Drop Bars Vs Flats | Can A Hybrid Bike Be Just As Fast As A Road Bike?

[@gcn]

Which bike would you pick to ride? Let us know why in the comments!

[@maartends6051]

For me a ‘classic’ road bike, i can understand why to choose a flat bar. For some people they choose flat bar for their back.

[@boomchakalaka3715]

My tt bike any day....

[@mithral999]

Those orange grips sold me

[@monkeysrightpaw]

Just the ability to change position and fidget makes the drops more comfortable. Up straight looks great but on long rides It's still rigid. Also the I changed to a gravel with drops from wide mountain bike bars last year, I still do lots of off road and I'm glad the thin bar width doesn't get sleeves caught on branches bushes and brambles etc on badly maintained trails, particularly during the spring fast growth season.

[@Hardi26]

I prefer drops, but if I rode in wild places, that has a lot of hungry predators everywhere, then maybe I would consider the wide flat bar, because it would make me look bigger and scarier. Instead of them yelling at me. I would be the one yelling to them(pedestrians) with very bad language.

[@jonathanbouchard39]

I have no trouble keeping up with my road bike buddies on my hybrid "shopping bike", but that might change if I told them the route and they knew where we were going.

[@jonamcc]

lmao, get the jump on them by taking that sudden left turn onto the dirt

[@fordpacs6239]

In my country we call this scenario as "Budol" haha

[@LZ-un7ky]

🤣

[@enjelomarriusbalane6423]

@@fordpacs6239 "Chill ride lang promise, walang ahon dun" hahaha

[@fordpacs6239]

@@enjelomarriusbalane6423 hahahaha legit boss hahahaha

[@sourcefilm]

I've always ridden a hybrid. For me, it's not about aero (or looking cool) but about the health of my neck and back.

[@edwinkarani5593]

True.

[@leocmen]

Well, for me, it is the health of my pocket

[@MG007.]

@@leocmen Also true🤣

[@ThanhTLam1]

i agree

[@35ozgur]

I was about to buy road bike but roads are bumpy in Istanbul City I go for hybrid ( rs700 from decathlon )

[@Dakota_B_]

Never gonna claim my flat bars are the faster design, but my neck is thankful for them.

[@pappie_joppie]

I like banana

[@KillahKuin]

@@pappie_joppie I'm a banana

[@mellasio3911]

i have "little " belly and drops bars is killing me :)))

[@faustozapata8217]

@@KillahKuin Hilarious!!!! OMG!!!!!

[@dedge12858]

I just inverted my stem.

[@Kishgofu]

they're trying so hard to be unbiased bless them

[@SebastianHernandez-rx8gz]

“They are kinda weird” “yeah….but they’re comfortable “

[@blasckops21]

Simon's drift in the beginning was cool af

[@JmoulFrancis]

Ikr!

[@brauljo]

That was skid

[@christoingram]

That was a skid, search videos of Sam Hill of you want to see bicycle drifting :D

[@gliderman9302]

He was a mountain biker so

[@jeffreybarker357]

With all the talk of gravel, I’m happy to see discussion of hybrids. My first non-mountain bike is a hybrid so seeing discussion brings me back.

[@andrewponyrko3654]

That orange bike is sweet, I want one

[@jabehauber]

"The difference is that the hybrid is in a faster colour." I think that's about right.

[@yisraels4555]

LOL I have been lusting for an Orbea painted Red Orange and Yellow since it will obviously make me much faster, or at least look faster.

[@acyutanandadas1326]

best comment

[@elPedro666]

Nailed it

[@oscaraurelio8869]

In orange, it looks stunning. Too bad it screams "Steal me!" while in town too.

[@chriscairns654]

Flat bars are great in the winter for more confidence.

[@Shellewell]

Sure, you can hold the middle and get "aero" on a flat bar, but on a drop handlebar you can get aero and still have your hands on the brakes.

[@ouztaki]

I don't see why you should hold the bar middle to get "aero" on a flat bar ? I never hold my flat bar in the middle, but often "get aero", especially front to the wind.

[@Shellewell]

​@@ouztaki You say that you "get aero" on the flat bar. If so, then you should be well aware that a key to that is reducing frontal area. By holding towards the middle of the bar rather than hands out to the side you drastically decrease your frontal area. If your arms tuck in with the rest of your body while also maintaining a fairly low position then you're well on the way to a time trial position. That means you're in a real aero position rather than just bent a little lower.

[@vivek_v]

I just hold my brakes and bend my arms inwards; it's aero enough for me

[@Shellewell]

You do you, but that isn't what was tested in the video.

[@SetigoAndram]

@@Shellewell the video test nothing, really. Is just another nonsense video from this great guys. I dit not saw it fully, seemed to me waste of time...

[@phurwitzma]

I've been riding a hybrid for over 15 years. With my body shape, riding with drops just isn't so comfortable. I like sitting upright. But I also have handlebar extensions to allow me to get into a more aero position when I want to do that. I've gone 50+ mile rides on my hybrid and love it.

[@deltafour1212]

Welcome to the club!

