Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

I pretty much never ride in the drops, but do so slightly more now that they've got a slight flare.

I'd love to see what that looks like, someone should make a thread for it.

That's all just angling the levers inward, don't think the bars have changed

[https://www.sigmasports.com/item/PRO/Vibe-Aero-Alloy-Pursuit-Handlebar/SXZU]

I think Enve and a few others do stuff like this. Just look at Campenaerts bike.
I kind of like flared bars, angle the levers in and you get aero tuck and wide in the drops for gnarly stuff. Stupidly wide bars, that I don't understand.

Stupidly wide bars, that I don't understand.

Depends how wide your bar-bag is I guess...

Rode 100k of gravel / off road in Milton Keynes today. Didn't disappoint.

Though 38c gravel Kings slicks were not at good choice of tyre, had a few 2 wheels skids round many a corner. Bailed zeros times because Im actually pretty good at handling my bike. But my body is a bit achy

Would want some good 45c plus for comfort.

you get aero tuck and wide in the drops for gnarly stuff.

Never understood this. I'm on the hoods when it's technical and in the drops when it's smooth

Just go down fast in a cobbled road and see what feels safer. Plenty of rocky descents around here.

Even then, I feel I have more control of the brakes on the hoods. To me, in the drops the brakes are off or locked

IME some of this is experience-based, I’ve learned to control the brakes from the drops and now I’m happier dealing with rough surfaces there because of the added bar flex

Boast post/shots fired

Practice innit, like people who say shimano MTB brakes lack modulation, just gotta train your fingers better.

I like my flared drops, seems more secure on tough descents and is comfortable as it corresponds to the rotation of my wrists. I had mildly flared drops on road bike as well and I regret giving them to my brother.
Theses aren’t wide bars though 38mm none of that silly stuff.
But not necessary for gravel

I still prefer drops to flat bars. More hand positions still means less smashed hands.

On steep stuff I like to be in the drops. Feels more secure, gives a bit more control when you're being bucked around on rocky shit. For smooth gravel then, whatever, it'll be whatever I'm not currently bored with.

Still not sure flared is any better than normal drops.

Old skool advice for Paris Roubaix and the like is never be on the hoods for the bumpy stuff. Tops or drops, never the hoods.

Just checking, was bar flare/width on the debate schedule for this month?

Not until we've established the optimum gear ratios

So that's a maybe, unless you're bike packing and the extra space helps with your bar bags, and possibly stability on the drops

Haha not intentional, I meant that it took a conscious effort to do but I think it was worth it

I'm on the hoods when it's technical and in the drops when it's smooth

Other way round, your bike is set up almost exactly like a road bike, so I’d do what you did.

Flipping stem upside down to enable riding in the drop more will help massively.

Was that frameset a freebie, or did you bust it?

And how the hell is that tube/tape confection holding up your post?

...Ohh, wait, I get it now - the stretched tube is doing the same thing as a clamp, and the tape is there to hold it in place for some unspecified amount of time. Nice bodge.

"just going to nip out for a quick 30km"

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Must be ridden in chinos, a Hawaiian shirt and a pith helmet

Was just thinking how much luggage I would need when touring for a few months and not days.
This looks like you would have a very comfortable time when stopped.

(New page, that beige thing with all the Helmut bags.)

Was just thinking how much luggage I would need when touring for a few months.

Half that definitely.

A setup like that is only useful when packing for multiple seasons and or if you need to bring a lot of food for super remote locations