite 88 for just 650 , but no top lever brakes.

Other option is la Pierre audacio 200, 850.


But then a spanner was thrown in works in that I took a drop bar for a half hour cycle and didn't find it as comfy as I liked on my back.
Should I go giant flat bar instead? Think its called defy.
Aim is to join beginners cycling group and go cycling with these in future... But don't wanna end up buying a drop bar, realising its a phase , and being stuck with it.
Would the giant avail with gears on top cross both sides between a racer and a flat bar?

Plz help thank u!

Lumen

Drop bar bikes often feel less comfortable to begin with. It might be that the bike doesn't fit right, or that you don't have the structural fitness (flexibility, core strength) to ride it properly. It's impossible to say how you might feel months from now.

You can do group rides on a flat bar bike, but many clubs will not allow them for safety reasons (handlebar entanglement). Depends on the group.

The Defy is a drop bar.

Tonyandthewhale

It depends what you want the bike for really. If you want it for long spins, sportives, charity rides, joining a club or any sort of racing at any point down the line I'd say get a drop-bar bike.
If it's only going to be used for riding around town and short spins then a flat bar bike should be adequate. A lot of cycling clubs won't let you ride with a flat bar bike as far as I know.

Obviously there's no point buying a bike that's not going to be comfortable but bear in mind that you can do an awful lot to change your position on a drop bar bike (changing stem length, stack height, stem angle, handlebar shape, size and reach, saddle position etc) and of course not all drop-bar bikes are created equal as some use more aggressive geometry than others (although AFAIK the avail uses pretty relaxed geometry) so just because one doesn't suit doesn't mean known of them will.
Also, what is it about the drop-bar position that makes you uncomfortable? Is it a lack of core strength? Because that's easily fixed provided you don't have any underlying issues/injuries.
Also are you uncomfortable on the bar-tops and the hoods? Or just riding in the drops themselves? Because the drops are always going to take some getting used to.

As regards having the interrupter brake levers on the bar tops, I haven't used them myself but I'd steer clear of them. From what I've heard the braking is less effective than the primary levers on the drops and obviously you're going to have greater control and stability braking from the drops so the supplementary levers just seem to encourage bad habits. They might be handy if you do a lot of low speed start-stop city riding though.

As regards opinions on the bikes you mentioned, post up some links if you want opinions on them. The flat bar you saw is probably either the giant dash or the giant rapid as the giant defy is the men's version of the avail (so drop barred as well).

petethedrummer

The 2 Giant bikes you are referring to are probably the Avail and the Dash.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/dash.1/11528/55909/#geometry
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/avail.1/11526/55903/#geometry

Looking at the geometry for both, the Avail(racer) has a slightly short top tube to accomodate the extra reach created by the drop bars. So there really is very little difference in geometry. You should be as comfortable on the Avail.

I noticed it myself after switching from a Giant FCR(flat-bar) to an SCR(racer) a few years ago. I was actually more comfortable on the SCR, which I didn't expect.

PrairieDawn

Thanks for all that info... I found the crouched over position more uncomfortable...but I swim and run so would like to think towards a sprint tri some day.
Does it take long to get used to drop bar cycling? Don't wanna buy drop bar and wish I had flat bar... But then don't wanna buy flat bar only to wish I had drop bar! Not being particularly athletic and just a beginner in all f fields!
Thanks again

petethedrummer

PrairieDawn wrote: »

Thanks for all that info... I found the crouched over position more uncomfortable...but I swim and run so would like to think towards a sprint tri some day.
Does it take long to get used to drop bar cycling? Don't wanna buy drop bar and wish I had flat bar... But then don't wanna buy flat bar only to wish I had drop bar! Not being particularly athletic and just a beginner in all f fields!
Thanks again

Were you riding with your hands on the hoods or on the drops when you tested it?


If you were on the hoods (where you would spend most of your time) it should be as comfortable as the flatbar bike. You only really go down on the drops into headwinds and sprints.

merc230ce

I got a flat bar racer but very soon wished I hadn't. The inability to change positions causes discomfort IMO. I switched to drop bars about a year ago and love them.