Bar Ends

[ALAN 1130]

Hello everyone and Happy New Year,
Why have Bar Ends more or less fallen from grace ? Is it due to "fashion" or to a more design orientated reason. I believe it is due to the popularity of Riser Bars and the fact that Bar Ends look plain ugly on them ! Will bar ends and flat bars ever be popular again ???

 

[loadedcarp]

I love my bar ends and I have a riser bar. I use shortie bar ends so they're not too obtrusive, and I think they look great on my bike.

 

[ALAN 1130]

I love my bar ends and I have a riser bar. I use shortie bar ends so they're not too obtrusive, and I think they look great on my bike.

Thanks loadedcarp, I think that bar ends do look good anyway. Stubbies on riser bars would be a better option than the really long PURPLE ones that were so popular a few years ago !!! Bring back bar ends I say !!!

 

[Conniebiker]

WHAT WAS THAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

I use barends and love them on most things, but in the east coast forrest trails I have had a few race crashes from snagging trees. So depending on the race(or if I am freeriding) I tend to take them off. I cannot however leave them off because of my periodic bouts with carpal tunnel, and they aleviate some of the stress.

 

[ALAN 1130]

WHAT WAS THAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

I use barends and love them on most things, but in the east coast forrest trails I have had a few race crashes from snagging trees. So depending on the race(or if I am freeriding) I tend to take them off. I cannot however leave them off because of my periodic bouts with carpal tunnel, and they aleviate some of the stress.

Hi Conniebike, Snagging can be a bit of a problem at times. I had a few scarry moments when the bar ends have got entangled in bushes and trees. Luckily no lasting damage to me or (more importantly) the bike ! Why do you think that bar ends seem to have lost popularity. Is it because, like yourself, people are more into Freeriding and simply having fun rather than going on long treks where using bar ends offer a change in hand position ?

 

[Conniebiker]

Im guessing its not based on practicality. Moreso I think it is tied to the freeride movement, or simply people not understanding them. Most of the uninformed I see rolling around with them have them almost vertical or sometimes even backward.

 

[ALAN 1130]

Im guessing its not based on practicality. Moreso I think it is tied to the freeride movement, or simply people not understanding them. Most of the uninformed I see rolling around with them have them almost vertical or sometimes even backward.

Dead right about folk not understanding how to use bar end !! Lost count of the bikes Ive seen with the bar ends pointing Heavenward . Shame really, those idiots have given them a "bad" name......

 

[ALAN 1130]

Conniebike, is that you in the pic ? Ive tried to put on a pic of our cat, however my attempts always fail. By the way, the cat never rides without using his bar ends !

 

[Duckwah]

For the love of all things holy, please select a slightly smaller font size!

Ouch my eyes....

 

[sssamcz]

For the love of all things holy, please select a slightly smaller font size!

Ouch my eyes....

Yes, please use a more normal font - is there anything wrong with the default?

As for barends - I love 'em, more hand postitions, more leverage, and (IMO) protection from trees, shrubs etc.

Why they've fallen from grace? Well, it's primarily fashion, and that fashion has stemmed from freeriding and riser bars.

However, I think riser bars mitigate some of the benefits of bar-ends in the first place; wider bars give you more leverage so you don't need the extra leverage of the wider position which bar ends provide, the greater sweep of risers puts your hands in a more natural position anyway - because of this I think barends with risers is a little anachronistic, but if it works for you, go with it!

There are some bar ends around with a ball joint in the mount which are ideal for adjusting the angle if you want to use ends on a bar with a lot of sweep (or any bar for that matter) I think Ritchey does some.

Sam

 

[Conniebiker]

Yup, das me.
I make my own avatars when I'm bored. I have Corel Photopaint so its a peice of cake. They just have to be small enough when you save them.

 

[Conniebiker]

Contrary to fasionable points, I think my using a slight riser bar makes it all the more important to have barends. The risers are designed to move me back and up, so when I want to go faster i have to bend my arms a lot. With the barends set nice I can have both worlds.

 

[krayzie]

I have these Serfas Stabilizer bar-ends that are non-intrusive at all and looks great... Actually I think they look more like blades than bars.

 

[carryday]

I love my bar ends and I have a riser bar. I use shortie bar ends so they're not too obtrusive, and I think they look great on my bike.

right on!!!

 

[intensity]

i sorta decided to lose the bar ends after i found myself getting wrapped around trees in tight cornering situations (and it doesnt feel very good to be clipped in whilegoing intot a tree... trust me) so due to where i ride and the facct that i dont find myself using them i just stickwith a normal riser bar. and on a side note, i dont feel like ive been riding long enough or that im old enough to fully appreciate "the bar end"

 

[carryday]

Contrary to fasionable points, I think my using a slight riser bar makes it all the more important to have barends. The risers are designed to move me back and up, so when I want to go faster i have to bend my arms a lot. With the barends set nice I can have both worlds.

That's why I like'em !! I didn't know that was why but, thanks!

 

[krayzie]

I definitely think the freeriding movement has something to do with it. Nowadays biking around town makes me look like an idiot / roadie wannabe since I actually have the following on my bike:

front and rear commuter lights
bell
clipless pedals
bottle cages
frame pump
cyclocomputer

and not to mention - barends

The only upside to it is that it actually makes my bike less attractive to steal.

 

[tyler_derden]

I was under the impression that "tree-hooks" are mainly for climbing- they give you a hand position further forward of the normal one to allow you to get more of your weight over the front wheel to keep it on the ground.

I see a lot of them on bikes at school, many turned backwards to give the rider a more upright riding position.

I say use 'em or don't, pointed down if you want. It's your bike.

TD

 

[willtsmith]

i sorta decided to lose the bar ends after i found myself getting wrapped around trees in tight cornering situations (and it doesnt feel very good to be clipped in whilegoing intot a tree... trust me) so due to where i ride and the facct that i dont find myself using them i just stickwith a normal riser bar. and on a side note, i dont feel like ive been riding long enough or that im old enough to fully appreciate "the bar end"

Gettting hooked a tree is a danger. But so is RUNNING INTO a tree.

I prefer the BIG barends that effectively act as hand cages. Because when I DO clip a tree, I want to glance off it instead of slamming my knuckles against it.

Oh yeah, and bar ends are good for climbing too.

 

[slbenz]

I definitely use bar ends on my flat bar. Call me old school but when I decided to purchase a Trek Fuel which came with the riser bars, I couldn't stand the pain and stress it put on my wrists on my normal trail that I ride. Once I converted it back to a flat bar and bar ends, I noticed I had more control, easier times with the steep climbs and better overall comfort. I definitely won't go back to a riser bar. Luckily, my trail I usually train on does not have the tree and foilage problems that other posters have discussed about.