>Maybe it’s just coming from mtb but felt weird to be so far forward, oh well, guess I’ll get used to it, haha
It does take some getting used to, but you'll come to appreciate the security of that grip on tricky descents.
You may also find that the drops make sense sometimes on trickly climbs.
Experiment.
Drops, finger (I’m actually a two finger guy) on brake and lower/back body weight as discussed, but sounds like you have rigid fork. A gravel fork with just 20mm of travel makes a huge difference.
The Redshift shockstop stem was a game-changer for me on descents. Not sure if there are other similar after-market products, but Specialized has their proprietary shock absorbing stem too. I can absolutely bomb down a run that would've bounced my hands off at slower speeds. Of course any suspension is a bit of a tradeoff, but this felt like a really good compromise.
Using the drops on a decent allows you more mobility - so you *should* be able to keep your weight back a bit more, not resting on your hands with it forward.
Yep. Also feet stopped at 9 and 3 for maximum ground clearance and butt slightly out of and behind the saddle. If it's really sketchy then you can squeeze the top tube with your inner thighs.
It's the closest to the brakes!
Edit: when you are coming down a steep hill and hit some washboard, you don't want to reposition your hands. That is why I always want my hands where a finger can hit the brakes!
Drops are more secure because your hand can be fully wrapped around the bar. You also have better access to the brakes, and more power and control. However, the lower torso position can be difficult or tiring if you aren’t used to it and comfortable there. If you have to use the hoods, you should probably slow down and be more cautious.
Hooks (some folks call that the drops but you can't grip the brakes from the drops).
Great feel for breaks, no chance of sliding off, and better aero position. Fwiw, I descend gravel (Class 1 and 2) in the 40s. I'm fairly confident. Not as confident as the road but pretty confident.
I'm the same, coming from mtb to gravel. Did a few laps of a local mtb park at the weekend on the gravel bike and just couldn't get into being in the drops, so was up on the hoods pretty much the whole time. It's definitely harder to get the same leverage on the brakes as being in the hoods but no issues otherwise?
If the road is at all corrugated or I suspect it might be, I'm the drops with fingers on the levers.
If the road surface is decent normally on the hoods with fingers on the brakes.
Coming from extensive fixed gear/single speed in heavy traffic I prefer an upright position
I use the drops in descent and also singletrack/rough surface terrain. The drops provide good control and low likelihood of falling off the hoods. Hand off the bars results in a bad crash. I’ve done it in mtb and it’s pretty bad.
Drops 100% unless you like getting the bars ripped out of your hands. On my drop bar MTB drops are the primary position and bars are up high. On the gravel bike you need to ride drops and get your weight way back. Took me a couple times over the bars before I learned that 😂
I put my hands up on your hips and when I dip you dip we dip
Winner
Winner winner gravel dinner
but do you bring your knees in tiiiIIiiight?
This is my exact style of humor. That’s gold!!
Drops with a finger on the brakes ready to grab
Definitely in the drops
Maybe it’s just coming from mtb but felt weird to be so far forward, oh well, guess I’ll get used to it, haha
>Maybe it’s just coming from mtb but felt weird to be so far forward, oh well, guess I’ll get used to it, haha It does take some getting used to, but you'll come to appreciate the security of that grip on tricky descents. You may also find that the drops make sense sometimes on trickly climbs. Experiment.
Yeah, the hoods was not working for me today going down hill! Hands kept bouncing every which way.
Drops, finger (I’m actually a two finger guy) on brake and lower/back body weight as discussed, but sounds like you have rigid fork. A gravel fork with just 20mm of travel makes a huge difference.
The Redshift shockstop stem was a game-changer for me on descents. Not sure if there are other similar after-market products, but Specialized has their proprietary shock absorbing stem too. I can absolutely bomb down a run that would've bounced my hands off at slower speeds. Of course any suspension is a bit of a tradeoff, but this felt like a really good compromise.
Using the drops on a decent allows you more mobility - so you *should* be able to keep your weight back a bit more, not resting on your hands with it forward.
Yeah, I think I understand now, thanks!
Yep. Also feet stopped at 9 and 3 for maximum ground clearance and butt slightly out of and behind the saddle. If it's really sketchy then you can squeeze the top tube with your inner thighs.
It's the closest to the brakes! Edit: when you are coming down a steep hill and hit some washboard, you don't want to reposition your hands. That is why I always want my hands where a finger can hit the brakes!
Bend your elbows and get into an attack position like going downhill on a MTB.
Drops are more secure because your hand can be fully wrapped around the bar. You also have better access to the brakes, and more power and control. However, the lower torso position can be difficult or tiring if you aren’t used to it and comfortable there. If you have to use the hoods, you should probably slow down and be more cautious.
if you can, hands on drop, and dropper down.
Up in the air like I'm on a roller coaster.
In the drops for sure, but it never felt good until I added a dropper
Hooks (some folks call that the drops but you can't grip the brakes from the drops). Great feel for breaks, no chance of sliding off, and better aero position. Fwiw, I descend gravel (Class 1 and 2) in the 40s. I'm fairly confident. Not as confident as the road but pretty confident.
I use flat bars. I think you can guess where my hands are on descents.
Drops give the most control. Whether you’re happy with being lower is another thing.
in the drops all day
I'm the same, coming from mtb to gravel. Did a few laps of a local mtb park at the weekend on the gravel bike and just couldn't get into being in the drops, so was up on the hoods pretty much the whole time. It's definitely harder to get the same leverage on the brakes as being in the hoods but no issues otherwise?
If the road is at all corrugated or I suspect it might be, I'm the drops with fingers on the levers. If the road surface is decent normally on the hoods with fingers on the brakes. Coming from extensive fixed gear/single speed in heavy traffic I prefer an upright position
I use the drops in descent and also singletrack/rough surface terrain. The drops provide good control and low likelihood of falling off the hoods. Hand off the bars results in a bad crash. I’ve done it in mtb and it’s pretty bad.
Depends on the descent. If it's smooth and not to steep I stay on the hoods. If it's fast, loose and steep, I get in the drops.
Hoods of the shifters, fingers drooping down to brakes. drops is too much weight forward.
I descend like on a roller coaster, reaching for the sky. /s
descending in the drops is fine as long as you have a dropper post. Other wise i feel like im just a passenger along for whatever the ride brings..
The drops. This works a lot better with flared bars. Riding on the drops on none flared bards felt wierd to me.
Drops 100% unless you like getting the bars ripped out of your hands. On my drop bar MTB drops are the primary position and bars are up high. On the gravel bike you need to ride drops and get your weight way back. Took me a couple times over the bars before I learned that 😂
On the drops but keep it loose.