I see it all the time on track bikes around town (chicago). I figured they were for locking up your bike so the paint wouldn't get scratched. But I see bikes with tape on them to facilitate that need. So what is the odd shaped ring? It must be something special if people have them on bikes used for actual races.

https://shop.store.yahoo.com/momovelo/katoptupr.html

https://www.businesscycles.com/frameprotect.htm

Stops the handlebars fron dinging the top tube.

what's it for, though? Just to lean the bike against something? Does that mean you can only lock your bike up in one position?

No its stop your handlebars clattering into your frame in the case you drop the bike or take a spill. Its effectively an 'airbag' for when the handlebars hit the frame.

Its just there to try and stop the dreaded top tube ding you see on a lot of fixies.

The one in the photo looks like one of the fancy Kashimax ones that probably work. The rest of use just use electrical tape, foam and/or old bits of inner tubes and hope for the best.

Well, if you can afford a Nagasawa, you should be able to afford a kashimax. I can afford neither.

just for giggles, both SkitBra and 165 have those top tube protectors. *duck*

we also have matching tatts...of crusty

lol 165. yeah, im chided every week at polo, when we pick teams, we always do tatts vs no tatts...and its me against the City.

Ha ha. I bet yer gettin good at polo then!

Yep. I'm 2nd to last picked.

Oy...do you mean Krusty?

Also, I have the same kashimax top tube protector. It works AND it looks cool.

Here's a pic I took of 165 and Skitbra right after they got their Krusty tattoos...

Nice to see such good friends mugging it for the camera.

why would you spend so much on something that can be stolen in seconds? ehh. i have an old skool tope tube protector on mine now. it is more important if you dont have a break cable (the bars swing around a LOT faster without a cable) or if you dont have them wrapped in the contact zone (ie track bikes and why you dont see them on road bikes unless its fixie chic).

fixedpip stated " No its stop your handlebars clattering into your frame in the case you drop the bike or take a spill. Its effectively an 'airbag' for when the handlebars hit the frame."


If I crashed or dropped the bike , I wouldn't worry about the handle bars hitting the frame.


I used to use cloth tape aka handle bar tape on the tope tube.

You can tape up a little bigger area so if you lock up your bike to a pole it won't scratch there also.

S/F,
CEYA!

edit to clear up my spelling.

huh? either you are saying something really redundant or something really ummm dumb.

i'm kinda fond of my toptube ding...it matches the scar on my forehead...

Wow, I'm hot.

yeah, we really are.

I have one of those built into my frame? Why would you buy one? The handlebars hit there a lot when I'm carrying the bike up stairs and stuff. Apparently it has BET wrapped around it too, which luckily hasn't started peeling yet - I didn't put it there, so it's probably been there for awhile...

And here I thought it was a little air-bag for the family jewels.

Learn something new everyday.

wow Dobber, you must have...small...jewels.

or somethign redumbdant?

Is Skitbra your englash teaker?

I think it's less for preventing cosmetic damage (scuffs) and more for preventing structural damage (dents and dings).