Bar Cons and New Chopper Bars?

[stratrider]

My SRAM 9.0 shifters are shot. After 7 years years of solid service on
my Stratus, they are done. I am thinking about replacing my rather
heavy Calhoun Evo-Pro Sport Bar and RANS telescoping stem/riser with
the new RANS adjustable chopper bars and Bar Con Shifters. Everything
I have read about the bar cons suggests they are bullet-proof! Any
thoughts?

Jim Reilly
Reading, PA

 

[Jeff Wills]

stratrider wrote:
> My SRAM 9.0 shifters are shot. After 7 years years of solid service on
> my Stratus, they are done. I am thinking about replacing my rather
> heavy Calhoun Evo-Pro Sport Bar and RANS telescoping stem/riser with
> the new RANS adjustable chopper bars and Bar Con Shifters. Everything
> I have read about the bar cons suggests they are bullet-proof! Any
> thoughts?
>
> Jim Reilly
> Reading, PA

A couple issues: there's no bar-con shifters compatible with the SRAM
9.0 derailleur. You'll have to convert to a Shimano (or
Shimano-compatible) rear derailleur in order to make the indexing work.

Also, many handlebars are too thick to accept bar-cons easily. This can
be handled by reaming the handlebar and/or reducing the diameter of the
wedges that hold the shifter in place. I did this on my Tour Easy and
it worked fine.

The bar-con shifters are my favorites. I have a set that's 15 years
old. They don't get used often nowadays, but they still work perfectly
after many thousands of miles.

Jeff

 

[stratrider]

Good to know about the compatibility issue. Thanks.

 

[Johnny Sunset]

stratrider wrote:
> Good to know about the compatibility issue. Thanks.

Here is another (expensive) way to mount bar-end shifters:
<http://www.paulcomp.com/thumbmtn.html>.

Barcons [TM] is a registered trademark of Sun Tour, so the Shimano
versions [1] should be referred to as bar-end shifters.

[1] E.g.
<http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/catalog/cycle/products/component.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441763091&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302040768&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181426&bmUID=1138928792030>.

--
Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley

 

[stratrider]

Tom, I have seen shifters refered to as bar-end and barcon but never
realized the difference was in the manufacturer. The paulcomp.com
mounting looks particularly interesting for use on a recumbent. In
fact, it makes me wonder if the bar-end shifter is a good choice for
recumbents given that most recumbent handlebars will require the
shifter to be upside down and ultimately shiftable with the rider's
palm rather than the rider's thumb?

Jim

 

[Peter Clinch]

stratrider wrote:

> In
> fact, it makes me wonder if the bar-end shifter is a good choice for
> recumbents given that most recumbent handlebars will require the
> shifter to be upside down and ultimately shiftable with the rider's
> palm rather than the rider's thumb?

That's rather dependent on which way up the bars are. I have bar ends
on my underseat steering model and they work /very/ well on it, shifting
with my thumb.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[GaerlanCustomCycles]

Diatech makes bar end shifters that are friction so should work with
tne 1:1 pull Sram derailleurs. Ain't indexed though.

 

[stratrider]

Good to know. I was curious so I found your web site. Have you
thought about becoming a RANS dealer? It seems that their
crank-forward bikes would be a nice addition to your line of bikes.

Jim Reilly
Reading PA