Same here ;-)

[@matttan9133]

@@PinkPlume try clip on aero bars, similar to ones time trial bikes use. i am using a canyon hybrid, and the clip ons work perfectly fine, i can hit 55kmh even without the aero bars just by using what simon did in the video

[@matttan9133]

@@PinkPlume ya most hybrids have the steep in width, just put it nearer the middle, works for me haha and use masking tape too, u can put clips to prevent it from sliding too

[@billB101]

Same here, have Ergon GP3 grips.

[@kurtstephen9464]

This video confirmed what I am living, the social pressure and other riders not getting it; picking up my son at school, going on family rides and picking up milk and bread #FlatBar is just a whole heap of fun... My whole life I was 100% a road bike monster... But 3 years ago something clicked, one look at a flat bar road bike set up and I was sold... My racing days are over and having a bike that does everything makes so much more sense to me, it's the same reason I have a convertible #ItsJustMoreFun people talk about stiffness and performance loss, but like tbe flat bar, any performance loss is made up by the smile on my face... #Fun and #Versatility. Crazy results, one rider was faster on his flat bar using road bike technics to ride (exactly what I do when I want to go fast)... I'm sold because of the versatility, I ride with my ten (10) year old son, then I go on serious road rides (Gravel too)... Love to hear what you think... #MassiveVideo Kurt

[@thedownunderverse]

100% this Been a “roadie” forever but one day tried flat bar and haven’t looked back.

[@FunnyCatVideos2118]

1:35 “Without having to look through your eyebrows” Perfectly put. One of the things I’m still getting used to on my drops XD

[@matthewlewis2072]

It's actually a daft thing to say, because you just tilt your head back. And on the hoods, you're quite upright.

[@davidbierbaum4881]

@@matthewlewis2072 Personally, my head doesn't tilt back without making all sorts of "I don't like the sound of that" grinding noises, followed eventually by neck and shoulder pain.

[@CommaCam]

@@matthewlewis2072 What does intelligence have to do with it. Some people really struggle with neck strength and flexibility.

[@FunnyCatVideos2118]

@@matthewlewis2072 It's still a definite shift from flat bars though, you have to say.

[@0741921]

Never had suck an issue. I can, and def do look straight ahead while riding. Not doing so is a death wish

[@calebjackson2631]

I added clip-on aero bars to my flat bar bike for more comfort when I’m tucked in. Works great!

[@lordbertos8124]

Yes! This is a video I have been wanting to see! I ride a trek all and hybrid and it’s fast light and keeps up with a lot of road bikes. I do admit my light road bike is faster but all in all hybrid bikes definitely deserve a lot more credit than people give them 👍

[@angrypenguin956]

Could not agree more!

[@rob-c.]

Agreed. Hybrid bikes have been given a false ‘not a serious bike’ reputation and it needs to change if we want to get more people on bikes. 9 times out 10 when a ‘general’ member of the public needs a bike, it’s a hybrid - but marketing etc means they buy the wrong bike.

[@jonmathias6159]

Yeah, I really like my hybrid (Whyte Stirling). I'm about 10% faster on my mid-range road bike for the same effort but the hybrid is more comfortable, feels a lot more stable, especially at low speeds and is easier to see ahead.

[@Rocky4719]

My trek fx 2 got me into the sport of cycling, and 2 years later, she’s still the bike I’d turn to for a quick ride to the shops, or a little bit of training laps at a local park! I’m thoroughly convinced that hybrids can be for serious cyclists, as well as for those looking for a workhorse vehicle

[@EliasLopez]

Same, I ride a Specialized Sirrus X Comp Carbon modified for the road with 50mm carbon wheels and 28mm tires and I enjoy keeping up and being faster than some roadies out there, I love it!

[@jorisgulinck8724]

If you want to start cycling and want to try loose weight, a flat bar is better, because your belly sit in the way when you try a more aero position. And when you loose the weight, you can switch to a drop bar. This gives more comfort and in the end you have a person that is hooked on cycling. That's a win situation!

[@ProWeAreSo]

Exactly my situation. Started last summer with a $500 Trek. And just yesterday bought myself a Giant TCR. Might use the trek to train a bit and then blast off on the TCR

[@mouselim72]

Totally agree! More effort in less time too!

[@Alkrio]

But you are not required to hold drops when you have them. I’ve got pretty big belly and it definitely “sits in the way” when I’m trying to use drops, so I’m using them only when I hit a really strong head wind or when descending. And when I’ll loss that belly (if ever) I can still use the same bike and the same bar with the same road break levers with integrated shifters. They didn’t mention in video that to be comfortable on drop bar you’ll need to change them as well, and set of Shimano 105 break levers/shifters only can cost like an entry level hybrid bike.

[@ToThePointCT]

Learn to spell "lose" , then give out advice. 🤣

[@williamholmes3467]

Always had trouble with my back, hence I ride flat bar. On all my bikes I have just sawed the ends off to make them narrower and added horns for extra hand positions. Works a treat and still feels pretty quick!

