"Firm up the handlebars"???

[Pete Biggs]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7129546972

"Keen cyclists will know that this gadget is used to firm up the
handle-bars."

I thought I was keen but I've never heard of anything like this. Is it
meant for repairs or what? Firming is nonsense, I guess.

~PB

 

[M. Chandler]

Pete Biggs wrote:
> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7129546972
>
> "Keen cyclists will know that this gadget is used to firm up the
> handle-bars."
>
> I thought I was keen but I've never heard of anything like this. Is it
> meant for repairs or what? Firming is nonsense, I guess.
>
> ~PB

Looks like a bolt-on crossbard for (mtb) riser bars.

--
Mark Chandler
Superior, CO
http://www.MileHighSkates.com

 

[Paul Kopit]

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 18:02:02 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
<pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:

>http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7129546972
>
>"Keen cyclists will know that this gadget is used to firm up the
>handle-bars."
>
>I thought I was keen but I've never heard of anything like this. Is it
>meant for repairs or what? Firming is nonsense, I guess.

I wonder why they don't make bars with a piece of wood, plastic, or CF
in the bar at the clamping area. When the bar failed, you'd get time
to bring the bicycle safely to a stop. I am told that this is a trick
that they used to do with steerer tubes when failures were not
uncommon.

 

[[email protected]]

like a shock tower to shock tower bar on the front end above the engine
with engine mount type bushings or not.
metal flexes! some auto designs shake and rattle up there under
non-commute loads.
consider the: on the seat, off the seat or one pedal down one up or
best both even when cornering. The frame, a truss like a roof truss has
+ and - pressure areas that shift around in action. best loaded
evenly at the bottom to reduce compressive loads squeezing down from
the seat seated
may not be noticeable BUTBUTBUT!

add a gorilla or slide the volvo over a dirt road at 80
and then metal parts then begin to flex noticeably.

 

[[email protected]]

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 18:02:02 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
<pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:

>http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7129546972
>
>"Keen cyclists will know that this gadget is used to firm up the
>handle-bars."
>
>I thought I was keen but I've never heard of anything like this. Is it
>meant for repairs or what? Firming is nonsense, I guess.
>
>~PB

Dear Pete,

I doubt that the add-on brace helps short, flat, straight
off-road bicycle handlebars.

But handlebar braces are quite common in the off-road
motorcycle world where handlebars are wider and their curve
is quite different:

With an add-on brace, this:
______ ________
\ /
\__c_c__/

becomes this:

______ _______
x----------x
\__c__c__/

and the flexing at the handlebar clamps "c" is greatly
reduced, leading to much longer handlebar life.

Carl Fogel

 

[MSA]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> >I thought I was keen but I've never heard of anything like this. Is it
> >meant for repairs or what? Firming is nonsense, I guess.
>

I remember these well Pete, from my Mountain bike days of the past.
Wouldn't fancy putting them on the drops on my bike now though!
--
Mark (MSA)
______________________________________________
Remember, half the people you know are below average

 

[Werehatrack]

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 18:02:02 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
<pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> may have said:

>http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7129546972
>
>"Keen cyclists will know that this gadget is used to firm up the
>handle-bars."
>
>I thought I was keen but I've never heard of anything like this. Is it
>meant for repairs or what? Firming is nonsense, I guess.

Trick-bike stuff used with long riser bars. I've seen a couple of
them on freeride bikes. I've also seen a bike that was more of an art
project which used two such crossbars to provide additional space to
mount stuff. (Not sorry that I don't have pictures; think of it as a
rolling testament to the color pink.)

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[Chalo]

Pete Biggs wrote:
> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7129546972
>
> "Keen cyclists will know that this gadget is used to firm up the
> handle-bars."
>
> I thought I was keen but I've never heard of anything like this. Is
it
> meant for repairs or what? Firming is nonsense, I guess.

No, it does what it's supposed to do. I have such devices on three of
my bikes, and I have handlebars with welded crossbars on many others
(at least six, but it's difficult to keep track).

Handlebars flex around. The taller or wider they are, or the more
force you apply, the more they flex. A crossbar allows one side to
support the other, which greatly increases strength and rigidity-- much
the same way that your bike is stiffer and stronger with a top tube
than it would be without one.

Chalo Colina

 

[Pete Biggs]

M. Chandler wrote:
> Pete Biggs wrote:
>> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7129546972
>>
>> "Keen cyclists will know that this gadget is used to firm up the
>> handle-bars."
>>
>> I thought I was keen but I've never heard of anything like this. Is
>> it meant for repairs or what? Firming is nonsense, I guess.
>
> Looks like a bolt-on crossbard for (mtb) riser bars.

Thanks Mark and everyone, that does make sense.

Obviously I'm not a keen mountain biker :-$

~PB

 

[Tom Sherman]

[email protected] wrote:

> like a shock tower to shock tower bar on the front end above the engine
> with engine mount type bushings or not.
> metal flexes! some auto designs shake and rattle up there under
> non-commute loads.
> consider the: on the seat, off the seat or one pedal down one up or
> best both even when cornering. The frame, a truss like a roof truss has
> + and - pressure areas that shift around in action. best loaded
> evenly at the bottom to reduce compressive loads squeezing down from
> the seat seated
> may not be noticeable BUTBUTBUT!
>
> add a gorilla or slide the volvo over a dirt road at 80
> and then metal parts then begin to flex noticeably.

The bike riding gorilla: <http://www.easyracers.com/images/ape1.jpg>.

--
Tom Sherman - Near Rock Island

 

[meb]

[email protected] wrote:

> like a shock tower to shock tower bar on the front end above the engine
> with engine mount type bushings or not.
> metal flexes! some auto designs shake and rattle up there under
> non-commute loads.
> consider the: on the seat, off the seat or one pedal down one up or
> best both even when cornering. The frame, a truss like a roof truss has
> + and - pressure areas that shift around in action. best loaded
> evenly at the bottom to reduce compressive loads squeezing down from
> the seat seated
> may not be noticeable BUTBUTBUT!
>
> add a gorilla or slide the volvo over a dirt road at 80
> and then metal parts then begin to flex noticeably.

The bike riding gorilla: <http://www.easyracers.com/images/ape1.jpg>.

--
Tom Sherman - Near Rock Island

I brought my gorilla suit to ride in the recumbent section of our Halloween parade. Since I arrived late for muster, I didn't change into my suit, but a bent tandem rider did have a gorilla suit.

 

[Jeff Starr]

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 22:26:39 -0600, Tom Sherman
<[email protected]> wrote:


>> add a gorilla or slide the volvo over a dirt road at 80
>> and then metal parts then begin to flex noticeably.
>
>The bike riding gorilla: <http://www.easyracers.com/images/ape1.jpg>.

Oh, so that is what Chalo looks like, I always wondered;-)


Life is Good!
Jeff

 

[RonSonic]

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 18:02:02 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
<pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:

>http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7129546972
>
>"Keen cyclists will know that this gadget is used to firm up the
>handle-bars."
>
>I thought I was keen but I've never heard of anything like this. Is it
>meant for repairs or what? Firming is nonsense, I guess.

What like we're not used to nonsense in cycling goods.

I seem to recall these being used on BMX bikes back in the dark ages.

Ron