Flat will aways response more quickly in sudden situation, especially braking. I have to ride my bike in the city, flat means more safe and controllable

The problem for drop bars bikes is the cost of hydraulic brake levers. When you can get MT200 MTB set for $50, you are facing $200 for drop bar setup

@lebinh9357

25 күн бұрын

This is so damnnnnn true. Biggest problem came from brake.

Thanks for the video. I think the Marin Four Corners 2 is a great alternative to your standard drop bar. It's a couple of inches higher and a bit wider. Love the FS also!

I use both mostly flat bars because I have mix surface roads along with ruff paved roads usually use the grassy shoulder of a road

Put Pro bar ends on your flat bar and you add a couple of hand positions, Ive got bikes with both types of bars and its horses for courses depending on the technical dfficulty.

@offroadcc

10 ай бұрын

We absolutely agree!

@drill_fiend1097

10 ай бұрын

Hmm... i am considering one of those ergon grips with built in bar ends.

@BrianRPaterson

9 ай бұрын

That's precisely my set up. My Cannondale XS800 (with a Headshock) cyclocross bike originally had drop bars. These days it gas an old (and therefore narrow) flat Ti XC-MTB bar, with comfy Ergon grips to rest my palms. I've also got a set of Cannondale's classic, long-style bar ends. Wrap them in a bit of bar tape and they're also super comfy - especially if you are cranking out of the saddle on a climb. I think there are as many, if not more hand positions than a drop bar bike, without sacrificing control in the rough stuff.

@danp-d2810

9 ай бұрын

this. i'm running a flat bar with inner bar ends on my groad bike and have a decent enough "in the hoods" position that way, and you can play with the angle to get a track sphinx aero position if you want. i now look like i'm on a #dadcore hybrid but am literally faster on all my local climbs, up and down. comfortable is fast.

@BrianRPaterson

9 ай бұрын

@@danp-d2810 "Dadcore." Love it! That's me to a T these days. Cheers

I'm a great defender of the flat bar gravel bike, but that Marin FS definitely strays into a weird gray area between hybrid and MTB. I bet it's fun to ride though! My gravel has drops as I use it as my road bike with excursions off road. It also makes trails or fire roads which would be dull on a proper MTB much more exciting!

@offroadcc

10 ай бұрын

The DSX definitely treads into MTB territory but that's exactly what it's all about! We'll have a full review of this bike coming to off.road.cc in a couple of months.

@stephenwaters5134

Ай бұрын

Been riding the dsx FS(front suspension) like in the video. More aggressive than most hybrids yet playful and "fun" as you say. It's a quiver killer meaning you don't need more bikes. Yes a little bit slower than my roadie buddies but not by much, certainly you can't get as rowdy on hills but for singletrack it is so happy and controllable. Got mild riserbars on it (so there goes my aero) but golly it's got get up and go! Puts a smile on my face every time I throw a leg over. Cheers!

Have the DSX in this vid; it's nice to ride it as a both commuter and adventure bike for off-road park trails. But if I have room for two bikes I would consider a drop bar. It's just that hydraulic drop equipped bikes have way higher price than flat bar counterparts. Wasn't the case when I had rim brake drops on the past!

@AK-oz4ew

4 ай бұрын

Right, it is $200-$300 extra just for the brakes and levers, crazy

@fulltang1

2 ай бұрын

Any thoughts on the tarmac performance of the dsx fs?

@drill_fiend1097

Ай бұрын

​@@fulltang1it's okay. Stock tires are meh on pavement.

@wandering_pete

28 күн бұрын

You can get mechanical disc brakes or TRP's HY/RD.

It totally escapes me why anyone would put drop bars on a gravel bike. Or any bike, unless you're a pro racer and every second counts.

@wandering_pete

28 күн бұрын

Must have missed the bit from 2:10 to 6:34.

A flat bar gravel bike with front suspension ... so a mountain bike? Not that I'm complaining, really liking that dsx.