[@robertdixon8238]

My first bike is an aluminium hybrid, picked out of concern about back issues. Over time, likewise have fitted bar ends, moved shifters in as far as possible, trimmed bars, and now run flipped stem. For extra comfort and grip, I taped over the aluminium bar ends. Effectively riding in TT position using the bar ends, gives me aero, and lots of hand positions. I also now have a carbon drop bar roadie, as over time my core has improved to support my back. But the hybrid is the favourite!

[@sdschen]

@@robertdixon8238 Lymphominator!

[@robertdixon8238]

G'Day Sam Chen! Been a while, mate!

[@redtrummy]

Dead right! For some reason flat bars have got over wide. The wife's new electric bike had bars wider than my motorbikes! Got the hacksaw out and then fitted two position bar ends so she could change hand position to relieve arthritic pain. How often do you see non racing cyclists on the drops? Not very often - ditched drops years ago.

[@Aubreykun]

@@redtrummy Mountain bikers use the super wide bars to maintain control, but they also cut them to length as standard practice. Cheaper for a manufacturer to have only a few styles of flat bars for both their MTBs and hybrids. PS: older bikes used to have the BB lower and thus the saddle to bar drop was much less, or negative. The drops were the standard position.

[@adamyelle4901]

Glad to see you rode the aero hand position on flat bars. People always act like there is only one position on flat bars. I have slightly narrower flat bars on my commuter and often tuck like that in headwinds.

[@Paganizondaf650]

Or the suspension crown hand position on mtbs

[@lynnwood4421]

I actually own one of each, a Giant Rapid flat bar + Ribble Gran Fondo road bike and the two bikes have very similar equipment levels. One absolutely must on a hybrid in my opinion are bar ends, they give an option for alternative hand position and especially help when climbing. On one of my training routes there is a hill that stretches for 2,6km and after owning the Ribble for 2 years I still have not beaten my best time on the flat bar. That orange bike does look amazing. I should add that at 66 I spend very little time in the drops.

[@mirak63]

You can use Spirgrips. I have a Giant Fastroad and a TCR.

[@sergioosorio8797]

Ollie has had some job done these days, two videos trying bikes he's not used to in the same day. Such a master!

[@olliedickason3248]

bit harsh eh

[@itarry4]

Hmmm Ollie has to try two bikes he's not used to and finds it difficult.... Looks at Hank riding up a cliff with a plant strapped to his back after riding all night and swimming across a raging river still smiling.

[@jaylumbago559]

My arms hurt more than my legs - spoken like a true road rider.

[@mavver]

All we need is flatbar with additional bullhorns :D I mean for commuter or gravel. Seriously on the road ppl spend like 80-90%% in the hoods. There are few hybrid bars on the market but I think it will be more popular in few years.

[@bonbonflippers4298]

I've been changing and adding different bar ends on my hybrid bike and the best solution that I think which also haven't tried is putting aero bars on flatbars for maximum aero. However I only have bar ends and narrowed my flatbar. The biggest flaw is nothing having your fingers on the brakes when going aero.

[@jeffreylee5770]

Fun is an important factor in riding, so I'd think the subjective sides of the results deserve a lot more consideration. I'd prefer more fun over more speed.

[@noily8974]

Comfortable

[@mustang19ms]

how about you get most of the speed too

[@animalgarden825]

Often SPEED = FUN but the feeling of control and safety is also very important

[@ghosthogday]

You can get a pair of Bar Ends for a flat bar to give you a vertical grip option. I personally don't use a flat bar "plain or as is" without making a few changes to it. However, every rider is deferant and should go with whatever fits his or her riding needs☕

[@Mike-up6go]

Yep, bar ends will help and so would a clamp on aero bar if you really want to get low, narrow, and aero. I used to be a dedicated roadie, but as I age ( now 67 ) I seem to gravitate to the bikes without drop bars.

[@artemisxo6734]

i love the "bullhorns" on my late 90s mountain bike, it's a different position which is great for comfort, and it feels like i have more horsepower uphill

[@K777John]

Love the colour of the hybrid, and the matching grips-but the bars look too wide for a street bike, more mountain bike width. The other thing which struck me is Olly riding holding the bars next to the stem, which I do on my hardtail on the road. The other thing was that Olly riding on the drops was exposing the full length of his arms to the wind whereas Si used the hoods so was only exposing his upper arm’s therefore more aero.....

[@robertgray9807]

I'm a road racer who rides a flat bar bike with fenders around NYC for the past 30 years. I've always resorted to the narrow grip/aero tuck to help me draft behind trucks.

[@derputy_9913]

I love that you just carried on after saying "...going to win hands down." as if that wasn't a pretty good pun.

[@daveyallanson7011]

Ollie: "Drops are good for sprinting out of corners." Also Ollie: continues to ride on a straight road!!!!

[@bobqzzi]

I have both. My gravel bike has flats. 2 observations: those bars are way too wide for road/gravel use. Bar ends are a must as they offer a desirable alternative hand position-I use the Ergon stubby ones.

[@edpilling4955]

Ergon GS3 just bought! Great control

[@shaunjasper5465]

We've got a video coming up that involves drops, we'll call Ollie 😂

[@ivanmatic4229]

Having tried all the options available, my ultimate build would be this: a flat bar with drop-style bar ends (they exist) *and* clip-on aero bars. The flat bar enables better control in a crowd and more space for bells, lights, etc. The drops allow a fast, comfortable ride while still offering good control over choppy terrain. The aero bars are the ultimate option for speed.

