tour de france on flat bar road bikes



bob161069

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May 16, 2007
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If all components being equal except for shifters and bars would a flat bar and drop bar be equal. If the tour de france was run on flat bars this year would the riders be averaging the same speeeds. Could you develop the same body position on a flat as you could on a drop.
 
I assume the frame woutd be exactly the same.

Is the "no" answer, because of the ability to go down on the drops? If you have your hands on the hoods, would that have the same result as on a flat-bar?
 
Jotjepoes said:
I assume the frame woutd be exactly the same.
Not always. Off-the-shelf flat bar frames often have longer head tubes to accomodate the higher/more upright riding position, as well as more relaxed geometry.

Jotjepoes said:
Is the "no" answer, because of the ability to go down on the drops? If you have your hands on the hoods, would that have the same result as on a flat-bar?
Assuming identical frames, rider position, and weight, then there's little difference betweet a flat bar with barends (assuming they are the same width as drop bars) , and riding on the hoods.

In practice, though, the subtle differences between flat bar and racing designed frames does influence how fast you're able to push yourself on the bike.

n
 
I would have to say that the tour riders spend around 90 to 98% of the time on the hoods and in a bunch. So i would think getting dragged by the bunch and getting streamed by team mates the advantages of a drop would be minimal.

More power in a sprint would be your only advantage i would think. But could you get around that. If enough time was spent on that position who knows.
When greg lemond used the aerobars for the first time everyone thought that was weird and unnatural.
 
Sprint, breakaways, crossing the gap,pulling the peleton, descending - all require drop bars for the possibility of elite performance.
 

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