Flat Bar vs Drop Bar for Commuting (A HELPFUL Guide)

You need a comfortable riding position if you spend more than 30 minutes in the saddle. One of the best ways to optimize comfort is by choosing the right type of handlebar. Flat and drop handlebars are the most commonly available, so let’s see which one is the better type for you.

Flat bars are easier to handle and maneuver with for beginners and provide a more comfortable, upright riding position. Drop bars provide more hand positions, which results in superior palm comfort, and they offer an aerodynamic advantage to ride faster.

The aerodynamic drag is not significant enough to make you faster if you ride slower than 15-16 mph (25 km/h); in that case, drop bars won’t help you go faster. For the average commuter, a drop bar doesn’t translate into faster riding speeds. Drop bars also have the advantage of offering various hand positions. Being able to grab the handlebar in a variety of ways helps to alleviate pain in the hand on longer rides. (The most versatile bikes with drop bars are gravel bikes. For some, they can be excellent commuters.)

Flat bars are generally more upright and thus offer a more comfortable riding position than drop bars. This is their main advantage over drop bars. Their major disadvantage is that they only offer one hand position without adding bar extensions, which can become uncomfortable on longer rides. They’re considered better suited for the majority of commuters, however.

Electric bikes built for everything and priced for everyone. Shop Rad Power Bikes, America's #1 electric bike brand. Get out. Go further. Ride Rad.

I prefer a flat bar on my commuter, but I take comfort to the next level with the Ergon GP5 handlebar extensions. They give me two additional hand positions, and I have the advantage of easy maneuverability and a more upright position.

But now, let’s dive into more detail and consider the pros and cons of flat bars and drop bars.

Pros of drop bar for commuting

Multiple hand positions

Drop bars are designed to offer you at least three different hand positions when riding your bike. You can ride on the bars, on the hoods, or in the drops. When riding on the hoods and in the drops your arms and hands are in their most natural position. The fact that you can change among them can offer relief to your hands on longer rides. 

Aerodynamic advantage 

Aerodynamic drag becomes a significant factor when you ride at 15.5 mph or faster. Riding on the hoods or in the drops means that your body will catch less wind and you can ride at the same speed with less effort or that the same effort will result in going faster. It is a great advantage for commuters who have long straight stretches on their commute where they can save energy and valuable time.

Narrower than most flat handlebars 

Another advantage of drop bars is that they’re typically around 100-200 mm narrower than flat bars. This can be quite significant when passing through tighter spaces, such as cars in a traffic jam. Just when you need that inch or two between the rearview mirrors of two cars, you will be thankful.

Climbing hills

You can fairly easily shift your body weight to the front which makes climbing hills easier. The brake hoods function as a firm grip that allow to shift your body weight even more to the front and you can also get leverage from them to push through the pedals with even more power. In a forward leaning position you have additional leverage for pedalling.

Cool factor

Even though this is a question of personal preference only, a bike with drop handlebars looks good. It is like going to work in a sports car. You can further customize the unique looks of your drop bar with a range of custom handlebar tapes.

Cons of drop bars for commuting

Brake lever position 

Your ride is constantly interrupted by traffic lights, pedestrians crossing, getting up and down curbs, crossing tram or train tracks, cobble stones and potholes when you ride in city traffic. In these scenarios, you always need to reach for the brakes. Most drop bars have the brake levers mounted on the hoods, which some don’t even notice, others find it a minor annoyance, and some find really annoying. 

What to do about it: I have seen bikes with brake levers on the flat part of the bar, which is a possible solution but not a very practical one if you have a road bike and you use it for weekend rides. Also, modifying a high-end road bike is a little bit of butchery. Dual brake levers or brake lever extensions for drop bars are a much better solution, though still impractical/impossible on high-end road bikes.

Harder and more expensive to repair

Most bikes with drop bars have the cabling covered by the bar tape. When things go wrong, and the cable needs fixing/replacing, it will require extra time and cost. 

Less control than flat bars when going slow 

Because of the narrow width and the more stretched-out position, some extra weight falls on your hands, and it is trickier to maneuver bikes with drop bars when going slow. It is ok to slow down and stop occasionally, but it becomes quite uncomfortable if there is a lot of maneuvering involved in your commute.

Less room for accessories 

A narrower bar also means less room to mount accessories, such as a bike computer, lights, bell, phone mount etc. It’s not a deal breaker, but it can be annoying not to be able to mount everything you need at your fingertips during the ride. 

What to do about it: If you run out of space on your handlebar, you can buy a dedicated computer bike mount, which only takes up a single space, but allows you to mount your front light on it also.

Less comfortable to ride in work clothes

You will find drop bars uncomfortable if you want to ride dressed for work because you’re leaning further ahead. Even a flat bar isn’t ideal for this kind of commute, but it’s a little better. Riser bars and cruiser handlebars are much more suitable.

Hard to keep an eye on the traffic

When riding a bike with a drop bar, you are sitting most upright when riding on the bars. This is as close as it will get to riding a flat bar. Even in this position, most drop bars require you to lean more forward and stretch a little further ahead when riding than flat bar bikes. It can be quite strenuous on your neck to keep an eye on traffic and obstacles because you need to keep your head in an unnatural position.

