Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - velodrome bar wrap question

hey probably another "stupid question" but whatevs, 20-something old salts, i gotta ask it.

i've been advised that folks look askance at riders showing up at the track without bar tape (i always wear gloves). now here's the thing. i mostly ride on the top of the bars. should i tape accordingly, or will i be more in the drops at the track, and therefore wrap for that? or just wrap the entirety of the bar from stem to plug?

i'm saying, me running keirin grips would be stupid cause i'm mostly on the bare part anyway, but is that a bad habit at the track? so is just putting say cut-down flat bar grips at the top of the bar a bad thing too?

you can only use the drops at the track. Your not suppose to ride up top on the track. I'd just tape the whole thing if your using bar tape.

The only time I've seen riders on the tops of the bars at the track is with one hand near the stem while slinging during a madison or while sitting up on their victory / agony of defeat lap. For everything else, the drops are faster.

you can only use the drops at the track. Your not suppose to ride up top on the track. I'd just tape the whole thing if your using bar tape.


oh ok. jeez glad i asked. thanks wangster! so much etiquette to learn! i feel like i'm eating the salad wih the soup spoon every time i post on the subject.


what happens if you go up on the flats, btw, a little dude dressed as a bumblebee zooms out on a mini-motorcycle and raps your knuckles?

errr... I'm pretty sure that as long as you have track drops that are in some way wrapped at at the drops, you're good. I'm not sure if it's a rule, but it will help you out. As to how you wrap the rest, I think it's your own personal preference. I will say this: when racing, you want to be in the drops. Always. Unless you bail out of the race and are riding at the top of the track. Then you can move up to the tops. Otherwise, always in the drops. If you weren't in the drops, you would be at a tremendous disadvantage aerodynamically. Also, I think in some places/races, you get disqualified for coming out of the drops. I don't think that's the case at Kissena, but I don't know. I don't worry about it b/c i don't come out of the drops.

I've seen people race with the flat bar grips on their bar tops. It's okay. I've seen some guys with fully wrapped bars with cork tape, others with only Keirin grips. Sometimes, just cloth tape on the drops. Like I said, personal pref. Hope that helps.

J

thanks man. good to know

its more for your own good than etiqutte. Drops=fast

People ride flats at the velo, but for warm-ups, Victory/Agony laps, and in Madisons (as mentioned already). I have seen a variety of taping jobs too. Some riders wrap 'em roadie-style. Some have just the hooks to ends covered. Others use grips on the hooks and ends and then throw a little something extra on the flats for Madisons.

I recommend corking/capping the end of the bars as if you intend on racing without any tape, the ends will need to be plugged.

another reason for drops on the track is that there
is less chance of you hooking your handlebars on someone
or something. your arms keep them clear.

drops = fast & safe.

I have a teammate who races at T-town with bare bars. He's the only one I've noticed doing that. Like folks said above, most everyone has full tape wrap, some have only the drops taped, and some have grips. Riding the tops is cool for warming up, but racing is in the drops only. Although I think some velodromes require you to be in the drops at all times when on the track.

you can ride the top of the bars only for warm ups and cool downs..or not currently racing and this applies to any velodrome world wide.

i ride both and here is the way i set my bars up.

S/F,
CEYA!

thanks all for patience and good explanations

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I recommend corking/capping the end of the bars as if you intend on racing without any tape, the ends will need to be plugged.

I'd extend that to corking/capping the end of the bars for ANY riding. Think of bars without plugged ends as wonderful flesh piercers... unless thats what you're going for.

yeah that's what i'm going for http://bb.nsmb.com/images/smilies/roll.gif

read the post. i'm asking how i should best tape the bars which might lead you to assume that i plan to tape the bars

just looking out, but if you feel that such a response was necessary, thats on you. And regarless of tape, my post was about plugs, something you see bare-bar riders missing quite often.

Think of bars without plugged ends as wonderful flesh piercers... unless thats what you're going for.

well you just look out in a very patronizing fashion. if you didn't mean it that way i apologize for my response

word. I see that upon reexamination. That was less for OP (you) and more for bare-barers in general (those that don't plug... and i'm not talking about enemas)

*edit* thats also how i had it explained to me and I didn't take it that way, and just didn't think how others might take it

nah my bad too dude. i'm just being sensitive. sometimes the tone on the boards is so goddam supercilious when it comes to newbies like myself, and usually it's someone who registered like 7 months before i did calling "stupid question."

thanks for the advice. i realise it was well-intended and of course it's correct. ps my currently-nude bars are plugged :)

*edit: as i just noticed i stated in the first post

Awww...

HUGS!!

you can ride the top of the bars only for warm ups and cool downs..or not currently racing and this applies to any velodrome world wide.

i ride both and here is the way i set my bars up.

S/F,
CEYA!

Ceya, I've been wrapping my bars EXACTLY like that for crazy long. Cloth and electrical tape. Love it.

I'd extend that to corking/capping the end of the bars for ANY riding. Think of bars without plugged ends as wonderful flesh piercers... unless thats what you're going for.
Yeah, good point. But I would hazard to guess that in 2-3 weeks, some knucklehead will post "I pierced my abdobmen and took out a section of my intestine because I didn't cap my bars" - and it will serve them right.

I could care less what people do on the street. The likelihood of wrecking with some random rider is less likely, and since I cap mine, no worries. And if they are not smart enough to down to the liquor store and get two bottles of wine because the corks are godd, meh. To each their own.

i can show them my leg when i crashed at 28 mph in central park 's famous 7pm ride. took a chunk of flesh..


S/F,
CEYA!

ohhhhh! yeouch.