Riser or Drop bars ?

paul_stelling
paul_stelling Posts: 96
edited August 2016 in Road general
Hi this falls in between road and commuter forum but I will post here for now. I am finishing off a fixed wheel bike mainly to be used for commuting although I have read that using a fixed wheel for training will help build strength to aid with my road cycling. Is this the case ? I am trying to decide whether to fit some riser bars that I already own or buy some compact drops like my road bike then fit levers so have comfortable hoods position. I will only be running front brake as I have no braking surface on rear wheel. I am worried that it might look silly having a pair of levers with only one brake especially if the lever is flapping about. Has anyone else done this ?

Comments

  • iron-clover
    iron-clover Posts: 737
    Use whichever bars you like- there's not much different between them (assuming by 'riser bars' you are talking about bullhorn style bars).

    The advantage of drops is you have more hand positions, so you can ride on the bars (high up) or the drops (low) whereas with the bullhorn bars you're stuck with only one real handhold. But if you're worried about where your hands might be when you are braking then go for the bullhorns, especially if you're not going to be riding for too long.

    I would personally find a rear wheel that you can brake with, as it is likely you'll have better braking control with a brake than your legs (I tend to see a lot of fixie riders skidding their rear wheel which isn't actually very good at stopping you).

    Good luck!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    It's just your personal preference isn't it?
    There is zero need to ask anyone else.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Paul stelling wrote:
    I have read that using a fixed wheel for training will help build strength to aid with my road cycling. Is this the case ?

    Not especially, no.
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    Bullhorn bar is the easiest choice, and it's likely the one I would go for in your situation. Some older brake levers can be detached from the assembly, leaving you with the hood. I wouldn't use a lever not attached to anything. The other way would be to use a bar end (TT) lever on the end of a drop bar, if you are comfortable braking that way.

    It's perfectly possible to stop a fixed gear bike with a front brake only without skidding the rear wheel.
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Riding fixed will help build strength and stamina, purely on the basis that you never stop pedalling and 90% of the time you're in the wrong gear! The question of braking depends a lot on where you ride - if it's hilly and you're running a lowish gear, then being able to regular your speed with two brakes is easier - 25% descents with a single brake in the wet can be challenging. Trying to use leg-pressure for braking can be hard on joints as it's not a natural motion. I've used both drop and bull-horn bars - drop bars with dummy lever simply give you more hand holds and positions.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Carbonator wrote:
    It's just your personal preference isn't it?
    There is zero need to ask anyone else.
    maybe - but if you've got no experience to have any preference then asking for others opinions can help somewhat ...

    Who was it said - there's no such thing as a stupid question - just a stupid answer .... ?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Er, not really.
    You just find out what other people prefer.
    How is that any help?

    I did not say it was a stupid question, just one that is not really worth asking.

    As with a lot of things on here they have probably not tried both, so are in no position to give even that advice.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Monty Dog wrote:
    Riding fixed will help build strength and stamina, purely on the basis that you never stop pedalling and 90% of the time you're in the wrong gear!

    Personally, I don't see that as being a particularly useful way of building 'strength' and stamina. But hey..
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Carbonator wrote:
    Er, not really.
    You just find out what other people prefer.
    How is that any help?
    Because they may say what they like about it ... or don't like about it ...

    even if they haven't tried both - there's still information to be gathered ... It's not going to answer the OPs questions absolutely as you're right - it's personal preference - but dismissing the question out of hand because it's "personal preference" ignores the fact that it's limited option and there could be a consensus which steers the OP down one path ..
  • JesseD
    JesseD Posts: 1,961
    I don’t know the science behind it but I find riding fixed does wonders for my road biking, not sure why but after a prolonged stint on the fixie I find my fitness, speed etc improves quite a lot on the road bike, especially accelerations and climbing?

    Personally I would ride drops and with 2 brakes, you can stop with just a front one but why take the risk unless you are a hipster and in which case you are then probably on the wrong forum! :wink:
    Obsessed is a word used by the lazy to describe the dedicated!
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    Yeah, always see sky riding around on fixies.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    JesseD wrote:
    I don’t know the science behind it

    You're in good company, because nobody else does either.. ;)

    As mentioned - if riding fixed was some magic fast-track to speed and fitness, then the roads of Majorca would be full of pros riding fixies out of season in the winter months. However...
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    darkhairedlord wrote:
    Yeah, always see sky riding around on fixies.

    If I recall, Stuart O'Grady rode the 05 Giro prologue on fixed (with two brakes), and after that the UCI banned it in typical fashion.

    I don't think anyone's suggesting it has any magic benefits, though - the old folklore about riding fixed in the winter was debunked years ago along with not riding above certain gears pre-season. Riding fixed is a very good way to facilitate over or undergear training, which you can also do on a bike with derailleurs, but who cares about that? Riding fixed is great.
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Slowbike wrote:
    Carbonator wrote:
    Er, not really.
    You just find out what other people prefer.
    How is that any help?
    Because they may say what they like about it ... or don't like about it ...

    even if they haven't tried both - there's still information to be gathered ... It's not going to answer the OPs questions absolutely as you're right - it's personal preference - but dismissing the question out of hand because it's "personal preference" ignores the fact that it's limited option and there could be a consensus which steers the OP down one path ..
    Well put ;)

    Consensus has bugger all to do with it though.
    Have a poll if that's how you choose something!
    That's then open to fashion, snob value, and plain old emperors new clothes!!!

    Absolutely fine if you are just fishing to confirm an initial feeling on one type of bar and only sway if it throws up something you had overlooked.

    Just don't think it's anything deeper than that.

    Look at all the pro SPD loons (that have never tried road shoes/pedals) that come out of the woodwork angrily wanting you to buy M520's, if you ask about road v MTB....
    .... on a road bike.
  • paul_stelling
    paul_stelling Posts: 96
    Thanks for all the advice I do agree with a lot of it. I am certainly not a hipster and would never lock up the rear using my legs that's plain stupid. I really only wanted to know if it was worth going for drops and using as training bike to aid my road cycling. If it's not really a gain over riding my road bike I will probably run flat bars and use as a commuter/ out with the kids bike. Something that's just minimal with less to go wrong and keep my road bike for best and long rides. Looks like if I was going to do longer rides I would need a rear brake I don't want to fit one to this bike as I have a track rear wheel that I built the bike around and I don't want to loose that. Cheers.
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    You should try racing on fixed, it's amazing and all of your clubmates will be in awe of you.
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • paul_stelling
    paul_stelling Posts: 96
    I would love to . Not fast enough yet and probably too old at 43. Lol.
  • bigfod
    bigfod Posts: 4
    It improves my road cycling - I get out of the habit of free-wheeling so I improve my fitness by doing more active recovery when on the geared bike.

    They're also lots of fun to ride.
  • bigfod
    bigfod Posts: 4
    Oh, and in response to your question - go drops. you have the options of both risers and drops. I've had both before.
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    The beauty of fixed is just how easy it is to swap bars, get them all. I have two types of bull horn, risers and drops.

    My personal favourite are the bull horns (Cinelli Lola) with a TT brake lever (Cane Creek 200TT).

    Fitness benefits? dubious and depend where you ride, 'well the pros don't use them in hilly majorca' is a pointless statement. If you live somewhere flat and ride a set distance e.g. commuting, fixed can force you to work harder whilst pedaling the entire journey which may lead to a fitness benefit but no benefit over being motivated and riding your gears properly.

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