People with Drops but no Hoods

don't you miss the hoods?

no

Yes, but looks are *way *more important than practicality. ;-)

I'd never owned a bike with drops until my Fuji so I'm not missing what I've never had.

andrewleitch86 I'd never owned a bike with drops until my Fuji so I'm not missing what I've never had.

Good point well put...

andrewleitch86 I'd never owned a bike with drops until my Fuji so I'm not missing what I've never had.

then this question is not aimed at you then

nimhbus [quote]andrewleitch86 I'd never owned a bike with drops until my Fuji so I'm not missing what I've never had.

then this question is not aimed at you then[/quote]
I'm sorry :(

No, never.

No never missed 'em. In fact when I did run standard road brakes on drops on a fixie, way back in the day, I found they just got in the way of where I wanted my hands to be.

hmm, interesting. i really like using them, and worry that if i do away with them, i'll be sacrificing a riding position..

yep. definitely. but since i dont do looong rides on my fixed, i can live without it. im on the hoods 95% of the time on sportive rides. and its the position i most prefer when climbin

but, in the city, go for the look ;-)

Yes, I do miss them at times, for being able to vary hand position and also to really wrench the bike up hills. That said, looks are important ish, I want my bike to look nice and I personally think that having a dummy hood or even a redundant lever is not that pretty and there are still various positions that I can use on the drops that other bars don't offer. Using the drops without hoods has strengthend muscles not previously used as much too, due to the different position used when out of the saddle. I might give bullhorns a try but I do like drops a lot.

Road bikes tend to have a longer wheelbase than fixed (unless they're conversions obviously) so it's often more comfortable to use hoods...

I've kept mine but only as my frame/stem is a bit short for me so they give me that extra little bit of length. When i build a new bike for next summer it'll be bigger and hoodless, but for now i like 'em.

B.

no, since i only throw my drops on for the track where hoods wouldn't be of much use.

Nah, I'm happy without them. Normal crusing hands by the stem, pulling off at the lights holding the sides, and speeding (late for work) or up hills I use the drops. Plus it would ruin the look of my shiny bars ;-P

Nimhbus, I'm with you on this one. Riding on the drops in traffic isn't my idea of a life-preserving strategy. Also, I don't see the point in having a speedy bike if your hands are forced to loiter on the flat part of the bar. How are you meant to breathe? How are you meant to steer?

I think bullhorns provide the best balance between practicality and aesthetics. Your bike isn't besmirched with a lonely, brake lever-less hood, and you get a riding position that simulates hoods.

I suppose I do miss the way drop bars look, but surely there comes a point when how you're going to ride the bike is more important than how it looks.

i wouldn't be without the hoods, probably o.k. if you don't cycle very far or just want to pose. the tektro hoods aren't expensive, try them, if you don't like them take them off.

i struggle without hoods, they're just so damn comfortable. probably opt for bullhorns to simulate the effect.

MrSmith i wouldn't be without the hoods, probably o.k. if you don't cycle very far or just want to pose. the tektro hoods aren't expensive, try them, if you don't like them take them off.

do tektro make a dummy hood then? is that what you mean?

I've gotten used to riding without hoods on my drops. But for real practicality in the city I found bull horns by far the best.

Elvis i struggle without hoods, they're just so damn comfortable. probably opt for bullhorns to simulate the effect.

Completely agree.

nimhbus
do tektro make a dummy hood then? is that what you mean?

Is just a standard brake hood/lever with no cable running through it.

you can get a set of tektros, and just knock the pin holding the lever out the left one.

one brake, two hoods.

but NOT on track drops.

that's what I shall be doing for my next build. a proper road fixed for riding with.

thought I never would, but put some old chopped risers on my bike this week, just to see.

actually quite comfortable, seeing as I'm only on short hops.

RPM

thought I never would, but put some old chopped risers on my bike this week, just to see.

actually quite comfortable, seeing as I'm only on short hops.

short trips and through town they are best

RPM you can get a set of tektros, and just knock the pin holding the lever out the left one.

one brake, two hoods.

but NOT on track drops.

that's what I shall be doing for my next build. a proper road fixed for riding with.

thought I never would, but put some old chopped risers on my bike this week, just to see.

actually quite comfortable, seeing as I'm only on short hops.

you're such a handlebar whore.