What to do about it: You can raise your handlebar by installing some headset spacers or by using a riser bar stem. This will put you in a more upright, and therefore more comfortable position so you don’t have to tilt your head too much. You will lose some of the aerodynamic advantages, but you can still avail of the multiple hand positions.

Pros of flat bars for commuting

Best control and maneuverability

Having a wider grip on the handlebar allows for more control. This is very noticeable when going slow. Maneuverability is the reason why MTBs have wide, flat bars because they need maximum maneuverability in very technical terrain in all conditions and at all speeds.

More upright position

Most flat handlebars are higher than drop bars, so you are sitting more upright in the saddle. There is more weight on your rear end and less weight on your hands. All of this means that your overall riding comfort is greater.

Brake levers easy to reach

Brake levers are located right at your fingertips, and you don’t need to change your hand position to reach it. It is great for riding in city traffic.

Easier and less expensive to repair

All cables are exposed, so in case of a cable replacement or any repair, you can do it directly without having to take off and re-mounting the bar tape.

Better suited for less confident riders getting into commuting

Because of the greater control, more comfortable position, and better visibility, flat bars are generally better suited for less confident riders and first-time bike commuters. 

Plenty of room for accessories

More room on the handlebar means that more accessories can be mounted on them. 

Cons of flat bars for commuting

Only one hand position

Having only one hand position means you can’t switch from one to another when your hand gets tired. My ride is 10 miles (16 km) each way, and I used to get numb hands on my flat bar road bike after about 6-7 miles. I installed some bar ends on my bike, and I no longer have the issue.

What to do about it: Luckily for flat bar riders, there is a host of different bar extensions they can use that will allow them more hand positions. This is almost essential on longer commutes and longer rides. You can even add drop bar extensions to your flat bar! 

Width may be an issue in tight spaces

Since flat bars are usually wider than drop bars, fitting through tight spaces can be an issue. I have scraped off the ends of the hand grips of my bike on more than one occasion, and I’ve managed to hit my own car’s rearview mirror trying to pass between the parked car and our house.

What to do about it: If you need to weave through heavy traffic and tight spaces, you can cut off a few inches from either side of your handlebar. Keep in mind though, that you will lose some mounting space, and having a narrower grip means that you will sacrifice control. The main thing is to strike a good balance. If you decide to go down this route, it is best to cut a smaller piece than you think may be necessary and cut some more if needed.

Less aerodynamic riding position when going fast

You can’t get as low on a flat bar as on a drop bar. Going really fast or facing a strong headwind, you will feel a difference. How significant the difference is really depends on the wind speed or your speed. Over 15.5 mph, it becomes quite noticeable, and over 20 mph, the difference is very significant. There’s a 5 km stretch along the Danube on my commute, a wind tunnel in the city, and sometimes I have to pedal hard to reach even a moderate speed.

What kind of commute is a drop bar preferable for?

Drop bar is best suited for long-distance commuters who have long straight stretches on their way to work where they can feel the advantage of being in a more aero position and want to avail of several hand positions. A commuter bike with drop bars doesn’t necessarily have to be a road bike. Touring bikes, cyclocross bikes, and gravel bikes all offer drop bars, but their geometry is slightly more relaxed, so you don’t need to lean too much forward to reach the handle bar. Gravel bikes also offer mounting points for racks and fenders, which welcome additions to bike commuters.

To sum it up, choose a drop bar if:

• You prefer riding faster, and/or you may face strong headwinds
• Your commute has long straight stretches on paved roads
• You don’t need to have your hands on the brakes constantly
• You’re OK with getting changed into sports/cycling clothes

If you choose a drop bar, there are some further details you need to consider because there are various drop bar options. Their comfort is mainly determined by three factors: reach, drop and width.

Width is how far the drops are from each other. Reach is how far out the drop curves. Drop determines by how much the lowest part of the drop is from the top bar. You can find a good detailed explanation of these aspects in the following video.

What kind of commuting is a flat bar preferable for?

Bikes with flat bars are best suited for those looking for extra comfort and greater control over the bike. If your scapular muscles are easily strained, but you don’t want to opt for a riser bar, then flat bars could be a good option. Just like drop bars exist on more than one type of bike, flat bars also come on various bikes. Some are designed with a more aggressive geometry (e.g. flat bar road bikes) for greater speed, albeit falling behind their drop bar counterparts at fast speeds. If you want to nimbly weave through city traffic nimbly then a flat bar is a better option.

• You want to sit in a more upright position
• You want more control over your bike
• You need to keep your hands on the brakes often

Other good handlebar options for commuters

Drop bars and flat bars are not the only handlebar types you should consider for commuting. There are plenty of other options available if you’re getting started. If you’re still undecided and you want to find out about more handlebar types, you should read this other article I wrote about various handlebar types that can be useful for commuting.

If you’re only getting started with bike commuting, it’s better to start commuting before making a commitment without knowing what you need exactly. If you have an older bike or you can get your hands on a loaner bike for a few weeks you will quickly learn what type of bar best suits your needs. When you find the right balance of speed and comfort you will truly enjoy your commutes.

Happy riding!