Are bar ends coming back into fashion?

Happy Harry
Happy Harry Posts: 345
edited June 2010 in MTB general
I've just re-discovered how useful bar-ends are but I can't decide how they affect the aesthetics of the bike. Do they add to, detract from or make no difference to the overall look of the bike? They were out of fashion for a good while but seem to be making a comeback.

I've popped on a pair of cheap Halford's stumpies so if too many people laugh at them I can throw them in the bin :oops:
Canyon XC 8.0 '11
Whyte 19 steel '10
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Comments

  • woodnut
    woodnut Posts: 562
    I like having them on my commuter. Comfortable. They look ok I guess. If people laugh throw the bar ends at them.
    Genesis I
    Genesis II
    Planet X
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    You dont need them, I just rest the palms of my hands on the ends of my bars if I feel I need a different position and then only ever on flattish road sections. Their are some kind of ugly bs and look even worse on risers.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Probably not coming back into fashion. Couldn't give a flying **** tbh, they're still good, they always were and always will be. Just put a set on the Soul, it looks bloody stupid but it gets me up hills better.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    For a flat bar road bike they are good at what they do, as for looking naff, it's a road bike, duh? Seriously though, they are easier on the upper body on long riders. Off road it is just a pair of hooks on the end of you handle bars, perfect for snagging stuff and goring yourself in an accident.
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    Mongoose Teocali
    Giant STP0

    Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    captainfly wrote:
    perfect for snagging stuff and goring yourself in an accident.

    If your bars are catching on stuff you're asking for trouble whether you have bar ends or not. As for goring, decent ones are no less safe than regular handlebars, some are less likely to cause injuries than standard bar caps (crane creek ergos frinstance are never going to impale anyone)
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Alienman
    Alienman Posts: 91
    Considering popping a set on my bike. I find that I rest my hands on the end of my bars a lot so it just seems natural to get a set of bar ends. Just have to get out to a l(ish)bs to buy a set.

    Sure the might look ugly, but is this a beauty contest? No, its about the ride, and if they help your riding go for it.
    '09 Rocky Mountain Fusion
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    Northwind wrote:
    captainfly wrote:
    perfect for snagging stuff and goring yourself in an accident.

    If your bars are catching on stuff you're asking for trouble whether you have bar ends or not. As for goring, decent ones are no less safe than regular handlebars, some are less likely to cause injuries than standard bar caps (crane creek ergos frinstance are never going to impale anyone)

    So you don't have branches bashing your knuckles on a natural traiL?
    Regular bars hit you side on if you go over and the front whell twists, early ninties bikes were good for that :roll: Though I will admit the modern turned in one are probably not as bad.
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    Mongoose Teocali
    Giant STP0

    Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:
  • Happy Harry
    Happy Harry Posts: 345
    paul.skibum wrote:
    I just rest the palms of my hands on the ends of my bars if I feel I need a different position .. .
    That's what I was doing and then remembered a Marin with bar ends I had a few years ago that was easier on my wrists. But mainly I find hill-climbing quite a bit easier if I grip them. Combined with locking out the fork compression I did some impressive climbing yesterday (for my age :roll: ).

    Also, I didn't gore myself or snag myself on any branches. Well, no more than usual :lol:

    I still don't know if I like the look of them, though. I've seen some really, really short ones at CRC (three fingers long). You'd hardly notice them, would you? Maybe.
    Canyon XC 8.0 '11
    Whyte 19 steel '10
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    I'd say if anything they're on the way out, in the past every XC racer in the country was using them, now more and more people are using riser bars, even up to World Cup level.
  • altern_8
    altern_8 Posts: 1,562
    i put sum on my bike as i did last part of bro's coast-coast couple of weeks back,as it was over 50 miles,and it helps to stop me getting back ache and numb hands when riding long distance's,went out yeterday with them still on and got the pee taken out of me by mates,ill still keep them on tho,as i had for gotten how much i had missed them :)
    Biking pics
  • Happy Harry
    Happy Harry Posts: 345
    altern_8 wrote:
    ... went out yeterday with them still on and got the pee taken out of me by mates ...
    See! This is the problem. They really do work but there's something not quite right about the look of them :roll: I can't quite put my finger on it (ha ha - unintentional pun!).

    It doesn't bother me too much as I generally ride natural trails on my own. I don't go to trail centres and I'm not in a club, which is why I asked what everybody else thought. But what if one day I was out riding and met a group on a club run and they all fell off laughing at my bike? :cry:

    I've ordered these really tiny ones Tioga Power Studs to see if they work as well. If they do, I'll just put the Halfords ones on the Kona and pretend I've borrowed it from a mate 8)
    Canyon XC 8.0 '11
    Whyte 19 steel '10
  • bentes
    bentes Posts: 286
    Happy Harry wrote:

    But what if one day I was out riding and met a group on a club run and they all fell off laughing at my bike? :cry:

    So are you there to ride or to look cool? What's more important, what a few strangers think of you (they probably won't notice you anyway), or how you feel and perform on your bike?
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    But what if one day I was out riding and met a group on a club run and they all fell off laughing at my bike?

    Then they'd be a bunch of tw@ts, and you'd only be marginally better for caring what they thought!
  • Mr_M
    Mr_M Posts: 98
    Voted no, but to be honest couldn't care what they look like.

    They work, so I use them. End of story
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    captainfly wrote:
    So you don't have branches bashing your knuckles on a natural traiL?

