Flat bar assassin
 

What’s the fastest flat bar bicycle that you know of? Do you, or anyone you know, think you are fast on a flat bar bike? I’ve been riding my brothers hybrid today and the thing rips.

As long as you can get the seat up and the bar low and into a good riding position, there is no reason why a flat bar would cause a road bike to lose much speed. If you look at the results of pro gravel races, there are guys who finish 100 to 200 mile long gravel races with an average speed over 20mph with flat bars, and in a much shorter race they would surely tack a few more mph on. I have ridden flat bar bikes with fat tires to around 20mph averages over 20 kilometer distances in the not too distant past. Fast is a subjective term though........

The fastest flat-bar bicycle is the one ridden by the fastest rider.

It's mostly down to the rider. Wout Van Aert was annihilating people's road bike records on a city rental bike - a hugely heavy dutch style:

https://road.cc/content/news/wout-va...ionship-301061

But in terms of the bike itself, you can get flat bar road bikes that will be pretty much as fast as the drop bar equivalent.

I suspect it felt fast because there's a remote chance the bike was about the right size for you for a change and it was in good condition.

I don't know her personally, but Denise can go pretty fast on her flat bar bike. And it's a single speed, with TWO big rings!

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d2e59d93a7.jpg

I built up a flat bar bike for my buddy that was once a late 80s super tight geometry race bike (unknown maker) that was wicked "fast".

those fast gravel guys also have aero bars. so not really flat bars and unscientifically (i..e looking at at pictures) more people ride drops in gravel races....unless it it is closer to MTB terrain

Obree's rigs were pretty quick. If we're counting stubby bullhorns as flat bars

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bv...68-80.jpg.webp

I converted my 2003 USPS livery OCLV Trek to a flat bar and then gave it to a friend's son. That thing was a hoot.

No reason a flat bar bike can't be fast, as long as you're not talking one of those wide, wide MTB bars.

Sure, she might have a fancy bike and some cool clothes, but does she have any Strava KOMs?

it needs narrow traffic splitters

Which just goes to show that front suspension does not necessarily slow one down on the flats.

Think how much faster she'd have gone without that excess weight! :D

You don’t mean the 2000 lb car that got her up to the that speed, do you ?

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4b39f939eb.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...097018c4f2.png
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a2ce2672d1.jpg
The guys didn't need front shocks ..... :D

The guys weren’t riding on Bonneville salt flat, either.

We may have found a great suggestion for Larry. Get a special vehicle to follow, so you're always drafting. With that setup, handlebar choice is pretty moot. He'll be getting crazy-fast rides everywhere!

When I had a flat bar Trek bike, I put bar ends and aero bars on and it was all right.

Looks like an inverted suspension fork to me.

At least it's not a lefty ....

Could be a motorcycle fork.

In his, as in all matter cycling related .... I ask myself, "What would Larry do?"

The problem with flat bars is that someone might call you "flatso." If you're overweight, that could sting a little.

“Once you go flat, you’ll never go back?” Said my GF in high school.