Track Cycling - Drop bars vs. bullhorns

I am a roadie who wants to get a track bike for commuting and just for having fun. I heard that fixed bikes are good for building power and perfecting your spin.

What's the purpose of bullhorn handlebars? They look kinda cool . What are the applications instead of regular pista drop bars? Thanks!:)

The pupose of bullhorn handlebars is to position yourself to reduce aerodynamic drag. Pursuit riders use them. They are not allowed in mass start events. They are for time trialing. Thats why you see road racers using them in time trials.

Sounds like you should address this question to the fixed/singlespeed forum

Sounds like you should address this question to the fixed/singlespeed forum

Tho it can be tough to get a straight answer over there sometimes...

Bullhorn handlebars are great in city traffic. You usually set them up a lot higher than a time trialist would - you're not looking to get aero, you're looking for a powerful hand position that still lets you sit up and see over cars. Pista drop bars are usually way too deep, and if you rode them in traffic you'd have your head down at side-view mirror level. An aero tuck is great on the track, not so good when you're rolling up on a yellow light intersection.

Really, you hit the nail on the head when you said they look kind of cool and you'd like to try them. What more reason do you need than that?

I ride fixed with bullhorns on the street. Bullhorns come in different shapes and sizes, so no answer can tell you everything you want to know about them. I have Nittos, and they leave the stem horizontal and then fall before they turn forward; they then rise again to point almost vertical at their tips. (Many other bullhorns leave the stem horizontal and keep the same plane as they turn forward.) These Nittos offer a number of hand positions, which are a must for me while I loaf about town, run errands, or commute to school. Riding on the street is much more about comfort than racing is, so the bullhorns work well for me to keep me looking up rather than down while still giving me a narrow profile, which allows me to squeeze through the narrow spots in my ride. And for myself, I find riding bullhorns sort of like steering with a joystick for some reason. I have no explanation for that; that's just how it strikes me.

Nitto 019 and 021 pursuit bars are what I ride with on the street... You're able to get a lot more power out of bull horns than drops, especially in the hills.

I actually prefer the look of pista bars to bullhorn on a track bike. I can imagine that the ride would be a lot better with bullhorns though. I love the hood position and it looks as if it's similar, and I hear as much.

I got a free pair of Nitto Olympiad bars, fairly old, would it be sacrilige to flop and chop them?

THey both have their advantages. I, myself ride drops and feel pretty comfortable with them. However, like someone mentioned, your head fits a bit lower, I guess I got used to it, but I'vnt had a problem yet. Only concern is if you are going to do skids. Bullhorns are better for that sice they don't get in the way of your thigh. I would switch over to bullhorns for tricks, but just love the look of the drops.

tricks? skids?? what is this strangeness to which you refer?

mickster