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Flat Bar Road Bike of The Year?

by tomoenage
Sat, Jan 14, 2017 10:20
11

I enjoyed reading all the reviews of The Bikes of the Year but they are bit of 'Bike Porn' for me because I can't ride them due to my physique & back issues.

 

I have to ride 'flat bar' bikes and I'd very much enjoy, and benefit from, a feature reviewing the Best Flat Bar Road Bikes.

 

Anyone else looking to upgrade and need advice?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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11 comments

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Canyon48 | 7 years ago
1 like

Boardman have their new Urb range out, looks awesome http://road.cc/content/tech-news/229848-boardman-unveil-new-urb-and-asr-...

Canyon also have some awesome flat bar road bikes https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/fitness/roadlite/

Totally agree though, we do need a review of the best flat bar road bikes.

I'd love a Canyon Roadlite, I have no use for one and I'm a road drop bar cyclist - but they just look so good, it'd be great for city cycling.

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Tim Snowdon | 7 years ago
1 like

You might want to look at the Snowdon Paradox. 

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ConcordeCX | 8 years ago
0 likes

It seems to me that you should either have a bike built for you, which could be a road bike with drops, or at least get measured by a specialist and seek their advice about the right size and geometry of the frame you buy.

My best bike was custom-made and although I'm nowhere near your height or weight, and I didn't particularly have problems before, the difference in comfort and rideability were spectacular and immediate, equating to longer and longer hours in the saddle over many more consecutive days. My own strength and stamina are now the limiting factors rather than biomechanics. The bike was also cheaper (although still expensive) than a lot of the off-the-shelf stuff reviewed here.

An additional benefit is that for each n+1 that appears in my pride, I know exactly what size to buy.

I have a friend who experienced problems for years, but bought an old bike off ebay and found miraculously that it's a perfect fit for him, and his biomechanical issues went away. 

I have also noticed that in NL there are a lot of big people riding big bikes. One of my nephews works over there. He is taller than you, but probably less than half your weight. He says it's the only place he's been where he doesn't feel like a giant. Maybe a trip over there would be beneficial.

 

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tomoenage | 8 years ago
0 likes

somehow as a 1.97m 128kg 4th Dan British Judo Champion (of the 90s) people don't seem to give me much grief about my lack of trendiness

 

no hat, no special clothes, other than waterproofs, rickety old hybrid (for now) but seem to get along ok...cheeky

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Yorkshire wallet | 8 years ago
0 likes

Funny how a change of bars will get you totally ignored.

I bought an old Raleigh Mtrax thing for no reason whatsoever and changed to flat bars. No more nods and waves for me after that. What a strange lot cyclists are.

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tomoenage | 8 years ago
0 likes

appreciate all the info guys - been riding hybrids for years, because of the riding position issue (huge fella, bad back), but now keen to get something more fun.

 

Thinking of a really nice bike converted will be for me

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Langsam | 8 years ago
1 like

Yep, a standard road bike with flat bars, Ergon grips and Tiagra trigger shifters is a very nice way of making progress.

Bear in mind that decent hydraulic brakes are cheap for flat bars compared to drop-bar STI units, so Maybe something like a rigid-fork hybrid with discs is an option worth looking at. I have a Boardman hybrid that I've converted to drop bars, it rides really nicely (and did before with the flat bar!)

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TypeVertigo replied to Langsam | 8 years ago
0 likes

Langsam wrote:

Yep, a standard road bike with flat bars, Ergon grips and Tiagra trigger shifters is a very nice way of making progress.

Bear in mind that decent hydraulic brakes are cheap for flat bars compared to drop-bar STI units, so Maybe something like a rigid-fork hybrid with discs is an option worth looking at. I have a Boardman hybrid that I've converted to drop bars, it rides really nicely (and did before with the flat bar!)

This is exactly how I have my folding bike set up. Stock 580 mm aluminum handlebar, Ergon GP3-S grips with integrated bar ends, and Shimano Tiagra SL-4600/4603 3x10 trigger shifters.

The bike (a Dahon Vitesse modified to a 2x10 drivetrain) is rim brake only, though, so it uses Shimano Alivio Trekking T4000 V-brake hardware and levers.

I could always mount a drop bar onto it given the correct hardware, but on a folding bike that will see life regularly transforming between its two states, I think the added bulk just doesn't make sense. At least with the Ergon GP3s, I can still have two hand positions.

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barbarus | 8 years ago
0 likes

If you're riding longer distances some way of altering your hand position will be welcome, short bar ends for example.

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tomoenage | 8 years ago
0 likes

many thanks for that post Python, really helpful

 

I'll be sure to check that out, or might ask my really friendly local bike shop to convert a nice bike to flat bar from droppies as you say

 

I want speed & handling so I can cover distance & the commute through town ir super quick time

 

appreciate your time in replying man smiley

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the infamous grouse replied to tomoenage | 8 years ago
0 likes

tomoenage wrote:

convert a nice bike to flat bar from droppies as you say

I want speed & handling so I can cover distance & the commute through town ir super quick time

 

i did this with a cube cross disc. wide flat bars, shimano zee hydraulic brakes, 32c/35c tyres.  and mudguards.

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