What is the purpose?

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Permalink Reply by RodimusPrime on April 3, 2009 at 12:03am

i roll my pants into basically shorts all year round. . . basically i just wear shorts all year round.

although in the deep winter i had pant clips ever since my pant leg got caught and tore straight up the side. . .

Vando said:

I don't know about functionality of those chopped bars. If you do something for "cool factor", then just say that. I see people that never wear a helmet because they think it looks un-cool. I am guilty of this also, I mean I wear a helmet, but what I do is I never use those velcro straps to keep my pant leg out of the chain, I think they look kinda dorky. I am fully aware though, that sooner or later I will learn my lesson when the inevitable happens.

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Permalink Reply by Brett Ratner on April 3, 2009 at 1:27am

This has grown into an amazingly hysterical thread. It is just my opinion, but I've read several posts that start out highly insightful, make a very strong point, and then inexplicably throw in some stupid, pointless, narrow-minded comment that completely undermines the point he or she was trying to make.

For what it is worth, here is my take on all of this:

1. Hooking your handlebar on a car mirror seriously sucks. Grazing a car with your arm and/or shoulder is not a big deal. A narrow bar is less likely to strike said mirror than a wide bar. That is fact. There is nothing to debate. If you argue that point, you are an idiot.

2. On dry pavement, one can steer quite effectively with body English and by leaning with or "hanging off" the bike...and as such, you don't need much steering input through the handlebars. However, if you attempt to steer by leaning with the bike on sand, snow, mud, ice, or wet and oily pavement, you will crash. Instead, you need to keep your body upright and perpendicular to the ground and you use the bars to lean the bike. That way, your body stays in a stable/balanced position, and if the front and/or rear tire slide, you will slide with the bike but you will not fall.

Again, this is not a debatable point. If you disagree, that means you don't know how to ride a bike or a motorcycle correctly.

Speaking of motorcycles, if you follow motorcycle racing, you will notice that "sport bikes" which race in the Superbike, Supersport, and Moto GP classes, have extremely narrow and low "clip on" bars that even prevent you from turning the wheel to full lock. The bar will hit the gas tank first (actually your wrist will hit the tank). That is because these bikes race only on pavement and the riders can steer by hanging off the bike in corners. Steering input through the bars is not as important...but aerodynamics is extremely important.

Conversely, "dirt bikes" which race in motocross, supercross, dirt track, hare & hound, enduro, supermoto, speedway, and so forth, have extremely tall and wide bars. This gives the riders lots of leverage and control on slippery, uneven surfaces, but sacrifices aerodynamics. You'll also notice that the riders stay bolt upright through the turns, using the bars to lean the bike over. I've seen the same technique used in downhill mountain bike racing.

3. Practically any bike can be "flickable" in traffic, provided you use the correct countersteering technique. Countersteering is pushing the right bar forward to quickly swerve to the right (or pushing the left bar to swerve left). In other words, to flick or swerve, you are turning the wheel in the opposite direction you want to go. That said, the fixie bike pictured at the top of this thread would be extremely flickable in traffic...due to its light weight, frame/fork geometry, and short wheelbase.

4. Every handlebar configuration is a compromise in some respect. A time trial bar is very aerodynamic, but sacrifices control and comfort (not to mention quick access to the brakes). The handlebar on a comfort bike is obviously stable and comfy, but it makes you a sail in a headwind. A road bike or cyclocross bike's drop bar offers a wide variety of hand positions, allowing the rider to choose whether aerodynamics, leverage/control, or comfort is most important at any given moment.

5. No one should ever assume that their specific needs in a bike apply to all riders. In other words, if you think someone is an idiot because he or she places importance on having a light bike, or an aerodynamic bike, or a "dope" bike, then you are an idiot.

5. As for me, I believe every bike excels at some things but sucks at other things. I prefer my road bike for long recreational rides. I use my mountain bike for trail riding and for commuting when the roads are snowy and icy. And I like riding my fixed gear (with bullhorn bars) for everything else.

I personally don't need or want the bike pictured at the top of this thread, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate and/or respect why someone else would.

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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on April 3, 2009 at 2:31pm

All good points Brett, but I like this one in particular.

Not only should you not assume that your needs apply to all riders, you shouldn't even assume that your needs will be the same all the time. To clarify, many of us have multiple bikes for different uses, so not even our own personal needs apply to us all the time, let alone apply to all cyclists.

My example: I have a hardtail for trails and crappy weather, my aluminum road bike for putting down some miles, and an old surprisingly-lite steel road steed for when I want to go out for a really fast ride.

All the more reason to get what meets your needs and to hell with the rest.


Brett Ratner said:

5. No one should ever assume that their specific needs in a bike apply to all riders. In other words, if you think someone is an idiot because he or she places importance on having a light bike, or an aerodynamic bike, or a "dope" bike, then you are an idiot.

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Permalink Reply by roofis lee king on April 3, 2009 at 2:40pm

i never use the horns on my bike and would love to chop em but there original bars. ive taken off my fair share of car mirrors and i can say that wider is not always better. also if you dont need brake levers you have no reason for monster bars, but i guess it all comes down to personal preference.

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