We know, there’s no such thing as a stupid question. But there are definitely some questions too embarrassing to ask your local shop or riding buddies. This is the first in a weekly installment where we get to the bottom of your questions – serious or otherwise.
M wants to know, Can a flat bar road bike be as fast as a bike with drops? Where do drop bars give the most advantage?
Given the same bike with the same fit, a more upright position (a flat bar) will be less aerodynamic and therefor slower. It is possible to set up your flat bar in a way that is faster and more aero, but the benefit of a drop bar is that you get multiple hand positions that allow you to have a very aero position along with more comfortable upright positions. There’s more to the equation such as bar width and frontal aero footprint, but for the most part the advantage of drop bars is probably more about comfort than speed. But being comfortable over a long ride will ultimately make you faster.
Z asks – Why are there only a few fat bikes that have a low top tube/low standover height? What kind of moron designs a fat bike frame with the top tube positioned high enough to guarantee a nad smasher every time you put your foot down in the powder?
That’s a legitimate concern when it comes to fat bike design. A lot of it likely boils down to tube shapes and trying to meet certain geometry constraints, but recently there has been a lot of focus on frame bag fitment as well. Many fat bikes are designed as backcountry race or exploration machines, so companies have been trying to allow them to fit the biggest frame bags possible inside the front triangle. Then there’s also the likelyhood that it simply comes down to looks and certain frame designers put more emphasis on aesthetics than the ability to straddle the top tube when the bike is on packed snow but your foot is in powder.
Dan writes – What am I missing, if I convert a mtb to road tires, compared to a dedicated road bike, if I’m going to just join club road rides? What kind of stereotypes am I going to have to overcome to be treated more equally if I show up on one?
See above for the debate on flat bar vs. drop bars, but there’s a lot more at play. Putting slicks on an MTB is a great way to dabble in road riding but if you plan on doing it on a regular basis a dedicated bike will be more enjoyable. Slick road tires for a mountain bike wheel will often be lower profile than the knobby tires which lowers the bottom bracket and decreases pedal clearance on corners. Also, the geometry on a mountain bike is most often more upright and slacker than a road bike which just means you’ll be working harder and have a bike that doesn’t handle as quickly on the pavement.
As for how you’ll be treated if you show up on one? I’d hope that you could join your local club on just about any bike without being ostracized, but honestly that all depends on the riders you’re trying to join. Many cities have groups that welcome any riders without judgement, but there are definitely those out there that would likely turn up their nose at a converted MTB for a group ride. But if you have the legs, some times it can be very satisfying to best “serious” riders on an “inferior” bike.
Got a question of your own? Click here to use the AASQ form, or find the link under the Contact menu header up top anytime a question pops into your mind!
