Silly questions: WTF is up with upside down drop bars?
04-15-05, 11:46 AM
#1
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Silly questions: WTF is up with upside down drop bars?
I live in a college town and since the weather got nice i've been seing all these road bikes with the drop bars turned upside so that the "drops" are on top and facing forward. Is there a reason for doing this? Are their frames just too large? Most of the people I see with their bikes set up like this are hippie college kids or the local vagabonds, although i do see an occassional roadie type like this. This may be a silly post, but this is driving me nuts and I need to know!
04-15-05, 12:00 PM
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Stay away from them at all costs, they've obviously modified their bars into machine guns!
04-15-05, 12:04 PM
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I also have been confused by these, maybe post this question in the singlespeed/fixed forum and see what response you get. These people might more likely fall under what you describe as hippie college kids or local vagabonds 
Not that there's anything wrong with that. I went to Oberlin one of the hippiest campuses around.
Not that there's anything wrong with that. I went to Oberlin one of the hippiest campuses around.
04-15-05, 12:04 PM
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They're ghetto stylin'.
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04-15-05, 12:08 PM
#5
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This was real common back in the 70's when I was in junior high. All the Schwinn Varsity's had the bars turned up. Made it easier to do wheelies.
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04-15-05, 12:14 PM
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Drug dealers keep their stash in the handlebars.
By turning them up the stash wont fall out while riding.
I know this because we have had several bikes donated to the co-op with stash stuffed in the up-turned bars.
Enjoy
By turning them up the stash wont fall out while riding.
I know this because we have had several bikes donated to the co-op with stash stuffed in the up-turned bars.
Enjoy
04-15-05, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by powers2b
Drug dealers keep their stash in the handlebars.
By turning them up the stash wont fall out while riding.
I know this because we have had several bikes donated to the co-op with stash stuffed in the up-turned bars.
Enjoy
By turning them up the stash wont fall out while riding.
I know this because we have had several bikes donated to the co-op with stash stuffed in the up-turned bars.
Enjoy
Damn! I knew there was a reason I should have processed those incoming bikes!
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04-15-05, 12:34 PM
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They are DUI bikes.
When a cager gets his license revoked for DUI, he goes to the thrift store, buys a "free spirit" and because he's too big in the middle to use the handle bars, he turns them up.
Seriously, the problem is not with the rider, its with the design of these bikes. Most riders don't need a traditional racing geometry with drop bars, they are much better off with a roadster with mustache type handlebars-- but they don't know that, so they settle for the DUI-mod or a cheap "mountain" bike.
When a cager gets his license revoked for DUI, he goes to the thrift store, buys a "free spirit" and because he's too big in the middle to use the handle bars, he turns them up.
Seriously, the problem is not with the rider, its with the design of these bikes. Most riders don't need a traditional racing geometry with drop bars, they are much better off with a roadster with mustache type handlebars-- but they don't know that, so they settle for the DUI-mod or a cheap "mountain" bike.
04-15-05, 12:43 PM
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It's usually done for the same reason you see "mountain" bikes with flatbars that have barends turned skyward or even pointed slightly towards the rear. The rider would be better served by high-mounted cruiser-style handlebars but usually these bikes are owned by people who can't afford to go sinking money in buying parts for their bike so they make do with what they have and if it means turning the handlebar or barends around to give them a higher hand position then that's what they'll do.
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04-15-05, 12:48 PM
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Although the thing that REALLY bugs me is the position the drop's brakes are then... they're like, on top, facing forward. How in the h - e - double hockeysticks does someone brake like that?
04-15-05, 01:12 PM
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Originally Posted by nolageek
Although the thing that REALLY bugs me is the position the drop's brakes are then... they're like, on top, facing forward. How in the h - e - double hockeysticks does someone brake like that?
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04-15-05, 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by matgarf
I'm with H23, we call them "homeless bars" or "DUI bars" around here.
04-15-05, 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted by jakemoffatt
I drive my car with my knees.
04-15-05, 02:52 PM
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Originally Posted by lala
Damn! I knew there was a reason I should have processed those incoming bikes!
Enjoy
04-15-05, 11:46 PM
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Oh ya, in the late 70's, early 80's that was the "cool" thing to do. Actually, it was pretty comfortable. Ya, I was pretty cool! hehe
04-16-05, 12:10 AM
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Originally Posted by zing28
Oh ya, in the late 70's, early 80's that was the "cool" thing to do. Actually, it was pretty comfortable. Ya, I was pretty cool! hehe
04-16-05, 12:39 AM
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Originally Posted by OrionKhan
When I was a kid I remember thinking that when I got a ten speed I would do the same thing cause it was cool. It made it easier to do wheelies with the bars like that....
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04-16-05, 12:42 AM
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eh, I don't think I'm gonna be trying that on my roadie anytime soon lol 
What tires are they using? Unless I'm going blind, they are purple.
What tires are they using? Unless I'm going blind, they are purple.
04-16-05, 12:51 AM
#25
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Originally Posted by khuon