iridetitus

long time mtnbiker (since '91) just getting into the fixie (ok, it's a track bike...) fixation...


looking for recommendations for handlebars for my bianchi pista. been riding it since march - usu 2 30 mile loops around alpharetta (atlanta area) and the inherent hills per week. currently running the stock track bars with 'emergency' (wus?) front brake only - and therefore only one hood. i like the drops option though i don't use them much. with the current set up my hands tend to want to slip down the bars after several minutes of riding and the sweat that follows. was thinking about some bullhorns in the style of nitto's (found ritchey's on ebay for ~$25...ballin' on a budget here) as they look like they would offer several hand positions, but i have seen lots of negative comments toward their use. another option that comes to mind would be a fake hood on the right.


if i do opt for the horns, what type of levers work well off the end of the bars? do you like mtb-esque position better than off the tip of the bars?


unrelated...the lockring seems to work loose a lot when i try skids or even hard slowing by mashing on the pedals. i keep tightening it with a park spanner but it works loose again. thoughts?


thanks...


iride.

piwonka

on the lockring, i would get the cog nice and right with a chain whip (after loosening the lockring a bit), then tighten the lockring up nice and tight too.

nothing wrong with running a front brake.

i prefer TT bars myself because all of my riding is mostly in the city. if i did some long road ride type loops then i think i would have some drops on my bike. i have an extra stem with some drops taped up so i can change my bars in about 3 minutes, two bolts, the stem and the brake lever.

Aeroplane

Lockring: Grease the threads of the cog and lockring for ultra-tightness. Use the rotafixa on the cog too.

Bars: functionally, I don't think you can get more diverse and comfortable than road drops with hoods. A second best is bullhorns, and third is flats/risers. For levers on a bullhorn/tt, you can just clamp on your normal lever, or put on some TT levers if you want to spend extra money. Or, you can just get a clamp-on CX lever for near the stem. Many options, none are totally ugly.

iridetitus

would hope to use the same lever monetarily speaking, but haven't looked at it closely enough to make the call...i guess the hood comes off or it's going to be that 'totally ugly' you mentioned.


and i'll google it, but what's rotafixa?


thanks for the ideas, keep 'em coming.


any fave spots online to order larger rings? running the stock 48/16 but may look at a 50t. i won't be satisfied until my knees completely combust rather than merely throb.


iride

acavengo

Rotafix

ersatz radio

I second the road drops. The drop isn't as deep, so you'll use them more. And the flats at the top are actually flat, so your hands won't slip off. You're riding on the road, so track bars probably aren't the best.

srsly

be sure to take care of that loose cog/lockring sooner rather than later (i'm assuming you're still running stock wheels?). i stripped a hub by not paying attention. my shop had a good warranty and replaced it; and since i didn't fuss with it myself they couldn't blame me, but i could have paid better attention. get a chainwhip, tighten it up real good. if you skid a lot, it probably wouldn't hurt to check on it once a week or so just to be safe. i never have it loosen anymore, but i don't skid so much.

a trick the guy at the shop told me to get it on real tight is fold a piece of cardboard against the wall and tuck the wheel up against it. this way you can use the wall to hold your wheel and just lean on the wrench. some people might think that's too tight, but just go by feel and don't just throw yourself on it

bars: i have the nitto TTB bars, the ones that slope away from the stem then go forward. they're ok. i don't think my wrists like the slope and would be happier with a flat bar. so i think when i have some cash i'm going to get some flat horns.

my favorite online shop is Universal Cycles. they have decent prices and shipping is pretty fast. their selection is pretty good too. not exactly online but they do phone orders: Yojimbo's Garage. They may or may not be much cheaper than your local shop, but might have some stuff your local shop doesn't have, and Marcus is just a nice guy.