Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Old School Handlebars

Hello,

I've finally finished my first fixie project and it is definately much more fun to ride than a freewheeler. However, I've seen some other photos of other fixies as well as ones on the streets with the old school looking type handlebars. They're drop down in style but the radius of curvature is much higher. Anyone know where you order those?

Thanks

Horace

they are made by soma, they are called Major Taylor bars.

http://store.somafab.com/majortaylorbar.html

Yup, right pretty bars. They're what I'll be using when I get enough cash to build my frame up.

http://store.somafab.com/majortaylorbar.html
http://www.thebikebiz.com/product_p/trk-bar-soma04.htm

I think the op means track bars.

Are the Major Taylors not track bars? Other track bars fit the description as well, but I think Major Taylors are the curviest and classicy-ist looking. Not to mention the cheapest.

Heres some more track bars, Horace:
http://www.thebikebiz.com/Handlebars_s/121.htm

soma is also going to be introducing some more styles:
http://www.somafab.com/somanews.html
the one in the top right looks like the real old school bars you see on early 20th century path racers.

if you ride track drops on a conversion everyone will laugh at you.

if you ride track drops on a conversion everyone will laugh at you.

true story.

if you ride track drops on a conversion everyone will laugh at you.

Sorry, I'm quite new to the bicycle world.

What are track drops? The real professional looking modern drop down bars?

Also, has anyone attempted to make their own handlebars with a bender and some aluminum or steel tubes?

HoraceLai, road drops have a flat area on the top next to the stem that you can hold on to, and farther out the flat is supposed to go into a pair of brake hoods. This is good and very practical because it creates a lot of hand positions. But when sprinting very hard in the drops the bar tops can bump your forearms, especially if you have em set way down low like a track racer. Track drops are designed for maximal forearm clearance when sprinting and there are no flat areas to hold on to up top. It's generally agreed that they look hot on the street (unless teyre on a conversion) but are not anywhere near as sensible as road drops with hoods. You only have one real hand position and it's fairly ridiculous for day to day street riding.

if you ride track drops on a conversion everyone will laugh at you.major taylor's are acceptable

Sorry, I'm quite new to the bicycle world.

What are track drops?

track drops are bars (like the major taylors) that don't have a portion perpendicular to the ground for attaching a road style brake lever.

if you like em, ride em. dont give the style nazi's any thought.

track drops are bars (like the major taylors) that don't have a portion perpendicular to the ground for attaching a road style brake lever.

if you like em, ride em. dont give the style nazi's any thought.


i totally agree.

So the track drops are like these:

http://snipurl.com/1jup4

I just picked that from the photo thread, nice bicycle

So the track drops are like these:

http://snipurl.com/1jup4

I just picked that from the photo thread, nice bicycle

those are actually bullhorns..the major taylors are track drops...like stated before..if u like them ride them n dont worry about others..ive rode on my friends nitto b-123 track bars and i find the top part of the bar where the curve is at is very comfy to ride...

those are bullhorns, which i personally love on the street but a lot of people aren't into them.

these are track drops:

http://afromania.org/~k-ozaki/diary/images/20061002_7.jpg

I used track bars on two of my conversions. No one laughed. At least not to my face. Go with what's comfortable, functional, and what you think makes your bike look nice. It's your bike, no one else's.

if you ride track drops on a conversion everyone will laugh at you.

F that, they wouldn't be laughing any less if you showed up for a serious track event with major taylors.

i love this thread

these are track drops:

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/toni-merkens800.jpg


these are ergo road drops:

http://www.eastonbike.com/images/P-bars/bar_road_ea30_'05.jpg


these are nonergo road drops, classic style:

http://www.dedaelementi.com/img/articoli/Campione_Grande.jpg

these are risers:

http://www.eastonbike.com/images/P-bars/bar_rise_ea50_'06.jpg


these are bullhorns:

http://www.hubjub.co.uk/nitto/nittobbarzm.jpg

these are flats:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Images/Models/Full/6002.jpg

what the hell is up with you doofo? that's the most useful, informative post i've ever seen you put up. back to sarcasm!

On the off chance the OP is thinking of randonneurs, those look like this right nyah:
http://catalog.ride-this.com/images/library/catalogs/soc/prodl/HB1021.jpg

http://harriscyclery.net/merchant/370/images/large/randonneur-bars.jpg
And by the way you should run them, they're the only thing nobody else is running so it's guaranteed cool points.

rando bars make me want to puke, personal opinion i know but the they are just gross

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/toni-merkens800.jpg

This bike on the other hand makes me want to do dirty things

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the responses. The ones I've been thinking of were the Major Taylor's. Not as rare as the Rando's shown above but i just love the old school look of it.

