I notice that in Tracklocross, it seems like the majority of riders use flat bars, while in ss 'Cross, you still see mostly drop bars (at least it seems to me). Just curious, is there a distinct handling advantage to using flat bars on a bike like that, for that sort of competition? I've ridden both flat and drop-bar singlespeeds offroad a lot - I like 'em both - but I've never ridden a fixed gear bike so I don't know how that compares.

I am today years old when I learned what "tracklocross" is.

EDIT: The idea of riding a fixed gear off road give me a case of the nopes.

I was just at a cross race this weekend, and there was a Tracklocross category. I watched this one rider as he tackled the course. I've also been following what folks like Squid are doing. I'm with you, I don't think it's for me, but it is intriguing!

I think that is the new trend for fixed gear bikes is long wide handlebars and it is also the norm for good reason on mountain bikes so it makes sense the two would diverge converge. It is maybe not quite the traditional CX race so they can do whatever.

I suspect the guys doing this were using their old bike polo bikes. Those bikes were already geared low enough and just happened to have flat bars on them. Fixed gear off road is fun, but not in a group of geared or full suspension bikes. You have to be able to run your own pace without getting in their way.

Wide bars give better control over rough terrain. If cyclocross racers were released from UCI rules, the bikes would probably look a lot like XCO hardtails. What makes the sport in many ways is the "wrongness" of the bikes.

In the cat 4/5 singlespeed groups I race in, there are flat/riser bar bikes. In fact, quite a few ppl just ride SS mountain bikes with 2"+ tires. There's no one checking tires will a caliper in the novice ranks.

I do like the spirit of the "fixed or slicks" rule in tracklocross: if you don't want to ride fixed, then you need to ride 23/25mm road slicks. If you do ride fixed, then fat and knobby are allowed.

I have been looking for a midwest tracklocross race to try. Maybe next year!

Wow, I hadn't heard of that before! Well, as a fan of underbiking, I can appreciate this.

fify

I'm looking to get into bike polo and race tracklocross, and from what ive seen polo bikes run much lower gearing than a tracklocross bike

The polo bikes I've seen here (PNW) are geared in the low 50s GI, tracklocross bikes are in the low 60s.

Personally, I hate flat bars. I recently bought a hotmess of a POSeidon FX. It kinda forces you into a flat bar with the low headtube and pre-cut fork for a slammed stem. Oh yeah, the fork blades also rub against the rotor if you corner hard.

56...but love idea

While none of this is codified, TrackloX and CX courses are often different. CX courses tend to have tighter turns, narrower lines, and less room in general for passing and riding abreast, while TrackloX courses tend to be more open. And because TrackloX courses often require fewer dismounts, the bikes aren't shouldered as often or for as long (drop bars offer a big advantage when carrying the bike). Also, the pulling leverage that you get from a wide flat bar comes in handy when you're overgeared for the climbs. That's my take on it, anyway.