Originally Posted by
Hermes
@
HPLEven if you change the bars to drop bars, your position will be too high. If that is as low as you can go, so be it. Time trials are more about making every pedal stroke count and you can do that from any body position.
IMO, the bullhorns are not acceptable for group rides and mass start racing. When I was a supervisor at the velodrome, we would not allow mustache or bullhorn handlebars on the track and of course, many fixed gear riders like mustache handle bars. You need to change them to standard drop bars. The reason is that in close quarter racing, you can get tangled with other riders with bull horns. With drop bars, one rides in the drops which is a safer position and allows one to bump other riders or get bumped without mishap.
Thanks Hermes,
I fully agree with your comments, I've actually never really rode with bullhorn bars, always drop; excepting building up a frame for a friend and testing it. I had it sitting around and wanted to see how it rode with bar end shifters. Are "barcons" a decent "old school" option in place of "brifters"?
If I install drop bars and my "position will still be too high"; what's left? Extend the stem reach, use a smaller front wheel or get a "funny" bike? Of course no matter what I ride I need to be in the proper condition as well as being able sustain performance in a particular position. I have tried "aero" bars, but not for any period of time and on a very ill fitting frame, thus sore body; so no reference from which to base a proper opinion on. I have smaller frames (49-50 cm) where I could have a higher seat position in reference to the bar, or use an extended post on my standard size frames (52-54 cm).