Cutting handlebars?

BB said:

I got my care package in the mail today: bits to permanently fix my
jury-rigged seatpost, a new Camelbak so I don't have to keep replacing the
bladder in my C'bak Rocket every year...

..and a set of riser bars. These didn't really turn out as expected. The
rise is minimal (less than the inch advertised), and they're about 3
inches wider than my current XC flat bar. I wanted some extra rise to make
the ride more comfy (not sure that's enough), not extra width.

Is it OK to just cut an inch or so off of each end?

Yes, but I would suggest that you ride with them a
bit just to see what wide bars can do for you.

What's the harm?

BB said:

I got my care package in the mail today: bits to permanently fix my
jury-rigged seatpost, a new Camelbak so I don't have to keep
replacing the bladder in my C'bak Rocket every year...

..and a set of riser bars. These didn't really turn out as expected.
The rise is minimal (less than the inch advertised), and they're
about 3 inches wider than my current XC flat bar. I wanted some extra
rise to make the ride more comfy (not sure that's enough), not extra
width.

Is it OK to just cut an inch or so off of each end?

Yes. (But why keep the bar if it doesn't provide the rise you're seeking?)

Most people advise doing a few rides to set the grips and levers just where
you want them, and THEN chop off the ends.

I have an old Bontrager CrowBar on my ht, and it has a lot of rise (close to
2" I'd guess); you can probably find one pretty cheap nowadays, since carbon
is all the rage.

Bill "unscramble that sentence order for coherency" S.

Bill Sornson said:

(But why keep the bar if it doesn't provide the rise you're seeking?)

I got 'em really cheap, and keeping them or mailing them back I'll spend
nearly the same.

I'm a little ambivalent about a lot of rise anyway. I've spent many, many
hours with my chin planted as close to the bars as I could get them
climbing up these hills...I know it'll be a detriment in some cases. OTOH,
maybe it'll cause me to wise up and stop climbing hills so much. ;-)

--
-BB-
To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least)

p e t e f a g e r l i n said:

BB said:

I got my care package in the mail today: bits to permanently fix my
jury-rigged seatpost, a new Camelbak so I don't have to keep
replacing the bladder in my C'bak Rocket every year...

..and a set of riser bars. These didn't really turn out as expected.
The rise is minimal (less than the inch advertised), and they're
about 3 inches wider than my current XC flat bar. I wanted some
extra rise to make the ride more comfy (not sure that's enough), not
extra width.

Is it OK to just cut an inch or so off of each end?

Yes, but I would suggest that you ride with them a
bit just to see what wide bars can do for you.

I agree with Pete, and if you do decide to cut them only take 1/2" off at a
time and ride 'em again. Remember you can't put it back on.

Mike

"BB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I got my care package in the mail today: bits to permanently fix my
jury-rigged seatpost, a new Camelbak so I don't have to keep replacing the
bladder in my C'bak Rocket every year...

..and a set of riser bars. These didn't really turn out as expected. The
rise is minimal (less than the inch advertised), and they're about 3
inches wider than my current XC flat bar. I wanted some extra rise to make
the ride more comfy (not sure that's enough), not extra width.

Is it OK to just cut an inch or so off of each end?

Sure. Use a pipe cutter, if you have one.

I always advise cutting an inch or two from the middle!

Quoted message said:

Is it OK to just cut an inch or so off of each end?

Risers compared to flat bars, I understand that the extra width in risers is offset by the sweep back of the risers, so your arms are further apart (better leverage) but slight back (therefore forward lean is similar to narrower flat bar on the same bike).

I have a Specialised Stumpjumper with XC flat bar & risers on my single speed mtb commuter & the ride position is pretty similar. It’s just that the risers on the SS give heaps of leverage for inclines/starts where’s the flat bar on the Specialised is narrow & good for tight single track work.

Careful about cutting back risers, you might not be left with much space for the shifters & brakes (before the bend in the riser bar).

BB said:

I got my care package in the mail today: bits to permanently fix my
jury-rigged seatpost, a new Camelbak so I don't have to keep
replacing the bladder in my C'bak Rocket every year...

..and a set of riser bars. These didn't really turn out as expected.
The rise is minimal (less than the inch advertised), and they're
about 3 inches wider than my current XC flat bar. I wanted some extra
rise to make the ride more comfy (not sure that's enough), not extra
width.

Is it OK to just cut an inch or so off of each end?