@offroadcc

2 ай бұрын

The DSX certainly draws inspiration from the capability of modern XC bikes but harks back to the old school with its skinny tyres and ability to go pretty quickly over tamer terrains. Then it's pretty good through more singletrack than the average gravel bike... It just needs a dropper post ;)

@harimathur2191

Ай бұрын

Potehto potahto. Its a drop bar MTB with expensive under performing front suspension. Get an XC bike, load up skinny tyres, and a corner bar.

I have Muirwoods on 2.25 tires very fun ride bike on fat tires max what I put on him 2.4 Vittoria Syerra in S size

You never mentioned the comfort of flat bars😂. I use both bars, I'll always pick my flat bar bike over my dropbar bike. Where's the fun in riding an uncomfortable bike?

@offroadcc

5 ай бұрын

That's because comfort is very subjective and there are so many variables that play a role in a handlebar's comfort, especially with drop bars. I've ridden flat handlebars that are too stiff that have left my hands hurting within a few miles but then I've ridden drop bars that I've been happy with mile after mile.

@TenFalconsMusic

4 ай бұрын

I had the option of purchasing 2 budget bikes (one with flat-bar, the other with drops) or one good bike for all riding conditions. Luckily, I have a mate who does fittings. He told me to measure my shoulders and get a flat-bar the same width. In my case, it was a 460mm. Best advice I've ever received as I have the control & comfort advantage of a flat-bar, with the "close enough to" aero position of drops. As the bike I chose came fitted with carbon drops, I was able to time trial both bar types. Only gained .8 watts advantage with the drops and surprisingly, my speed times were relatively the same for both. What's more, the flat-bar wins the comfort position & access to brakes/shifters categories hands down. The only downside was having to purchase (and fit) combination brake/shift levers to the flat-bar. My overall cycling experience on multiple terrains has improved exponentially.

Ай бұрын

it depends when you driving long distances flat bar causes numbness in hands wrist pain and elbow pain this is a forced grip not natural that's why I buy corner bar and loop bar

Great! What size are you guys testing on?

@offroadcc

5 ай бұрын

Both bikes are medium frames

@TenFalconsMusic

4 ай бұрын

They look a bit like a girl's bike, with a sloped top tube angled to better get your leg over whilst wearing a dress.

@dik3y

3 ай бұрын

@@TenFalconsMusic yeah like all new mountain bikes. They are designedfor girls only :D

Should have used the same bikes with only the handlebars being different.

Most people with drop bars off road are on the hoods most of the time so seem pointless to me. On a fast flat road yes ideal but off road, superflous.

@hobinlobo

2 ай бұрын

As the video emphasises, drop bars are more aerodynamic even when in the hoods. Even professional road racers are on the hoods a lot of the time, because it is still very aero.

I feel like English people pronounce "Marin" incorrectly. I have always heard it "Mah-Rin" in North America. They frequently say "Marrin" in UK.

@kettlebelleddie5272

8 ай бұрын

but you knew what he was saying

@ntrpy

7 ай бұрын

That's probably just because the american accent leans more towards that sort of pronunciation than the average southern british accent

@MacLaw3084

7 ай бұрын

It’s pronounced “mur-rin”. No emphasis on the u sound, and the “rin” portion should sound like the word “rinse”. They are a company based near Marin county, which is in the California Bay Area. Americans pronounce things differently than are uk brothers. Even Californians sound different than say people from Texas, but who cares? We say “zee” y’all say “zed”.

@TenFalconsMusic

4 ай бұрын

I wonder who could be pronouncing English words better... The English or the Americans. 🤔

@hobinlobo

2 ай бұрын

​@@TenFalconsMusicMarin is a county in California. So I,'d go with the Californian pronunciation.

: )

Cycling off road with drop handle bars looks ridiculous and is unsafe. Flat bars rule.

@wandering_pete

28 күн бұрын

Unsafe? Lot of gravel racers get on with them fine from what I've seen.

@alj.granda8252

13 күн бұрын

Maybe some wide open XC is fine with drops, but I wouldn't try them on anything technical beyond basic beginner.

Mountain bike gearing on a much lighter and simpler bike.

...or perhaps if flat-bar enthusiasts didn't use bars the width of a pterodactyl's wing-span, they would achieve a better aero position and not look like a prehistoric bird dancing with their mum's broom handle.