carleton

I think he was being funny.

You make good points in your post, though.

mihlbach

Maybe, but I'm amazed how many times the hooded drops vs. unhooded drops, vs. bullhorns, etc. etc. argument crops up here. You rarely if ever find any of these debates in other subforums, because its not really a debatable issue, once you remove fashion from the equation. Sure there may be a few freds, slow old people, and other people with special physical needs who prefer flatbars, or "'staches or other weird configurations, but for the most part there shouldn't even be any debating the issue.
In this instance, it mostly boils down an illogical resistance to properly installing the appropriate ****ing brake lever(s) onto a pair of handlebars. Makes no sense at all...

Geordi Laforge

mihlbach, you're obviously unaware of the 6-day racing.

PedallingATX

Yeah, it doesn't crop up on other subforums b/c most types of bikes have a more or less standard way of setting up handlebars. Road bikes almost always use drops with hooded levers/shifters. On fixed gears you see a variety of different handlebar setups including bullhorns, risers, and drops. I am resistant to bullhorns b/c I think they are fugly. FYI, I am not actually riding brakeless. I shouldn't have named this thread as such, so my apologies for that confusing. I don't want to put hooded brakes on though because it is ugly. I will just install a very small cross lever brake for the front. I was just wondering if people find it uncomfortable to ride the tops, or bends, of drops when there are no hoods installed.

mihlbach

Thanks for making my point.

PedallingATX

And you surf BF b/c you don't care what your bike looks like? Hooded brakes completely destroy the whole fixed look. I'm not a proponent of people riding brakeless, I don't care what you choose to do w/ your own life, but I think hooded brakes on a fixie are counter-productive. So then what? You put on both hoods and have one set up as a dummy or just saw off one of the levers? That looks even more stupid.

mihlbach

The whole fixed look? WTF is that?

Hooded brakes on a fixie counter-productive? UM....no.

Heres a hint: ride more.

Jake_M

I just switched my flopped and chopped bars back to road bars, and am not using hoods. I ride on the tops, occasionally in the drops and sometimes on the tops of the bends where the hoods would be. It's not that bad, I've gotten used to it. I'm using a cross lever on the tops so if I'm braking I switch there. I've gotten used to all the hand positions and don't think it's that big of a deal to ride drops without hoods. If you want, I can post pics later.

mihlbach

Thats what I didn't like most about riding without hoods. If your riding style incorporates use of a front brake (which is faster than riding brakeless) you have to constantly move to the top position for your lever to be within reach. A cross lever is really limiting for going fast around traffic, drafting other riders, or descending a hill fixed at 35+ mph in the drops and having to change hand positions to reach the brake lever to stop at the intersection at the bottom. With road lever/hoods your brake lever(s) are always within reach.
If your are going to have a brake and destroy the precious "fixed look" in the process, you might as well reap all the advantages of it being there.

fuzz2050

Generally speaking, I prefer to adapt my bike to me, rather than force myself to adapt to my bike.

PedallingATX

Um actually I have been racing road bikes for about two years. I am building a fixed gear because I like the way they look and I want to have a beater bike. The fixed look is that minimalist, stripped down look that fixed gear bikes have. You must be quite thick if you don't understand that. In my normal road bike I'm all about function over looks, but on a fixed gear bike I will commute with, I want it to look good. Is there a problem with that?

Yellowbeard

Counter....productive? Ok then.

So what you're actually going for is a "minimalist" look, not a "fixed gear" look.

Geordi Laforge

so, you're a poseur?

craigcraigcraig

i cant believe this is an argument, i ride drops with a bmx brake lever and switching up on down hill is not bad, i ride in the drops almost all the time unless just cruising slowly around places. just put your drops on and dont come back to the thread haha if you dont like the hand positions change to different bars but dont need to start a thread everytime.

just ride.

PedallingATX

Yes, I'm going for a minimalist look. I assumed that y'all would know what I meant when I said "fixie look." Isn't minimalist the look that MOST fixies are trying to achieve anyways? Geez, i didn't think I would get so flamed for just using the term "fixie look" I know I'm new to BF, and I'm new to the fixed gear thing, but seriously, don't we all know what that means? ANYWAYS, I think that I'm going to give the hood-less drops a try and see how it goes. I got the drops for free, anyways. I'll install a cross lever brake, and hopefully this will be comfortable enough to use frequently. Otherwise I'll have to flop 'n chop some bullhorns or something. OK, thanks to those that gave legit. responses.

PedallingATX

I hope your kidding haha.

craigcraigcraig

ATX for the win.

xdrmusclex

As a seasoned road rider (yes, I have a drawer full of penis hugging spandex), i have to say, for my fixed around town/commuter bike, after having road drops, track drops, bullhorns etc. I found that risers are by far the most comfortable. and yes, I have and make love to, a Bianchi pista

jtarver

If you're using an open face stem, just try a couple bars. Most cross levers are hinged, so just tape a few bars and try them out. It took me a few tries to realize I like track drops. It, like most other topics in these forums, comes down to your comfort, which is an unknown variable to us. IMO trial and error seems to be the best way to get any bike fitted to your body and riding style. It never hurts to have the option to switch bars, for example: sometimes my back hurts, on those days I ride a more upright bike with riser bars.

JohnDThompson 

No, I just think a drop bar offers an abundance of comfortable hand positions even without vestigial brake levers attached, regardless of whether you're riding on the road or on the track.

jtarver

I will vouch that JDT is not stupid, in fact, from what I've seen he's probably forgotten more about bikes than we will ever know about bikes...Show a little respect, he'll probably have the answer you seek if you don't lose interest in bicycles after the current "boom" goes bust.

Critical Jeff

this
/thead
all you other kids can shut the flip up.

Prabuddhadg

Speaking of the "boom", here in India, which is still slightly cushioned from the recession, we are, all of a sudden, hearing news of International bicycle brands like Cannondale and Giant planning a quick entry. I think the recession in the West is making these businesses look around for potential markets.

Geordi Laforge

wow.

jtarver

I don't doubt this...I was speaking more along the lines of the "bikes as a fashion statement" boom. When bikes go out of style, people will forget about them, just like so many other "fads" while some folks will continue as they always have in their love of two wheelers. These people will respect the opinions of other, more experienced, wrenchers and riders as they realize that's where the real knowledge is to be had.