Drop

Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Glossary · letter D
← Drivetrain · Drops →

• Frame geometry: the difference between the height of the fork ends and the height of the bottom bracket. Smaller drop = a higher bottom bracket. This dimension is often preferred to the bottom-bracket height dimension, because it is the same whatever tires are installed on the bicycle.
  
  A bicycle with a shorter drop (higher bottom bracket) will be less at risk of striking a pedal on the ground during high-speed cornering or obstacle jumping.
  
  A bicycle with a longer drop (lower bottom bracket) will be slightly faster, and easier to mount/dismount.
• Handlebars: the vertical dimension of a drop handlebar, from the horizontal part to the level of the drops.

Copyright © 1996, 2008 Sheldon Brown

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