Triathlon - Handlebars

I've been told on the General Discussion that these handlebars I have are triathlon handlebars. I was hoping you guys could tell me a little about them. The raised part in the front comes off.

I could not find a picture online, so paintbrushed a picture I found of some bullhorns with bar ends.
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s55/spider22a13/bar.jpg
Go ahead, laugh. :-)

Honestly though, what do you use these for? Where do they help?

Also, I've been trying to get them detached from a bike, and I can't figure out how you install/take off brake levers/shifters. They don't simply slide around the corners. It is also mounted on one of those one screw clamps where the top piece doesn't come off, and I don't see how that got there either. Is there some sort of secret to this type of bar?

Early aerobars (circa 1987) were one-piece instead of a separate pursuit bar (bullhorn) with clip-on extensions. I found an image of the old Profile bar. Scott also made a one-piece but I could not find an image.

They allow you to ride in a more aerodynamic position and you go faster.

There are shifters on the handlebars, too? Is this a mountain bike? Scott made some MTB handlebars that looped around - the AT3 in the photo attached.

As far as getting things on/off, I've had no experience with those particular bars but usually you have to rotate the lever around the bar until you find the position that lets it slide off/on.

The bike is a Giant Nutra, a road hybrid. It seems like the handlebars might be nice for adding hand positions to my bike without having to get drops what with changing brakes and all that.

On the front portion of the handlebars are brakes, shifters, and the stem attachment. The stem attachment is not a two piece either. It is a one screw clamp that leaves me wondering how in the world they pulled this off. Here is an example of the kind of clamp I'm talking about.
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/images/British/Lambert/Lamb_stmL.jpg

Although I can't find a picture of the handlebars I have, I did find the patent written on them. The bars are figure 13, and they are connected in the middle by the piece of page 3.
http://www.wikipatents.com/4878397.html-4

I bet you have the Scott AT4. I knew there was one the had the ends turned up and a bridge piece for them. I just couldn't remember the model at first.

To get them out of the stem, take the bridge out, take everything off one side, and rotate them pointing down and slide them out.

You're my hero!

I got everything off of them. Unfortunately I definitely scratched some paint up. It will all be taped up though anyway; maybe I'll give them a little blue up front where the metal shows. I feel like I can mount these on my own hybrid road bike and use the front bar typically, but it's always nice to have extra hand positions and the ability to get in a more aerodynamic pose.

These bars came on a craigslist bike that turned out useless. I feel like I still got something out of the deal now. I really appreciate the help!


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