What they DON'T tell you about hood placement!!!

Chances are your hoods are set up incorrectly... But don't worry! Its and easy fix. Here is a step by step look into how to adjust your hoods and where and why to position them. No need to ride with numb hands and a tight neck. This simple bike adjustment and be a huge help!!!

[aloha_from_bradley]

Having the hoods somewhere around 10-20 degrees up is the ideal measurement. You can use the angle gauge on your iPhone, it works quite well for this. I do slightly disagree with the bar positioning, though. The top of the bar isn't necessarily supposed to be parallel with the ground. You want the ends of the drops parallel to the ground, meaning the bar will be rolled forward slightly (in most cases). This actually brings the front of the bike closer to you, believe it or not. Not all bars are the same though. The manufacturers will usually have the recommended angles listed on the website. For example - The Zipp SC80 Ergo has a backsweep of 3* and a ramp angle of 7*. This puts your hands in the most optimal position on the flats and in the drops, but the bar has to be setup properly for this to work. Often a step overlooked during most bike fits.

[paul_hd]

Decent points. Just remember folks, hood adjustment isn't going to fix everything. If your bike is the wrong size, or the geometry is too aggressive for cycling ability, there's going to be more issues you need to address. Cheers from NorCal. Sub'd.

[IRDeezlSmoke]

In all of the hundreds of bike fit videos I have watched, you are right, no one has talked about this fitment need. Your analogy of let the hood come to your hand, not your hand to the hood, is a good one.
As soon as you started mentioning your wrist angles and issues, I looked over at one of my bikes and see that my control hoods are way down on the bar like they came from the factory. Now I know why I dont usually use the hoods for position very often. They are placed wrong and too difficult to get comfortable.
It seems so obvious of a consideration, yet so under stated that many people do not know of the importance. Now, I have some work to do and bar tape to buy. I will also now be watching for hood placement on other bikes, both on the road locally and in youtube videos.
Thank you so very much for taking the time and efforts to put this very well made video up for us to learn from.

[jimmpanik]

Fantastic advice. I've been riding for 10+ yrs and never bothered or knew to look at this. My hands/wrists are now 1000% better. No more numb arms after longer rides!

[markusseppala]

Completely agree, also I find tilting the hoods inward just a bit makes it more comfortable too. Check out how your hands are when you reach them forward, the thumb is not straight up but at an small angle. I'm not talking about the angle pros are using much less.

[davidadamus]

Having some tingling and numbness after being off the bike for a month from surgery. Gonna try this, thanks for sharing!

[BrianRPaterson]

Excellent. Very useful info. I've just swapped by stock bar for a Surly Truck Stop bar, and getting the angles just right has been bit of a faff-a-thon.
I more or less came to the same conclusion, but it's nice to have one's hypothesis confirmed.
Next step -- I need to learn how to wrap a drop bar. My first few attempts have been real ugly!
Cheers

[ricric]

exactly... however having the bar just slight angled up is a bit more ergonomic. You then do as suggested and place the shifters flat to the bar.

[usmana]

Great video! I had a dip between my bars and the hoods. Im gonna try and fix it and see how it goes. Thanks!

[ptkewl]

Thank you for this video. You helped me find a position where my hands are now much more comfortable.

[merttt]

I thought I bought a big frame. But my hood were little more down . I put it up like yours and reach is mych better now. I hope it will make it comfortable .

[Memito_drums]

What a great video and great explanation, fixed my sore hands issue because of this !

[WildernessMusic_GentleSerene]

They don't tell us and manufactures stopped helping us with hand problems. First and foremost, these ancient drop bars with round shapes are 100 years old and need to go flat. We got flat top to the bars (only because of aero not hands) now we need to flatten out the rest of the round sections. Over the hoods was never a problem for me when using Spenco brand gel gloves from the 1980s. Spenco stopped making them, but they were fantastic, and I was a pro ultra-marathon rider riding 20 hours a day for 10 days, no hand problems. Now gel gloves are just too little and too late. Not near enough gel or surface area of gel. I bought some bar ends for my flat bars 15 years ago that were square, and they are fantastic, the flat surface works very well with hands, while round surfaces have us all at a tangent point of the diameter making for pain and numbness. As a recreational cyclist today, I don't ride drop bars anymore, just too stupid for comfort. I now use a flat bar with bar ends and aero-bars, actually been riding this configuration since 1990. The aero-bars give me a position similar to road bars on the drops or over the hoods, and the rest of the positions are good for climbing or just a nice change of position. Comfort is now great and anytime the hands get tired, I always have the option to remove all stress and weight from them, even climbing sub-6% grades.

[JohnPaul-vlss]

Great video, saved in my bike set-up tips. Definitely a keeper

[havefunandbikestuff]

Great video. I've always gone for the more natural approach myself. Subscribed

[lynnebarkas]

Great information but also what comes with that is, correct frame size, stem length and articulation.

[viveksubramanian]

Thank you, for there good placement demonstration!

[ashokcaptain]

Nice video. No faff, all sense. Thank you for uploading. Cheers from India 🙏🏻👍🏼

[Montar]

This is really good video, I appreciate it!! So the handlebars should be paralel with ground, that means the little plane ( after the little plane are handelbars curved) shuld be horinzontal - paralel with ground?? Thank you very much for somebody´s answer!

[GadgetsGearCoffee]

would that bolt adjustment work on vintage bikes too? have a vintage Bianchi with some Shimano 600s