Thanks for the pic above with the old school guy riding the track bike. Does anyone know what kind of handlebar stem that is? I've never seen one that bends down like that. What is that style called and where can I get it? :)

The bike that I converted is a Schwinn Traveler with the 4130 steel. I've cut off the holders/clamps that was supposed to hold the brake cables and gear cables for the deraileurs to make it look more simple and kinda like that bike in the pic above. I think the Major Taylors will look old school on it even tho it might be stupid in the eyes of people who know bikes.

BTW, why do some people leave their bars untaped? Looks? Or some actual advantage over the feel? Less weight? :)

weird...

And by the way you should run them, they're the only thing nobody else is running so it's guaranteed cool points.

I actually use rando bars.

Thanks for the pic above with the old school guy riding the track bike. Does anyone know what kind of handlebar stem that is? I've never seen one that bends down like that. What is that style called and where can I get it? :)

The bike that I converted is a Schwinn Traveler with the 4130 steel. I've cut off the holders/clamps that was supposed to hold the brake cables and gear cables for the deraileurs to make it look more simple and kinda like that bike in the pic above. I think the Major Taylors will look old school on it even tho it might be stupid in the eyes of people who know bikes.

BTW, why do some people leave their bars untaped? Looks? Or some actual advantage over the feel? Less weight? :)

You don't or you get it custom made.

If it was a nicer bike people would get pissed at you. Have you figured out a long term solution for the metal you exposed yet?

Because everyone else does. Don't do it.

I ride Major Taylors, and I like them a lot. What they do they do real well. They are great for sprinting and climbing, because they have great clearance for the drops, and that don't flex at all. Originally I bought them to replace some very unstiff aluminum road drops on a conversion, because the flex was really annoying me.

They were a major improvement over what they replaced, but they do have a problem, and that is essentially no bar top position. I can ride with my hands at the stem, gripping sides in the hood position, or in the drops, but the only really good position is the drops. I'm actually going to replace mine with some dirt drops. I really like the flared drops, but want a longer top section, and some hoods for longer rides.

not putting bar tape on bars is dumb imo

You don't or you get it custom made.

If it was a nicer bike people would get pissed at you. Have you figured out a long term solution for the metal you exposed yet?

Because everyone else does. Don't do it.

What do u mean by solution for the metal?

**** you?

What is that about

What do u mean by solution for the metal?

its gona rust. better paint it or something.

I put paint with clear coat on it. Not sure if anyone has tried this b4 with it not rusting.

On the off chance the OP is thinking of randonneurs, those look like this right nyah:
http://catalog.ride-this.com/images/library/catalogs/soc/prodl/HB1021.jpg

http://harriscyclery.net/merchant/370/images/large/randonneur-bars.jpg
And by the way you should run them, they're the only thing nobody else is running so it's guaranteed cool points.


I run randos, but on my geared road bike. Absolutely love them. Super comfy because the drops come way back and you can stay in them all day long.

On the off chance the OP is thinking of randonneurs, those look like this right nyah:
http://harriscyclery.net/merchant/370/images/large/randonneur-bars.jpg
And by the way you should run them, they're the only thing nobody else is running so it's guaranteed cool points.

I have an old one of those that I don't use.
Whats up with the inward wrist twisting design on the tops?
I just don't get it.

i found a road frame in the trash...it's pretty much trash, but i salvaged some bars very much like those from it. they're on my fixed mtb now.

BTW, why do some people leave their bars untaped?
'Cause naked is sexy.

If people laugh at your bike, laugh back.

I have an old one of those that I don't use.
Whats up with the inward wrist twisting design on the tops?
I just don't get it.

I'll bet it's a necessity when bending aluminum. Otherwise the bar would have to be more sharply kinked where the downward curve cuts in towards the stem. Rivendell's website says that's the reason why Nitto Noodles are bent like that. On wider bars the curve is supposed to offer ergonomic benefits, but it's hard to get that wide on bars like those where the drops flare out. So you're left with the wrist twist unless you want super wide rando bars.

The OP might be looking for these. I am, and have been for two years. Anybody set me up?

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Samuelw72/BatesBars-1.jpg