Drops or comfort bars?

[southfields andy]

I want a Raven.  I like the simplicty of the comfort bars (with bar ends), the ability to change gear without moving your hand off the bar and the brakes. I also don't like that stubby gear changer thing that clamps under your bars on the drop version.

But - cycling home the last 3 nights I was reminded how horrible it is to cycle into a headwind with flat bars, no drop bar to drop down on.

I know it's a personal choice and all that - my problem is I can't make it.  I want to do long distances on the Raven (light tours & audax)- anyone have experience of doing that with the flat/comfort bar options (with bar ends)?  What do you think?

Thanks for any tips & experiences.

[ahconway]

quote:Originally posted by southfields andy

I want a Raven.  I like the simplicty of the comfort bars (with bar ends), the ability to change gear without moving your hand off the bar and the brakes. I also don't like that stubby gear changer thing that clamps under your bars on the drop version.

But - cycling home the last 3 nights I was reminded how horrible it is to cycle into a headwind with flat bars, no drop bar to drop down on.

I know it's a personal choice and all that - my problem is I can't make it.  I want to do long distances on the Raven (light tours & audax)- anyone have experience of doing that with the flat/comfort bar options (with bar ends)?  What do you think?

Thanks for any tips & experiences.

This was a big concern for me too. Pre-Raven-era Thorn literature even states specifically that SJS Cycles prefers drops for long distance riding! Their position on that has clearly changed, though, and I am in complete agreement.

My Raven setup has a riding position very close to the racer I retired recently - the grips are more or less where the tops of my old bars were, and the bar ends feel about like riding on the brake hoods. But this is actually better because of the bend in the bars and the multiple positions I have on the bar ends.

I opted for the X-lite bar ends because they do offer more positions than the gorgeous carbon Thorn ones, which were a bit to small for me.

Also, I got one of the longer frames and a longish stem so I have a really nice forward posture.

See my photo gallery for shots of the bars and everything else:

http://homepage.mac.com/ahconway/cycling/PhotoAlbum20.html

Andrew

[southfields andy]

Hi andrew - thanks for this -really useful.  I've tried to e-mail but not sure it's worked.  I live in Southfields which is not too far from where I guess you live, based on your first ride - any chance I could come round sometime and see the bike in question? My e-mail address is jane@homehansen61.freeserve.co.uk

[Ratty]

Hi

I have always been a drops man too.  The probem is that there are no integrated gear and brake levers available with the rohloff.  At first I thought that it would only be like going back to before these came out.  Now (after trying the comfort bars on an adventure tour) I have changed my mind.  So many of the advantages of the Rohloff hub would be lost without instant access to the gear changer.

I am unsure about the handlebars.  I agree that they have the equivalent of the tops and hoods on dropped bars but miss being able to duck into a headwind like you say.  Also, as well as having 2 basic positions rather than three, there are much less 'in betweens' and variations on the basic positions.  I did however try the shorter carbon extensions.

I am interested in what the physio who helped designed the bars said.  Can anyone from thorn tell us?

Anthony

[southfields andy]

Hi anthony - how did you get on with the carbon bar ends?  And where are they - mounted near the middle or at the end of the bars?  And would you consider going on long rides with that set-up or would you want drop bars?
andy

[Ratty]

The carbon bar ends are mounted in the middle.  They took a little getting used to but now I really like them.  The position is like a poor mans aero bar.  It is not quite as aerodynamic a position but it IS easy to move your right hand to the gear changer or both hands quickly to the brakes when needed.  At first I would hop back onto the flats whenever a car came but now I only do so when the road is rough or when stopping.  This will also change as I get more used to them because I CAN go over small bumps on the aero bars and stop with one hand on them.  At the moment I only use them 10% of the time in normal conditions, 20% into a wind and never off-road.  For comparison I rode on my drops 30-40% of the time but I did consciously make myself do this.  I will go on long rides with these bars but do not expect to be quite as comfortable or quite as fast as with drops.

They felt a bit slippery at first but one day I was riding in -10C cold.  The top of my bottle froze shut and when I tried to force it open with my teeth the whole lid came off and covered me and the handlebars with water.  This froze instantly.  I thought that it had cracked the bars as it was dark and I could feel ridges on them.  After further inspection there are no longer any ridges and the bars are no longer as slippery.  Small holes have formed in the front of the bars though.  I e-mailed Robin Thorn and he said that it was probably just lacquer that had come off the carbon bars and that the small holes would not affect the strength of the bars.

If I had known that longer bars with more positions were available I might have gone with these.  I do not think that doubling the weight from 50 to say 100g is significant and they might be more cold resistant.

[southfields andy]

Thanks Anthony - that's really useful.  I think I might e-mail Robin Thorn and get the view from on high - who knows, maybe they're working on a solution as we speak??

[Frenchie]

I have alawys been riding drops as well BUT got a "flat" (well the anatomic physio-designed) bar Raven last yaer and am enjoying it thoroughly.

[southfields andy]

Thanks all - really useful comments.  The thought of going long distances not on drops instinctively seems weird, but you don't know if you don't try - and the advantage of having the shifter & brakes on hand in the flat bar set up is perhaps worth hanging on to.

[graham]

Our Raven tandem has the carbon comfort bars and the Thorn bar ends mounted in the middle.

Grabbing the bar middles the first time made the bike wobble a bit but now it's second nature, and I use them most, say 90%, of the time. In fact, only use the normal bar position to change gear, brake and if we're standing on the pedals or straining up a hill.

[Frenchie]

quote:Originally posted by southfields andy

Thanks all - really useful comments.  The thought of going long distances not on drops instinctively seems weird, but you don't know if you don't try - and the advantage of having the shifter & brakes on hand in the flat bar set up is perhaps worth hanging on to.

I agree. I find I do change gears a lot more (?) on my Raven. I should say that I currently (Winter) use it mostly as a commuter. The nature of the mechanisn and the configuration, in flat-bar setup, implies this is implicit, natural. I haven't felt the need for bar ends even so far.

[Chris Land]

I used to have drops on my Nomad but changed to the comfort bars a year ago, mostly to use v-brakes.  I fitted the amoeba alu bar ends in-board of the levers and the position is comfortable.  I rode the Dun-Run this year with this set-up and found it perfectly comfortable and a reasonably aero position BUT
There is no way that I prefer these to drops.  For me drops are still the best choice for distance and long-tours and certainly better if you want to get out of the saddle and give it a bit of welly up the hills.  For commuting, riding in town, off-road or mixed touring, the comforts are perfect however.

I guess with the rohloff I would go comfort in light of all this.

[southfields andy]

Hi - all interesting stuff.  I think I would miss the options on drop bars.  One option I'd considered is having the Thorn carbon bars "inboard" - and then also the X-Lite bar ends.  That would give you loads of options.  What do people think? Is that really mad?  I'm not really that bothered about the little bit of extra weight, so can't really see a big problem.  Sheldon Brown, after all, put both drops and straight handlebars on his Raven - and claims it works well!

[southfields andy]

Here is Sheldon Brown's bike

http://www.sheldonbrown.org/thorn/index.html

[luceberg]

Having used barends for quite some time, the ones I prefer are fairly long with upturned ends. This gives an extra long secure position, notching the thumb like brake hoods. Specialized make something pretty close for about £15.