Should I flip my drop bars?

Question

Sometimes I dont think I like being hunched over. Would I look stupid if I flip my drop bars so they are upside down? That way I can sit up while riding. Would I look really stupid if I did this with a bike that costs more than $1,000?

Answer 1

Try a stem riser, it will look better then flipping the handle bars.

http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Bicycle-Rais...

Or a high rise stem.

http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Alloy-Rise-B...

Or an adjustable stem.

http://www.amazon.com/Nashbar-Adjustable...

Answer 2

Well I see homeless guys riding beaters with the bars turned up...

How the heck you going to shift? Not sure why you spend $$$ on a bike you don't like.

Answer 3

If you are spending more than $1000 on a bike, get one that doesn't cause you to be hunched over.  Flipping the handlebars was really cool when I was in middle school in the 80's, but perhaps isn't so much so anymore.  

That being said - should you care about what the other people think?  I'm assuming you're not doing training rides with the handlebars up.  So if you're just tooling around, either people in a car are looking (lazy) or those on bikes who think looks matter (snob).  One caveat - picking up a date might not be so easy...

Answer 4

Absolutely, especially if you live in Atlanta and want to be mistaken for a crack addict who has recently stolen (once again) someone's nice bicycle.  For reasons that are clear only to the addled brain of an addict, that is the preferred riding position.