[@davidnguyen8265]

or you can just get a wide drop bar with aero bar

[@ivanmatic4229]

@@davidnguyen8265 The width of an aero bar is not a problem for me, it's that I haven't yet seen a bell that can be mounted on one, considering their non-tapering profile. And I'm tired of shouting at people to not walk on the cycling track. :(

[@davidnguyen8265]

@@ivanmatic4229 i have my bell mounted on my drop bar all the time.

[@ivanmatic4229]

@@davidnguyen8265 Ah, the perks of not living in a country in which cycling is treated with complete disdain. Guess I'm gonna have to turn to Amazon to solve that problem. ;)

[@dpow9852]

@@ivanmatic4229 p1

[@StephanieLuff]

Bought my first road bike a couple months ago. Definitely went for the drops! I'm loving them now.

[@Flix-f6q]

Been riding my flat bar in urban environment, best choice I ever made. Always above 30kph, sprints could be faster on drops, but I need to see all traffic.

[@jamiecox2506]

Really helpful for me, cheers. After about 7000km on my drop bars I'm struggling with neck pain, so I've been pricing up the cost of converting to flat bars. I think I can live with being 1 or 2 minutes slower per 10km! Cheers boys, great video

[@chisomodimmegwa3479]

7k??

[@DR_1_1]

Or a higher, shorter stem?

[@JohnLakeJazz]

It would be really interesting to see the margins by which faster equipment affects riders at different skill levels. For instance, what is the time difference between a road bike and TT bike for a pro, an amateur, and a beginner, and compare the percentage gains across skill levels to see who benefits the most.

[@vika0194]

Wouldn’t be fair unless the hybrid weighed the same

[@ynotnilknarf39]

@@vika0194 the hybrid shouldn't weigh more, the flat bars are much lighter than drop bars, so even with a slightly heavier seperate gear/brake combo the weight is pretty much the same. My carbon Sirrus Pro ltd is under 8kg with a 2x11 system and is made from a 8M 'heavy' (but robust) MTB modulus, that's with 32 spoke wheels as well.

[@jimonisjimi]

Fell in love with the hybrid just because of that orange bike

[@lunasmokezim1718]

I did the opposite, I bought a hardtail mountain bike and put dropbars on it. Not a speed thing for me but a comfort thing. Something about having your arms spread out like that is uncomfortable and tiring on longer rides.

[@airwilliam24]

How did you go about switching the shifters and stuff? Does that create compatibility issues?

[@lunasmokezim1718]

@@airwilliam24It's a total hack job lol. Managed to keep the shifters, found a way to fit them on the top bar of the drop handle bar. Got the brakes from an old bike. I don't advise it all. But I wanted a cheap mountain bike for the snowy winter riding season here in Canada. Between the salt and crazy weather, you can ruin a bike if you're not careful. Didn't want to spend decent money on a gravel bike only for, winter to wreck it. So much fun though, if I had the money, I would probably buy that gravel bike with a lefty suspension fork.

[@MrLaurensS]

so... now you have a gravel bike? :P

[@ebuckley7152]

Interesting topic - my fastest race pace was on my hybrid with flat pedals. Never got the same pace on a carbon road bike and both bikes are ridden as aero as I can go.

[@sunnyvalentino]

Same here.

[@arthurgoetzke-coburn8930]

I have clip-on aero bars on my hybrid, and those are amazing for my commute. Makes it way faster, and being able to lean into them saves my back as well!

[@fikrihumani3458]

The hybrid bike in this video is freaking cool. im using hybrid bike too, the best advantage of hybrid bike is you can use any clothes and still looks good.

[@davidholloway4053]

On my first"quality"bike which has a flat bar I borrowed the bar ends off of an old mountain bike and mounted them as mini aero bars. It's actually a lot of fun to ride. Have to sit up to shift but in Florida that's a rare occurrence 😉

[@avalsirithanawat1772]

Great to hear. Probably similar to my set up. I have carbon bar ends mounted in board. Honestly feels like both a road and mtb depending on my hand position. Great for flat bike paths, descends, and headwinds.

[@puneet140786]

I suggest trying out the SQ420 inner barends on the flat handle bar for two reasons. Gives you a different hand position so your hands don’t get tired. Secondly gives you a narrower arm position similar to a drop bar setup for more aero. I have been using them for about 1k miles and so happy with them that I exclusively use them on my flat bar now.

[@Enzo575]

Watching this with my Trek FX4 Carbon Sport, next to me. The colors on it remind me of an Aston Martin. I named him Aston for that reason, and boy this Hybrid is brilliant!!

[@mazerickd]

I have fx5 sport and loved the shit out of it

[@dimitri3996]

I have a Trek FX4 too (next to my Giant TCR). It was brought be able to mount a child seat on the front. Now that the baby is bigger and doesn't go on the front of the bike I'm thinking of putting drop bars on. Is that something that you would recommend or considered yourself?

