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shortening bars?

sharkdudesharkdude Posts: 14
edited March 2008 in MTB workshop & tech
First I'd like to say I'm pretty new to mountain biking, so hopefully that will cover me if this is a thick question.... I hope.

I read in MBUK the other day about shortening the bars, is this a good idea? Will it help wth barspins, what wont it help with?

then comes, How sould I go around it and with what tools?

Posts

  • chilledsandwichchilledsandwich Posts: 128
    Need a good sharp hacksaw, some masking tape and a vice. Wrap the masking tape round the ends and then you are able to draw a good line around the bar to show you where to cut. Clamp the bars firmly in the vice, so that they cannot move but are not damaged. Then measure your measurements again, then again, remember that you will be doing it on both sides, so 5mm each side equals 10mm overall. Sounds stupid, but the amount of people that accidentally overdo it is silly. If you have a cutting guide like those used for forks, this is a great excuse to dust it off, if not, carefully start cutting with the hacksaw and keep checking that you are keeping to your guide line and going straight.

    It may be worth doing it bit by bit, you can always cut off more, but putting it back on is not going to happen.

    Sand the ends down to keep it nice and neat, replace the cockpit and go ride!!

    Good luck!
  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    well if your bars are catching you then yes it will help.

    tape measure and a marker and then a hacksaw. and maybe a cutting guide.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • ride_wheneverride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    can you use a pipe cutter if you have one to hand?
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • willipawillipa Posts: 130
    ride_whenever wrote:
    can you use a pipe cutter if you have one to hand?
    i have thought about that, but dont pipe cutters make the ends flare out a bit?
    suppose you have to sand the end if you use a hacksaw anyway....
    i just drew a pencil line, held the bar on a bench with one hand and cut with the other, came out wonky but its alright.
  • CunobelinCunobelin Posts: 11,792
    Pipe cutters work, but leave a rough edge that needs to be filed, unless you stick bar ends on
    <b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
    He that buys flesh buys many bones.
    He that buys eggs buys many shells,
    But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
    (Unattributed Trad.)
  • sharkdudesharkdude Posts: 14
    Cheers guys. One more question, are there any drawback from doing it, like you say, I can take off but not put on.
  • CunobelinCunobelin Posts: 11,792
    Assuming that you can do this...... if you have grips with solid ends it may not be possible.

    Move everything "inboard" so you are riding with grips, brakes etc at the point you think you want them.. then ride and see how the steering, and position feel.

    Tweak the positions in and out until you are happy with the position, mark and cut as above.
    <b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
    He that buys flesh buys many bones.
    He that buys eggs buys many shells,
    But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
    (Unattributed Trad.)
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