Bar Options
#1
elite
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: seattle, wa
Posts: 516
Bikes: track, road, cross, fixie
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Bar Options
Im having trouble choosing what kind of bar I want on my fixie. I have a set of track drops, bullhorns, and then a set of flat bars. Right now I have the drops on. Im considering asthetic as well as functional characteristics. What do you guys use/like?
#2
LF for the accentdeprived
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Posts: 3,549
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I don't feel the need for the aero tuck, (and also would feel silly w/ dummy lever), so drop is out. I find a flat bar+barends a zillion times better than bullhorns, after having tried 2 'horns. The bend part is a completely useless section right where you'd like to hold your bars most.
#3
elite
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: seattle, wa
Posts: 516
Bikes: track, road, cross, fixie
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
how often do you use your bar ends?
if i go flat bar id probably just put some nice cushy grips on and maybe cut them down, but im considering bar ends too.
if i go flat bar id probably just put some nice cushy grips on and maybe cut them down, but im considering bar ends too.
#4
LF for the accentdeprived
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Posts: 3,549
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by trackstar10
how often do you use your bar ends?
I used cork, not MTB grips. Also taped the ends (flat section has innertube wrap under tape)
pics in sig
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Philly pa
Posts: 133
Bikes: windsor hour, fly bikes pantera, custom lowrider, hoffman ep flatland bike, eastern hercules.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
ok this is what i would do if i were you.
for your track drops, if you run a nice deep drop track stem put that on those bars.
get a second stem, something cheap, if you have a yellow bike project or something similar in your area you can pick one up for like 3 bucks. Put one on your flat bars, and then get a 3rd stem and put your bullhorns on there. that way you can switch things up every now and then.
since you already have all the bars and at least one stem, you can run all 3 for less than ten bucks.
(go with flat bars if you dont have a nice track stem yet and you dont want to buy anything else, Flat bars make my fix feel like my bmx).
for your track drops, if you run a nice deep drop track stem put that on those bars.
get a second stem, something cheap, if you have a yellow bike project or something similar in your area you can pick one up for like 3 bucks. Put one on your flat bars, and then get a 3rd stem and put your bullhorns on there. that way you can switch things up every now and then.
since you already have all the bars and at least one stem, you can run all 3 for less than ten bucks.
(go with flat bars if you dont have a nice track stem yet and you dont want to buy anything else, Flat bars make my fix feel like my bmx).
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: dallas
Posts: 273
Bikes: busted trek510, hotrock mt bike, iro angus
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
does anyone have any opinions on risers vs. flat bars? i like the look of risers better, but is it worth it?
brilliant
Originally Posted by Learn_not2burn
Just do this.
#12
It's an old photo
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Entropia
Posts: 774
Bikes: Cannondale R500, Specialized Hardrock
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
**** bars, man.. just get a stem long enough to gain leverage for those quick turns and trackstanding. Then go no hands (good for your back) the whole time, or imagine there's a bar. It works perfectly and you'll get some strange stares.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: new bedford/boston
Posts: 487
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Boss Moniker
**** bars, man.. just get a stem long enough to gain leverage for those quick turns and trackstanding. Then go no hands (good for your back) the whole time, or imagine there's a bar. It works perfectly and you'll get some strange stares.
EDIT: to add something that's hopefully actually helpful to this, i wanted to mention that i also responded to the post about risers vs. flats by (i think) the same poster. i've tried road and track drops, real and home-made bullhorns, flats, and risers, and right now risers are my favorites for all the reasons i mention in my other post.
Last edited by john_and_off; 10-14-06 at 11:54 PM.
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: brooklyn, NY
Posts: 1,290
Bikes: Sparton(custon track), Fuji
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by eddiebrannan
ps an elite trackstar only needs drops
I use drops.
#17
Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 43
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
if your bike fits you well, i think home-made bull horns are much better than real ones (as-in the nitto's or syntace bullhorns) I bought some nitto RB009's and they had me stretched out way to far and i never used the dropped part of the bars.
randoneur bars are nice to chop/flop because you'll get a nice downward curve on the flats.
randoneur bars are nice to chop/flop because you'll get a nice downward curve on the flats.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Dallas
Posts: 1,531
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by citypigeon
if your bike fits you well, i think home-made bull horns are much better than real ones (as-in the nitto's or syntace bullhorns) I bought some nitto RB009's and they had me stretched out way to far and i never used the dropped part of the bars.
randoneur bars are nice to chop/flop because you'll get a nice downward curve on the flats.
randoneur bars are nice to chop/flop because you'll get a nice downward curve on the flats.