[@Enzo575]

@@dimitri3996 no lie i considered getting drop bars on mine. However, the technicians at my shop advised me to get a new bike. Upgrading it can be costly because of the quality of the parts and the labor intensive care to do it. Its possible, yes but expensive if you're impatient.

[@JonReid]

Looking at that Orbea Orca (road version), makes me immensely frustrated. I want one, I can afford to buy one but I can order one as there is no stock available and may not be back in stock until 2022. I’d love to see a GCN film investigating the current stock crises which seems to be affecting all brands. Maybe as a professional media channel you haven’t experienced this issue, but as a “regular” cyclist, it’s a major issue.

[@randomchick1234]

Yeah that's a major issue. International manufacturing and shipping is a nightmare at the moment. Also as a side note, many regions don't get new bike designs/styles for ages (I had a really difficult time trying to buy a decent gravel bike in Australia...they only barely exist here)

[@jameswarner8038]

Its not gonna take a Mr S Holmes to figure out why

[@kswsquared]

GMBN Tech did a bit on this, since the current lack of supply issue is equally hitting both road and mtb, which is essentially the same supply chain...

[@JonReid]

@@jameswarner8038 I’m suggesting they take a look at the impact it’s happening rather than the reason why.

[@sterby1]

I got my Cannondale Topstone early January when I popped in a bikeshop for a coffee, they said there will be 2! in my size arriving next week and there won't be any more for the rest of the year! Didn't want to buy one right then but if I didn't I wouldn't be able to for a year at least. And that is how I got into curly bar cycling.

[@leslie7922]

Teacher at school: hey ollie count to five please Ollie: beep beep beep beep booo

[@christopherharmon9336]

I'd have to take the orange flat bar bike-it's just cool!

[@deblordoutdoors5783]

I have a drop bar gravel bike and flat bar hybrid, and the other thing I’ve found is the hybrid is much less comfortable on longer rides. I end up slouching my head into my shoulders and ending up with neck and upper back pain. They’re great for whizzing around town or shorter family rides... they’re also cool for some winter gravel riding on the less stable surfaces, but I think both have their merits for different reasons.

[@singingitman]

For congested or town riding the flat bars may be advantageous due to the more upright position. Some may say that the narrower drop bars are better for filtering around town. I would say that it is your personal decision.

[@BeastMoon]

I'd buy the street fighter just for the looks - if I could lol

[@martinmalloy5997]

This is a great video as it highlights that we're all individuals and that efficiency is down to that fact and not the bike, I prefer flat bars personally and find that I ride better with them than drops 😃

[@peterwallace1277]

My wife bought an entry level road bike but couldn't get the hang of the narrow bars and especially the braking action. so, it had to go, and was replaced by a cube with flat bars and a full 105 hydraulic group set and 35mm slicks. I chopped down the bars and swapped on a pair of grips with integrated stubby bar ends (like ergon). That sorts the variation of wrist position needed for long rides. Happy spouse!

[@jsponson]

Thank you for adding the aero twist to the comparison! I'm going to try some add-on bars (e.g. SQlab innerbarends) to mimic riding on the hoods when I get a flat bar bike.

[@paulbusby2013]

About 25yrs ago, I fitted straight bars to my Claud Butler steel-framed racing bike. I fitted MTB levers & Grip Shifts. My neck problems went! It was more comfortable, more manoeuvrable & more fun to ride. I did 100k & 300k Audax rides on this bike. I keep hearing that drops give more hand positions & IMO, all less comfortable! When you watch grand tours, check out how much time is spent on the drops - not that much. If you really do want an alternative hand position on a straight bar, you can fit bar ends though I don't. I now have both a Ridgeback hybrid (now with Hunt carbon wheels, 160mm XTR rotors & Schwalbe 35c knobblies) & a 4yr old Giant Defy. Both run tubeless. I have thus returned to drops. The Defy weighs in at 8.3kg & the hybrid: 10.0kg. Both are fun to ride but 50 miles on the Defy gives me neck ache. I could never work out why X-bikes have drops. My theory is it's more to do with so-called hybrids being seen as shopping bikes or possibly the inertia of "tradition". I can understand drops for road racing - makes perfect sense but touring, gravel & X-bikes - nope. The Defy does have a 160mm rotor up front but the hydraulic discs on the hybrid work better, as does steering. Riding both regularly, I don't buy the hand position argument - often put forward by those who've never ridden on straight bars. Many cyclists have an emotional attachment to drop bars & dismiss alternatives outright.

[@RC534]

Hmmm, straight flat bars in my experience with commuting with a 45km/h speed pedelec are simply not aerodynamic. This is mainly because you tend to have your elbows pointing outwards. I switched to a flat bar with 15 degrees backsweep and this makes a big difference as your elbows point much more downwards while still being stable and comfortable.

[@ynotnilknarf39]

if your elbows are pointing outwards your flat bars are way too wide, just as they are in this video, flat bars for non trials/proper off road should never be wider than 56cm

[@barryj1956]

I put bar ends on my flat bar bike, not on the ends of the handle bars but about 6" in from the end on each side. This mimics the width and position of what the hoods would be on my road bike. It also allows me to stretch my body forward slightly and tuck when need be and as well as giving an alternate hand position.

