Bicycle Mechanics - What are those top tube chrome things called?

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goatalope
05-01-08, 08:24 PM
What are those top tube (often chrome) handle-looking things I see on a lot of fixed gears (like in the attached photo)? And what's their point?

I tried searching elsewhere to figure this out, but don't even know what to search really. And I don't know any hipsters.

DiabloScott
05-01-08, 08:28 PM
They're top tube protectors. Sometimes they're just some handlebar tape, sometimes they're a big pad that covers the whole top tube. In your photo it's just to protect from the handlebars swinging and hitting the top tube (not an issue on a bike with brake cables). The bigger ones are to protect from bike racks and U-locks.
goatalope
05-01-08, 10:12 PM
Brilliant.

Thanks.

Feathers
05-01-08, 10:20 PM
many builders will gladly put them on the bike at your request.
JanMM
05-02-08, 07:35 AM
The wheels are mismatched. Am I out of touch with current styles? (probably)
leob1
05-02-08, 02:15 PM
Who died?
xiamsammyx
05-02-08, 02:48 PM
The wheels are mismatched. Am I out of touch with current styles? (probably)

with FG styles, Yes, very.
JanMM
05-02-08, 05:24 PM
How about aerospoke rear, spoked front?
michaelmc
05-03-08, 02:54 PM
How about aerospoke rear, spoked front?

Are you trying to be uncool? Everyone knows it's aerospoke front, spoked rear.

;):D
frankstoneline
05-03-08, 05:52 PM
How about aerospoke rear, spoked front?

aerospokes have a tendency for the track hubs to break loose of the wheel in the rear if you skip/skid/apply lots of back pressure, thus spoked backs, aerospoke fronts.
JanMM
05-03-08, 07:52 PM
aerospokes have a tendency for the track hubs to break loose of the wheel in the rear if you skip/skid/apply lots of back pressure, thus spoked backs, aerospoke fronts.

perfectly logical reason for what would seem to the uninformed out-of-touch person to be questionable aesthetics
Wordbiker
05-03-08, 08:04 PM
I just call them top tube chrome things.
cizzlak
05-04-08, 01:42 AM
pictured on that bike looks like a kashimax fivegold top tube protector, basically a rubbery clear material over a metal clasp that protects your top tube from dents if you crash or moronically knock your bike over and your bars whip around and hit it.
cizzlak
05-04-08, 01:45 AM
also it looks like that frame has long-shen lr-15 track ends in the back which i always thought were cute