Heresy
#20
temporary alcoholic
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 202
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
chopped horns are the jam. i'm all for horns - chopped or not i think they're awesome for street riding, you get much more control, especially if you're riding brakeless.
for awhile i shunned drops on the street - they just didnt seem to give me the control i wanted but after a long ride on a pair of Soma Major Taylors i adjusted some of my riding style and they work great. its really just what works best for you. I use the drops when I go for a sprint and I notice a difference for sure, so do the guys that I ride with.
ps: i still think horns are the jam.
for awhile i shunned drops on the street - they just didnt seem to give me the control i wanted but after a long ride on a pair of Soma Major Taylors i adjusted some of my riding style and they work great. its really just what works best for you. I use the drops when I go for a sprint and I notice a difference for sure, so do the guys that I ride with.
ps: i still think horns are the jam.
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 1,238
Bikes: bunch of junk
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
I have tried: Risers, flats, flop&chops, curved drops, touring drops, and flipped northroads. By far, the flipped northroads are the best handlebar I have ever used. I have the Wald northroads, which are wide. Since they are wide, they give one real good hand position. You can get your hands close to the stem, which [for me atleast] is a very aero. I can sprint better wih these bars. There are no hills here, but I can say I can climb and desend parking garages easier with this, than any other bar I have tried.
#22
Senior Member
I just put a set of On One Mary bars on my single speed/fixed gear MTB. It's only been one ride, but so far I LOVE THEM. They're somewhat similar to the North road bar picture above, but the grip area has less sweep back, it makes for a very natural hand position. During my ride, I swapped bikes with my buddies, because they wanted to try the Marys. Man, I don't think I can go back to flat or riser bars--the grip section felt completely unergonomic.
https://www.on-one.co.uk/index.php?mo...N_position=5:5
Eric
https://www.on-one.co.uk/index.php?mo...N_position=5:5
Eric
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 409
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
bullhorns are better for skidding
straight or risers give you more control, better posture etc.
(also they give you better microcorrections) the ability to pedal and counter pedal with more control.
Skidding lets you skid but you are a little out of control when you do. Also the bullhorns put more weight on your hands and so are rough on longer rides.
drops, especially chromed ones are fashionable but hard to hold onto, are good for the drops, but the uprights give you only a tiny handlebar. So...
harder to accelerate, climb hills and skid.
Personally, I just went to the used bike shop and bought parts for all three. and a brake.
You can just swap them out for different rides.
click, click, click its's easy.
Try all three...
straight or risers give you more control, better posture etc.
(also they give you better microcorrections) the ability to pedal and counter pedal with more control.
Skidding lets you skid but you are a little out of control when you do. Also the bullhorns put more weight on your hands and so are rough on longer rides.
drops, especially chromed ones are fashionable but hard to hold onto, are good for the drops, but the uprights give you only a tiny handlebar. So...
harder to accelerate, climb hills and skid.
Personally, I just went to the used bike shop and bought parts for all three. and a brake.
You can just swap them out for different rides.
click, click, click its's easy.
Try all three...
#24
Bulldozer
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NYC
Posts: 2,846
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I love that those bars are called Mary's...Cause when I think of the word "Mary" it makes me think of queeny ****, and when I think of that I always smile a little.
#25
jack of one or two trades
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Suburbia, CT
Posts: 5,640
Bikes: Old-ass gearie hardtail MTB, fix-converted Centurion LeMans commuter, SS hardtail monster MTB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by seat_boy
I just put a set of On One Mary bars on my single speed/fixed gear MTB. It's only been one ride, but so far I LOVE THEM. They're somewhat similar to the North road bar picture above, but the grip area has less sweep back, it makes for a very natural hand position. During my ride, I swapped bikes with my buddies, because they wanted to try the Marys. Man, I don't think I can go back to flat or riser bars--the grip section felt completely unergonomic.