[@donaldpyper4627]

One of the biggest differences when buying these bikes is that hydraulic brakes are hundreds of pounds more expensive on a drop bar bike!

[@Pipeperreafterdark]

So true

[@mokotramp]

Absolutely agree! I've just had to convert an old CX bike to flat bars because I wanted hydraulics, because mechanical are so crap and over priced. Hydraulic brifters are disgustingly expensive, I just couldn't justify it! 🤦

[@sanford195]

You've missed the mark. I use straight bars for stability brake access and maneuverability with and aerobar for speed when I need it.

[@sebastianschmitz9352]

The free gcn videos have such a high quality, I am curious what more will come with gcn+.

[@jamble7k]

more advertising videos like this no doubt 🤣

[@bugeyesprite119]

I started cycling again in 2014 at the age of 64 after many years away from the sport. I've owned many different types of bikes since coming back - "comfort" hybrid, regular hybrid with suspension fork, flat bar road, endurance road, hardtail 26er, hardtail 29er, full suspension trail, fat bike, and gravel bike. For me, the most comfortable, best riding, and all around best bikes have drop bars - Trek Domane, Trek Checkpoint, Cannondale Topstone, and Salsa Journeyman. Think about it, when walking you naturally hold your hands in the same position as on a drop bar bike, palms inward. You don't walk with them palms down as on a flat bar bike. No question for me - drop bars are best, no more flat bars.

[@davenet94]

Been trying to buy my first road bike. My options are to drive 8 hrs to nearest store with my size/model in stock or wait til early 2022 😭😭 everyone is saying shimano cant keep up with demand of parts

[@joenaai3]

Nothing wrong with 2nd hand. Especially if it’s your first.

[@ViveSemelBeneVivere]

@@joenaai3 Just don't get carbon 2nd hand, you'll never know if there are fractures, so alu or steel is safer.

[@joenaai3]

@@bloodjam30050 nice, I bought a Specialized Roubaix Elite, carbon frame - £400.

[@samvilla6290]

One thing I’ve been meaning to try on my mountain bike is to put a little bit of grip tape in the center of the bars. This I’m hoping, would allow me to rest my forearms on the bars and get into an aero position. Another thing you can do on a mountain bike is put your hands on the crown of the fork. While it’s not very stable, if you’re good at riding no hands it’s not too difficult.

[@latergator915]

That skid! Si has been spending too much time with Blake.

[@alanhoughton1344]

Converted my single speed 83 Raleigh Royal town hack from drop bars to flat bars, felt inspired and I love it, thanks guys.

[@RichOnLife-1]

After 2 back surgeries, a flat bar Hybrid is a necessity for me to enjoy riding. They definitely serve a purpose!

[@soloban81]

Ditto. ALIF Fusion on the bottom two discs in the stack. Not sure I wanna ride that far bent over haha.

[@avalsirithanawat1772]

I’ve got in board mounted bar ends on my flat bar hybrid. The bar ends hand position is narrower than any drop bar hoods 😂Great versatility, even with headwind.

[@whataname955]

Good video. It would also be interesting to see a value comparison between hybrids and road bikes. From what I've seen, you get a lot higher quality components for the same price on a hybrid - more gears, hydraulic brakes, etc.

[@angrypenguin956]

This was a foregone conclusion from the start but it was fun to see the test done anyway. I ride both types of bikes but I like my hybrid a lot more than my road bike. I am willing to sacrifice speed for comfort (easier on my back). I think that a lot of people have the perception that hybrid bikes are heavy and slow. That perception is reinforced by the fact that hybrids are generally sold as entry-level machines and are priced and spec accordingly. As a road bike, a hybrid can be spec with high-quality components that will make a huge difference in the way it handles and rides but they are not cheap, and not many people are willing to spend that much on a hybrid. That being said, it does not matter how much you spend on your hybrid, you will always be slower than a dedicated road bike..

[@thebikepacker6982]

Last month I got second place in a 9km TT riding a hybrid in the praying mantis position. This video is relatable af 😅💯

[@thedistance1155]

Video or it didnt happened

[@pauldillon1660]

Liar

[@666Dejmien666]

If it's not on strava it didn't happen.

[@thebikepacker6982]

I'm in the u18 TT. So it's much more roadbike and tri bar dudes I was against... I'll just end it here believe it or not I don't care🤷🏽‍♂️

[@84imreplica]

I've got, in my opinion, the best of both worlds, with my new Koga Satori Denham handlebar. It's a flat bar with a 34 degree sweep at the grips and bullhorns for a more aero riding position on the straights.

[@user-rc6dw5go7p]

7am on a Sunday here in Canada, got my coffee and my favorite show with a new episode 🙂✅❤️

[@blizzbee]

☕🥐🧀

[@twiceaseager]

I have both a Giant Fastroad Comax, and a Giant Defy Advanced Pro 1, the Fastroad is a hybrid and a beautiful one at that, and when it comes to Strava PB's the honours are shared just about evenly, as the Fastroad is fantastic at going up hills, when additional leverage on the handlebars makes it a winner. I used to take it to a bike shop for servicing, where the mechanics would almost fight over who got to take it for a 'test' ride!