If they're carbon, do NOT use a pipe cutter. Use masking tape around the
cut area and a fine-tooth hacksaw.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Marx SS said:

Careful about cutting back risers, you might not be left with much
space for the shifters & brakes (before the bend in the riser bar).

Not a problem - these suckers are outrageously wide!

Thanks everyone for the comments.

--
-BB-
To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least)

Firewalker said:

"BB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I got my care package in the mail today: bits to permanently fix my
jury-rigged seatpost, a new Camelbak so I don't have to keep replacing the
bladder in my C'bak Rocket every year...

..and a set of riser bars. These didn't really turn out as expected. The
rise is minimal (less than the inch advertised), and they're about 3
inches wider than my current XC flat bar. I wanted some extra rise to make
the ride more comfy (not sure that's enough), not extra width.

Is it OK to just cut an inch or so off of each end?

Sure. Use a pipe cutter, if you have one.

If not buy a cheapy one at home depot. Could be the start of a new
career in plumbing too.

Shawn

This is a valid point. I use risers on all my rigs and find that
trimming the bars down has to be well planned. I remember the first
time going from a flat to a 1.5" riser not only made my posture more
comfortable but also made the steering more responsive due in part to
the wider hand position. However, I found out quickly that the
increased width did make tighter single track spots ridiculously tight.
A few mishaps at speed prompted me to trim them down. I did so in an
incremental manner and found the best fit that way.

Marx SS said:

Risers compared to flat bars, I understand that the extra width in
risers is offset by the sweep back of the risers, so your arms are
further apart (better leverage) but slight back (therefore forward lean
is similar to narrower flat bar on the same bike).

I have a Specialised Stumpjumper with XC flat bar & risers on my single
speed mtb commuter & the ride position is pretty similar. It’s just that
the risers on the SS give heaps of leverage for inclines/starts where’s
the flat bar on the Specialised is narrow & good for tight single track
work.

Careful about cutting back risers, you might not be left with much
space for the shifters & brakes (before the bend in the riser bar).

"BB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
|I got my care package in the mail today: bits to permanently fix my
| jury-rigged seatpost, a new Camelbak so I don't have to keep replacing the
| bladder in my C'bak Rocket every year...
|
| ..and a set of riser bars. These didn't really turn out as expected. The
| rise is minimal (less than the inch advertised), and they're about 3
| inches wider than my current XC flat bar. I wanted some extra rise to make
| the ride more comfy (not sure that's enough), not extra width.
|
| Is it OK to just cut an inch or so off of each end?

After all the other advice, if you decide you do need to cut them down,
consider the amount of space your assorted bar-mounted gadgets take up. Is
there room before the bend? Most bars I know of now do have plenty of flat
space to get rid of an in or so on each end, but some of the earlier ones,
especially the ones with the cross-bar, only had just enough room for the
grips, brakes and shifters. Some Shimano shifters act up if they're too
close to the bend.

I have the opposite problem. I like flat bars, but most of them are 22
inches long. I have wide shoulders, so I like something just a bit wider.
I've got a Bontrager bar (I don't remember the model - I stripped the logos
off) on one bike that is 24" wide. Feels very nice!

Nelson

Ground Control said:

After all the other advice, if you decide you do need to cut them down,
consider the amount of space your assorted bar-mounted gadgets take up. Is
there room before the bend?

Yeah, I'll check that. I'm probably going to just cut off 1/2" on each
end...there's still tons of room before the bends. Pretty much anything
will mean re-running the cables anyway; they're way too short as it is.

--
-BB-
To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least)

Never could get use to a lot of rise. Own one
and its only about an inch. All the other 7 are flat like some think the
world was at one time.

Use a pipe cutter to cut them, remember to cut equal amounts off of each
end.

BB said:

I got my care package in the mail today: bits to permanently fix my
jury-rigged seatpost, a new Camelbak so I don't have to keep replacing the
bladder in my C'bak Rocket every year...

..and a set of riser bars. These didn't really turn out as expected. The
rise is minimal (less than the inch advertised), and they're about 3
inches wider than my current XC flat bar. I wanted some extra rise to make
the ride more comfy (not sure that's enough), not extra width.

Is it OK to just cut an inch or so off of each end?

Andy R. top-posted:

Quoted message said:

Use a pipe cutter to cut them, remember to cut equal amounts off of
each end.

Unless one arm is shorter than the other!

Bill "insert masturbation jokes here" S.