Are riser bars necessary for fixed tricks/urban riding?
 

Or are they a kind of fad?

I know they make it possible to bar spin, but aside from that? I have bullhorns and really love how they give me the ability to stretch out because my frame is a little small, but they do not give me the GREATEST control.

Would you recommend me to try some risers, or what is some sort of medium that would all me to be able to stretch out my arms, yet still have the control needed for tricks?

i just switched to risers from drops..not a big fan of the perched up position but it's a lot easier to skid/skip stop (i've never ridden bullhorns but i'd think you can already do that fine with em)...but all in all, nah, i don't think the risers would provide any perks or gains..i actually feel like you'd have more control and stability with the bullhorns due to the hand position options

I am on the front of my horns much more often than the aero position. Only use that when I'm going in a straight line or climbing a hill, really.

By front I mean the part closest to me.. haha.

I like risers when I'm commuting to class (short commute) I feel like i have more control with risers. Maybe due to upsweep/backsweep?

but I definitely prefer bullhorns when riding long distance....willing to sacrifice some control for the multiple hand positions it offers

Funny, I've always felt most in control in the drops, especially when cornering hard. This, of course, is not helpful if you are running risers or bullhorns. When I was learning to race crits, they told us to stay in the drops at all time for maximum control, whether we were in the wind or not. Not sure how scientifically valid that it, but it goes along with my own experience.

And if multiple hand positions are a plus, road drops are hard to beat.

I like risers with a 40-60mm stem. Feels nice being upright. Other than that bullhorns all the way.

If you actually intend to go fast, and don't run brake levers, bullhorns are the only bar you will ever need. If you run brake levers, road drops are nice because they give you a bunch of positions.

on a whim today i bought a 6 dollar set of used risers from my local bike co-op to put on my fixed commuter. i had flop/chop horns on them before. in my limited experience riding around for an hour or so, i liked the upright position and i felt like i had more control in hard cornering. it felt a little less stable during steep climbs but i think it'll be good for my short (3 mile) commute. for extended rides the lack of hand positions would definitely be annoying and trying to tuck myself in while riding into headwinds felt a little unnatural but for less serious kinds of riding, i think risers work great.

If you intend to do alot of freestyle and bar spin, then riser will give you added clearance.

risers will make you look like a GOOON.

...or not if youre all about lime green oury grips....

Me too. When brifters replaced DT shifters, everyone started racing on the tops, even in sprints, and I think it led to an increase in crashes. Riding the drops, people could bump each other heeled over in a turn without losing control, but on the hoods you sit higher and farther back, reducing the weight on the front wheel and raising your center of gravity. It's easier for your front wheel to wash out when cornering, which 99% of the time means a crash. Everyome races on the drops on the track, except for TT events.

My collarbone is full of hardware had a total rebuild I used to love track drops but it seems it all risers for me. trackdrops just make my whole arm hurt and tingle.

They are not necessary. But they do put you in a more upright position which makes it easier to pay attention to traffic.

OP: try a slightly longer stem so you don't have to ride as stretched out. I love bullhorns too but am currently riding risers most of the time due to a hand injury.

I've ridden flat bars, risers, and bullhorns and my favorite (out of those three) are risers. I don't do barspins, but I like the riding position and handling. It all depends on your riding environment and riding style...

Also, depending on the type of bullhorns, you could still barspin on them... just get ones with a short, flat extension like the origin8's... angle them slightly upward and you should be good to go.

It's definitely a personal preference, I personally prefer drops. Risers are comfortable but I just prefer drops.