[@derjemand1021]

I rode a tiny mountain bike for 3 months since I started cycling. Getting a hybrid for me was a huge jump. I could barely hit 30 km/h on the mtb, the hybrid even lets me go above 40 km/h and sometimes 50+. I think it has more to do with strength and stamina. If a cyclist is really strong he can actually keep up with his roadie friends in the rides.

[@Slash113]

Exactly 🙏 I hate it when some rich snub with an expensive bike try to race me against my $800 hybrid bike 🤨 but get smoked anyways, including uphill lmao (not too mention that I carry a heavy-ass backpack everyday and have constant body sores after working out at the gym).

[@williamtaylor874]

The orange one is so cool looking !

[@shoeboy23john89]

Converted my Specialized Diverge gravel bike to flat bar and it feels so much better, a MTB for the road.

[@dand2334]

I have one of those...it’s called a Sirrus x5.0

[@Shift4g]

A MTB for the road is literally what a hybrid was supposed to be

[@shellypalumbo5297]

My hybrid!! 22-700 wheels with 47mm all terrain tires, hydraulic disc brakes, everything from 22/36 to 42/11 gearing and trekker bars with like 10 hand positions. I can ride anything from aero on road pavement to upright on off-road anything short of black diamond. I love the freedom to go practically anywhere I desire on my daily rides. More than adequate on all road conditions.

[@exmum]

I hope Ollie didn’t get dropped

[@supernoodles908]

@@boliverfridgewater3140 ride on the tops and you'll be top of the time trial ;)

[@petinka721]

Not so bad: You get dropped on a group ride Worse: You get catshed on a time trail. Worst: You get catshed and dropped on a time trail.

[@robbchastain3036]

Boliver is quite good at demonstrating social distancing on a ride.

[@TRiX_ONE]

However again ... 😊 (~13m vs. ~16m)

[@lennymclean.]

I'm about to do a flat bar conversion to my old '03 Saracen Morzine road bike with a 1x8 (48t X 32-11) drivechain and a nice bontrager crowbar riser bar and a short 60mm stem to make the position more upright. It's a strong, pretty light bike that has stood the test of time. The only thing is it has room for a maximum tyre size of 700 x 26c and I've got schwalbe lugano 25c's on it. The hidden advantage of that is that you don't throw it about quite so much so it's quite an effective damage-limitation mechanism, which I'm happy about because this will be the bike I lend to my kids or my siblings to ride when they come and visit...

[@eyeless230]

The Street Fighter looks cool, it is certainly my bike of choice for urban commuting. >: )

[@andrewsmith4342]

It's not just the possibility of varying and position on a drop bar, but that there's less strain on your arms (shoulders, elbows) with your hands in the neutral position as opposed to the pronated position on a flat bar (bar-ends was the solution on my flat bar). But after riding with a drop bar now for 3 years, I'm never going back! (Except for some MTB trail stuff, which is a different matter entirely) :)

[@Penfold-zr2be]

More research into the obvious. A fit bloke on a hybrid will kick the arse of a less fit guy on a road bike. Fitness counts more than the bike.

[@erich9779]

@Mucha Lucha same, one time I was driving at 200 mph and saw a kid like age 10 year old biking a 201 mph with ease

[@maggienancarrow9782]

Just got my first dropbar bike, so excited to try it. I've been doing 50-75 mile rides on a flat bar hybrid, and it makes you so stupendously slow. 55 seconds per 8k adds up.

[@dpw6900]

I have both. Got my hybrid because I wanted to get back into cycling and lose weight but soon found it really frustrating in headwinds even with the triple chainring. They are good for short rides around town but more than an hour and the fun starts to wane.

[@seattlesfinest1927]

Doug Wiggin After 1 hr..... I ride my flat bar 3-4 hours all the time and it's still plenty of fun!

[@kendodd1255]

It really doesn't start to wane if you are just relaxing and not trying to beat your pals on Strava

[@chocolate_squiggle]

If you wanted to lose weight then look at the headwind as a great opportunity.

[@thomasoei7089]

Fantastic video! I like the conversion ideas - Road to Hybrid; Hybrid to Road; Hybrid with Aero Bars - all with the same frame and wheel setup.

[@shawnchong2761]

Si: Knock yourself out, actually don't knock yourself out. Hank: Is that a challenge?

[@Bosterg75]

I have a flat bar racer ... all I needed is an inner barend like the one from SQLab. No more arm problem.

[@SetigoAndram]

I had put two 10cm bar ends, and cut them, 6 or 7 cm are enough, and look better. Great to relax, and climbing standing...

[@ducatiparts110mb]

Love my hybrid, albeit with bars cut narrower than yours & cow horn extensions to put me in the same place as drop-bar hoods. Lets be honest, its more about your legs than about your handlebars. To go faster, just bend your arms and pedal harder.

[@SuperRat420]

Stick to bikes you dont have to pedal. Youre clueless

[@SM-dt1pr]

@@SuperRat420 tough guy!

