I was gonna say hockey tape…
Hockey Tape.
[quote=“tjayk”]get some wrist sweatbands like tennis players wear… or gloves (preferably the latter). and i think you should really be in the drops, … your bike should really be set up so the drops are your most comfortable position, primary position.
sorry for the rant, i know i’m probably preaching to the choir, but i had to say it…[/quote]
I do wear gloves. it’s the part of my fingers sticking out from the gloves that slip. Again, I’m not talking about the hoods, I’m talking about the actual blades.
I did some descending yesterday in the drops and this is what I found:
- the blades are still slippery
- I can modulate a bit more than I thought I could
- I can never let go of the blades to relax my fingers like I can on the hoods. If I completely let go, the blades spring back and out of the reach of relaxed fingers. Then I have to spend more time and concentration getting them back in my grasp for the next corner, always aware of the possibility that if I miss them, I’m going off the side of a mountain. This reason alone will keep me from using the drops. I can’t descend 11km with my fingers holding the levers in the whole time.
The “riding in the drops” debate still rages on. Modern STI levers are designed so that you can brake powerfully from the hoods (unlike older levers where you could only get good leverage in the drops). This combined with more comfortable hoods has allowed to more upright “on the hoods” position to replace the drops as the primary position. Most riders spend most of their time on the hoods (racers and rec riders). Also, to get proper positioning of the hoods on the bars, many bars have to be rotated up so that the drops are pointing, if not at the rear der., at least at the rear brake. This angle makes riding for extended periods in the drops very uncomfortable (at least for me). I would love some new bars. Maybe some of the salsa short reach bars with a trad. bend. But right now I’m stuck with my ritchey comps.
Thats really just my opinion. Everyone sets their bikes up differently for a reason.
Thats why I dislike Shimano levers. Too long of a reach in the drops.
I still think you should get Super Record levers.
tim, you have some very good points. i guess my rant just came from not seeing anyone use their drops at all in cyclocross, because i find the drops to afford the best control. this is probably due to the fact that everyone is used to their road bike, and they all have too much saddle to bar drop. i keep my bars up high, and as a result, spend a large majority of my time in the drops.
i seriously don’t think i’ve seen anyone use their drops at all yet during cx… it sorta bothers me. just chop them off or get some bullhorns…
No forward facing bars in mass starts.
I use the drops on the trail. Love em. Tons better control
3M friction tape.
is hockey tape.
Hockey moms?
Joe six pack fuckin wolf hunter helicopter bros.
There is some rad clear polyuerathane (I totally spelled that wrong) that we use to use when I worked at SignsNow that would work perfect. Its pretty much invisible and is weather proof, it was suppose to be a lament but we used it on all kinds of crap. Pretty sure it was 3M.
I have a crazy dude in my apartment building that restores vintage BMX bikes to showroom like quality. He likes to take off those little rubber grippies on cheapo Bic pens and slide them over the levers. I dont know, man. Give it a shot?
The answer is descend in the drops. You can get shims for Shimano levers if the reach is too far, or adjust the position of the levers.
If you have decent, properly adjusted brakes and you’re still not happy with the modulation, try different pads. I like the Kool Stop salmon pads a lot.
[quote=“tjayk”]tim, you have some very good points. i guess my rant just came from not seeing anyone use their drops at all in cyclocross, because i find the drops to afford the best control. this is probably due to the fact that everyone is used to their road bike, and they all have too much saddle to bar drop. i keep my bars up high, and as a result, spend a large majority of my time in the drops.
i seriously don’t think i’ve seen anyone use their drops at all yet during cx… it sorta bothers me. just chop them off or get some bullhorns…[/quote]
I really should bring my bars up. I’m trying to get over my vanity on this bike. It’s my first new geared bike and the geometry is so different from any of the track bikes I’ve had. The TT is a good bit longer and it took me a few months to get over the fact that I couldn’t ride a 110mm stem like I’m use to. I’m down to a 90 and still trying to convince myself that it’s ok to have it flipped to a rise with some spacers under it. I keep thinking that I’m just getting over my injury and I’ll be able to ride with that kind of drop as soon as I get my flexibility back, but it’s been long enough that I’m not sure it’s really coming back.
I’d like to be able to use my drops more, but the bars just don’t work for me at all. I sort of knew this when I got them. They are ritchey’s with their anatomical bend. They don’t have enough flat near the end for my tastes. But they were all Josh could get his hands on at the time. They’ve served me well, but my recent issues are leading me to get a new pair.
What I really want to try, when I get some new drops, is to chop these to bullhorns for the city. I’m sure it will look like shit, but it’s really what I’m used to. It might be fun.