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Flat Bar Trainer Bikes
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Gday All,
Just after a bit of advice / insight
Am keen on doing a few 50-100k races next year
but am keen 2 get a road trainer to get some k's up
Have been looking around, am wanting to keep the cost below $1000
Have looked at Avanti Blade 4.0, Giant Crx and Scott Speedster and SUB10
Any ideas / advice would be appreciated
Cheers
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As someone on MTB-OZ once told me... "Flat bar road bikes are the work of the devil!".
Well - they might not have said that exact thing, but that was the message - the consensus was these contraptions are the worst of both worlds.
Apparently the point with the drop bars is you have several different positions to put your hands, which works well on long rides as it allows you to move your position. You know - you can ride on the hoods, or the drops (only at high speed/into a nasty headwind), or the flat in the middle (I have a crosser with levers there so can also brake here which is handy when you are used to it). Of course this moving around isn't a big deal on an MTB as we are always shifting due to the terrain anyhow. The point is a flat bar road bike does not have the same flexibility.
Have to admit that once you get used to it, riding around on the hoods is quiet comfy. This is all coming from someone who is not really a fan of the road at all, so understand it's not a sales pitch.
Thanks for the reply Rob
I understand where your coming from and your point is valid
I hate riding the road as much and the next mtn biker
I used to ride roadies to get to school and work
I piled on the beef once finishing school and when playing footy overseas
The further angle of riding a roadie would kill my back
So think of me as a moving fridge, would be an accurate description
Cheers Again
Hey Pieboy98,
Just to set the record straight, regardless of whether you use flat or drop bars, there is only one 'correct' riding position for your 'unique' body and current flexibility. (The reach and drop from the saddle)
It is a misnomer to assume drop bars need to be set lower than flat bars.
As an old scummer from way back, I have my road bike set up with the tops of the bars about 2cm below the saddle. This gives a really nice feeling of being 'in' the bike rather than on top of it.
Now, to really confuse you, i also have a flat bar commuter bike, but I've put a decent set of bar-ends on it to vary my riding position when needed! Have a look at it here: http://nobmob.com/blog/96 It may give you an idea of what can be done cheaply from a pile of spare 'bits'
W