[@renardl2240]

@@SuperRat420 damn bro you a real tough guy real strong man real masculine guy, GayDicks420!

[@paulgibbs4936]

That streetfighter was sweet. Can see lots of builds like that coming.

[@mpk33]

Ollie has been tranferring his MTB skills learnt from Blake Samson from his recent video on GMBN. Great stuff mate. Ride like a mountain biker and go better & faster. ;-)

[@gcn]

If only it was that simple

[@davidbierbaum4881]

For the flat bar, in addition to holding the bar closer to the center, you can grab it from underneath the bar as well, for even more aero, and a slight change of position and muscle groups. For me though, bar-ends are a flatbar's best friend. 😏😁 I'm trying to remember whether GCN has done videos on any or all of the "not flat, not drop" bars. I feel bad for we happy few who enjoy riding with our butterfly/trekking bars, H bars, Jones bars, bullhorn/messenger bars, and classic Albatross bars, when we see one of these "drops vs. flats" and feel left out.

[@tubelious]

would be interesting to see a test like this with a 50 or 100 km ride. How hard would it get with a flat bar?

[@Crustyfur]

I do 100km XC mtb rides. I am going to say it’s easy… but my back the next day 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@charlesryder8512]

It all comes down to what you feel comfortable, you can set a hybrid up to fit just as comfortable as a good road bike.have been thinking about getting the orca E hybrid for a while now and ditching the road bike as I'm never going to be a speed king.interesting comparison guys

[@solokalnesaltam3015]

Hybrid rider here, maybe this helps someone Rest forearms on Flat Bar --> More comfortable, similar position to aero bars

[@nothingnew765]

I had an old hybrid bicycle for years, and for that purpose it was perfect for city living. I could pack up groceries in my backpack and feel totally safe driving back to my apartment in Chicago. I had no fear of bumps, stability and comfort were great. If you're a regular joe or jane and you want a safe and comfortable ride, and don't care about speed the I think hybrids are a great choice.

[@DrunkieCat]

Has GCN made a skidding tutorial yet? I need it before the group ride with my mates.

[@stephenchu1115]

Kudos to Si for quoting the great Greg Lemond - Greg was referring to racing lighter bike "...it doesn't get any easier, you just go faster..." This video reminds me of another great cycling quote (unknown author): "...you can't make a donkey into a racehorse...". Ollie riding in the proven fast "Graham Obree position" is still about 3 minutes slower (i.e. about 20% slower - that's huge!!) than Si's slowest time. So, it doesn't matter what Ollie is riding (he could be riding the fastest TT bike), Si will beat Ollie on any bike Si is riding 100% of the time. That leads me to another great cycling quote by Merckx: "don't buy upgrades, ride up grades". Meaning that the biggest difference in riding fast in cycling is the engine that drives the pedals and not the carbon aero wheels, nor superlight carbon frame, nor the integrated hidden cables that costs $12,000 us. A mid-range carbon bike with reasonably light aluminum wheels that costs a third of that will do. The incremental marginal gains past about $3k or $4k in very little in the real world.

[@THE_W0RLD_1S_Y0UR5]

This isn't an accurate comparison, and surprisingly Si didn't mention it, the flat bar is 1X. Which brings us to a whole new topic... is 1X good for the road.. Oh wait...

[@joaoferreira1755]

THANK YOU!!! i thought i was the only one getting bugged with that

[@GrandPrix46]

Being that I never race anyone or anything, I can't find a single reason to need to go faster on my bike. Much rather be as comfortable as possible, than go as fast as possible.

[@driekeijlders281]

Fun, but very much in a rural environment, how do they compare if you want to go fast in a urban environment?

[@minuteman4199]

IMO flat bars are better in an urban environment. Your head is more upright, making it easier to see what's going on around you, which is important in city traffic.

[@driekeijlders281]

@@minuteman4199 I agree partially, as you also want the ability to squeeze between narrow spaces (between parked cars and the ones on the road for example); so the bar should not be to broad.

[@htukmumfie]

i used to use my hybrid as a winter bike and there was something satisfying about keeping up with my road bike mates.....then i used it as a gravel bike until i bought a gravel bike....but they are best suited to cruising around cities or short rides out with the family. nice to have one "spare".

[@dandoeswalks2019]

My Hybrid has served me really well as a commuter. However, when the sad day comes to replace it, it will be drops for me.

[@davidt1169]

What I found with my flat bar trek FX1 hybrid is perfect for spending time with my 4 year old in the neighborhood or going for nice tarred trail rides with the family. I do look forward to upgrade to road bike with drops for the comfort factor of multiple hand positions. I looked to upgrade the gearing and group set so my regular exercise rides would be easier with better gearing. The bike shop told me I needs a whole new wheel to support a new group set. This leaves me with no option for upgrades until it is time for a new bike.

[@tom0kiely]

If you're nipping through narrow gaps in traffic then drops are a must.

[@notmycupoftea7433]

I could convert my bike from flat to drop bar but I always loose my interest anytime I see how much a pair of integrated hydraulic break/gear lever cost to those drop bars. Additionally they look vulnerable to me.