track vs road bars

[scotto]

why the different shape ?
i'm thinking of trying out some track racing and thought i could just swap bars and ratios on my fixie for a cheap introduction.

oh, and whats a typical ratio ?

[mikesbytes]

When you race on the track you always have your hands in the drops, so no need to have a place to rest them above.

You might also notice that some riders use steel bars, as they are super strong.

If your starting off, just use whatever you have.

[scotto]

not sure if theyre suitable for sprinting. but they gove you bucket loads of leverage when grinding uphills out of the saddle !
"soma urban pursuit"

[toppity]

why the different shape ?
i'm thinking of trying out some track racing and thought i could just swap bars and ratios on my fixie for a cheap introduction.

oh, and whats a typical ratio ?

a nice allround ratio to start with is 49/15. I think that's 86 gear inches.

[rustychisel]

it's all about transition points and hand positions, as mentioned on the track Pista bars have a curved transition bend, also keeps the bars away from your knees in a balls out sprint. Road bars (originally known as 'Maes' pattern, have a wider top and a sharper transition to drops, gives more hand positions but also a better platform for brake levers.

If you're a strongman steels bars are better, if your bars are older be sure of them. These little lovelies folded gently on me as I pulled out of a 55kmh sprint. You don't want it happening to you.

If you're strong to moderately strong go for a gearing of ~90in for general track work. Loaner bikes at the Adelaide Superdrome used to come with 76in which is rather spinny, but go too high and you'll put your legs into a world of sluggishness in 2 laps.

[foo on patrol]

why the different shape ?
i'm thinking of trying out some track racing and thought i could just swap bars and ratios on my fixie for a cheap introduction.

oh, and whats a typical ratio ?

a nice allround ratio to start with is 49/15. I think that's 86 gear inches.

Wrong 88.2 51x16= 86

[robbie d]

you are a strong guy though rusty,
If the weather holds i'm out to edwardstown tomorrow night

[brawlo]

I kicked off my track racing on road bars. I recently changed to a Deda track bar and all I can say is I never knew how flexy the road bars were until I changed. It was a huge difference when up and pushing out a big sprint.

[alex]

steel 'pista' type bars are good if you are doing proper sprinting

for most people it will make no difference, i like road bars personally

[rustychisel]

you are a strong guy though rusty,
If the weather holds i'm out to edwardstown tomorrow night

hmmm, good luck with that [looks pensively out the window again]

WRT gearing: Edwardstown is an outside track as you know, so you'd not use the same gearing as on the boards. A macdamised surface with lower banking, I'd probably be looking at a 86 ~ 88in gear, especially as I seem to recall a SW breeze on the front straight every time I've ridden laps there

[Richard.L]

you are a strong guy though rusty,
If the weather holds i'm out to edwardstown tomorrow night

hmmm, good luck with that [looks pensively out the window again]

WRT gearing: Edwardstown is an outside track as you know, so you'd not use the same gearing as on the boards. A macdamised surface with lower banking, I'd probably be looking at a 86 ~ 88in gear, especially as I seem to recall a SW breeze on the front straight every time I've ridden laps there

+1 on the headwind down the front straight, but i dont think it makes a huge difference if you are powerful (lower grades anyway )

With my Felt track bars they feel like they are flatter and longer in the drops (more room to place your hand flat) than my 3T Ergonova's on the roadie
Then again the 3T's are compact bars

[foo on patrol]

Can not talk about to-days bars, but when I was racing, track bars were deeper than roadies.

[toppity]

the width of the bars makes a difference as well. I like the narrower track bars, it gives you a few millimetres more room in larger bunches.

[Jeremy]

'Track' bars allow your forearm more room when doing a standing effort....either getting out of start gates, or to a lesser extent, out of the saddle sprinting.
(body is forward on the bike, arms pretty much vertical)

I used to get bruises on my arms before I switched to steel track bars....But i'm a sprinter. Plenty of people use road bars on the track without any problems....mainly the enduros.

90" would be a good race gear to start on....47x14.....I normally go 2inches smaller at edwardstown.

[scotto]

.....I normally go 2inches smaller at edwardstown.

is it colder there ????

[robbie d]

Well last friday was the test.
I can't remember what my gearing is off hand, 49-15 I think (googles result) 88.2"
Headwind was blowing strong, which I noticed more when the rest of the bunch had pulled away.
All in all a good night, with a second in the handicap the highlight.
Bar angle is important too. The angle of the flat part of the drops can make things really comfortable, or so annoying you don't want to use them.