Saddle to bar drop

[teddysaur]

I just wondering how much saddle to bar drop do you have on your bike? How does flexibility relate to saddle to bar drop. I just got my new frame and trying to figure out how much saddle to bar drop should I have.

[2002SaecoReplica]

Rule of thumb is no more than 3"

[allezkmiec]

I've got about 2 inches of drop on my bike. I've got a long torso and long arms in relation to my leg length, so it makes the reach easy enough for me.

[teddysaur]

Some of the pros had it more than 10cm I heard. Is it bad to have it more than 3"?

[fdegrove]

Hi,

I just wondering how much saddle to bar drop do you have on your bike? How does flexibility relate to saddle to bar drop. I just got my new frame and trying to figure out how much saddle to bar drop should I have.

Usually about 10cm is a good starting point.
The deeper you can reach the more aero you'll be but it takes some flexing and from experience, it may hurt in the lower back at first too....

I'm at 11 cm but you should experiment a little and go with what you're comfortable with.

Ciao,

[Mr.Gib]

There is probably a formula (sorry - don't know it) to determine the optimal drop which I would assume balances pedalling efficiency and aerodynamics. But as with all such things what is best for any given individual will depend on their distinctive physical characteristics.

Fortunately this is an easy thing to adjust. My recommendation is to leave the steerer long and move the stem up and down by repositioning spacers above and below it. It is a good way to find what works for you before you do any cutting. A thing to keep in mind is that if you are new to road cycling your body will "evolve" over time to become more comfortable in lower positions. I notice that as the season progresses I get more comfortable with my hands lower. Sometimes I will just ride on the drops for long periods for no particular reason other then to change hand position.

Also remember that the same set up with a shorter stem/overall reach will require a lower handlebar position to achieve similar upper body position.

[Rich_W]

another critical factor in saddle to bar drop... is breathing... really depends on the person though. I was told by a coach several years ago to raise my position 3cm at the bars, because I would breathe better. But I felt I paid too significant a price in aerodynamics.

my current position is a compromise. I worked a lot on flexibility and core strength... which got me somewhat lower. I also prefer to ride with my elbows bent at 80°.

I'm currently at 5cm drop... but also I turn my levers way up, use shallow drop bars, both decreasing reach.

It also seems lots of folks just slam their stem down on their headsets for fashion... just because they see the pros doing it. But they're riding with their elbows locked just too be able to look cool.

[jerk]

the jerk has never had a bike where the drops felt too low. weird eh? he's tweaked reach, saddle setback, handlebar width etc. but the bars just always end up where they end up. that's partly the reason for the 55x58,5 dogma. with 20mm of spacers it'll be the same as the rest of the jerk's bikes but with the stem right on the hset, it'll be 2cm lower than the jerk has ver ridden. thing is, with bars being so shallow now, and hoods coming up on the bar, on paper the thing is no more extreme than the spx merckx the jerk kicked around for a season racing kermesses back in the early nineties.
jerk

[airsoft510]

4.5 inches is mine. I'm thinking about getting a 74 degree stem to make it lower. I feel i'm somewhat stretched out on the hoods and not low enough when on the drops/decending. I'm also 15 so I think im flexible

[teddysaur]

I too found that more saddle to bar drop will required shorter stem. Not sure how that would affect sprinting. I'm thinking of switching to Ritchey WCS classic bar from my EC90equipepro.

Will it be better to start from smaller saddle to bar drop? Give my back some time to adapt to it or the other way round?

[Herbert]

13cm drop on my road bike.


Herbert

Litespeed
www.litespeed.com

[iubike]

13cm drop on my road bike.


Herbert

Litespeed
www.litespeed.com

Herbert Smash! someones a monster

K

[stumpytrunks]

3 inches here from top of the saddle to top of the stem. I've always been of the opinion that it's easier to have a big drop for blokes with long legs, nothing to back that up though! Would be interesting to see the drop to seat height %. For me 7.5/69 is 10.9% all things being equal a person with 90cm seat height would have a 9.8cm drop. Apples and oranges teddysaur, just try everything before you cut.

[oclv150]

I have 13.5 cm drop, and it feel compy on the drope, where i spend most of the time (during a race). I have very long legs in comparison to my height (no19 in the pic ). seat height is 77 cm with speedplay's and shimano shoe, which both have less height steak(??) then average[/quote]

[turbo pepper]

15.5cm for me. I'm 1,84m tall and I guess it depends on your morphology. Of current riders, I suppose I look a lot like Basso in the way I'm set up on the bike.

With this drop, when I am on hoods or the drops, my back is totally flat and straight. I'm comfortable too and I've never done any stretching or gym work. It's aero and even if I'm no big 'rouleur' I can ride hard on the flats.

It's all personal, depends on your body shape and what's comfortable.