    Sometimes. And in those cases, so do my bar ends, it makes no difference at all. Any branch that actually causes any problems would cause problems if I didn't have bar ends. It's one of those weird claims that people who don't like them make, as far as I can tell.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Happy Harry
    Happy Harry Posts: 345
    So far it seems that roughly 25% of voters think they look naff and the other 75% like them, are indifferent to them or don't know what 'naff' means.

    But a lot of us do agree that they can improve comfort and climbing power at the slightly increased risk of impalement or being hooked off the bike by a tree :?

    So why aren't they more popular, then? :lol:

    Just a bit of a fun poll but the results are enough to convince me to keep them and not be embarrassed by them. Cheers, guys 8)
    Canyon XC 8.0 '11
    Whyte 19 steel '10
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,715
    They look fine on flat bars.

    On risers, however, they look absolutely awful, and this should never be considered.
  • Spugnut
    Spugnut Posts: 128
    On risers, however, they look absolutely awful, and this should never be considered.
    To that sir, I say RHUBARB sir!

    P1000189-1.jpg

    Stops my knackered old back and wrists from aching on a ride, and, they look AWESOME. Ha-ha-ha. :D

    Seriously though, who really gives a flying fart? If they make it easier for you to enjoy your ride or get up hills then fit them.
    Happy trails.
  • biff55
    biff55 Posts: 1,404
    Spugnut wrote:

    P1000189-1.jpg

    my eyes , my eyes ! it stings !

    :D:wink:
  • Tom BB
    Tom BB Posts: 1,001
    I use my bar ends all the time when climbing etc...gives a much better position imo

    Dont really think that they look that naff (unless they're on risers)
    Dont see many bikes weithout them at races.
  • Alienman
    Alienman Posts: 91
    If you are really worried about people laughing at your bar ends, get a nice other piece of bling to put on your ride. That way when someone laughs you can shove that in their face.
    '09 Rocky Mountain Fusion
  • Quirrel
    Quirrel Posts: 235
    Spugnut wrote:
    On risers, however, they look absolutely awful, and this should never be considered.
    To that sir, I say RHUBARB sir!

    P1000189-1.jpg

    Stops my knackered old back and wrists from aching on a ride, and, they look AWESOME. Ha-ha-ha. :D

    Seriously though, who really gives a flying fart? If they make it easier for you to enjoy your ride or get up hills then fit them.

    Looks like a bull.

    I like it.
  • fletch8928
    fletch8928 Posts: 794
    Alienman wrote:
    If you are really worried about people laughing at your bar ends, get a nice other piece of bling to put on your ride. That way when someone laughs you can shove that in their face.

    Like a D-LOCK :wink:

    I used them on my 1st real mtb. I also put them on my Scott when I got back into mtbing. They were transfered onto the risers, then after a while I took them off as I wasn't really using them.

    I think its entirely what works for you. If your able too do it and someone takes the pi$$ then own them on the hills.

    Either way I don't have them on my bikes anymore but if i felt they were helping they would be on in a jiffy.
    fly like a mouse, run like a cushion be the small bookcase!
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Have to say I'd never consider them on risers, the sweep of the bar and what not totally negates their need IMO. Flats/bar ends, or risers/no bar ends for me.
  • kaytronika
    kaytronika Posts: 580
    Mountain Bikers are so bloody fashion concious... If they work, use them, if not, don't.
    --
    '09 Carrera Fury
    '94 GT Timberline FS
    '89 Saracen Tufftrax
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    Northwind wrote:
    captainfly wrote:
    So you don't have branches bashing your knuckles on a natural traiL?

    Sometimes. And in those cases, so do my bar ends, it makes no difference at all. Any branch that actually causes any problems would cause problems if I didn't have bar ends. It's one of those weird claims that people who don't like them make, as far as I can tell.

    I'm talking about personal exprience from years back and still some of the local stuf pinches up and is knuckle bruiser and caught out a lot of us with bar ends in the ninties. On road and in open trails they work for getting power down and to give another hand position. But for hooning around the woods on tight trails they would worry me. The right bar ends on the right bike can look okay, tiny thumb studs on a light weight HT work.
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    Mongoose Teocali
    Giant STP0

    Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:
  • ctrlaltdel
    ctrlaltdel Posts: 114
    I use both risers and bar ends and have done for many years. I never knew that combining the two was a fashion faux pas until recently, when a guy I've started riding with said they were the mtb equivalent of wearing socks and sandals!
    It hasn't stopped me using them though, as I like the width of risers and the stretch that bar ends give me. Do what works for you.
  • Happy Harry
    Happy Harry Posts: 345
    I took a piccy this morning of the bike with the small Halfords bar-ends, but when I got home the Tioga studs had arrived so I popped them on and took another piccy. I haven't ridden with the little ones yet but I can grip them firmly with the top two or bottom two fingers of a fist. They'll do the job as well as the others. I like them and they're so tiny that they might be overlooked by the fashion police :lol:

    Halfords (BikeHut) bar ends
    barends1.jpg
    Tioga studs
    barends3.jpg
    barends2.jpg
    Canyon XC 8.0 '11
    Whyte 19 steel '10
  • ctrlaltdel
    ctrlaltdel Posts: 114
    that's a rather tasty looking whyte frame you've got there :)
    My bar ends are cheapo bbb ones. It seems that the more expensive bar ends get, the shorter they get as well lol. Cheap bar ends to be longer with an inward curve at the end which seems to suit me better than some of the more expensive designs.
  • Happy Harry
    Happy Harry Posts: 345
    ctrlaltdel wrote:
    that's a rather tasty looking whyte frame you've got there :)
    Thank you kindly, sir.

    I wouldn't want to detract from the understated, classic styling by bolting anything too ostentatious on to it, would I?

    acigar.gifHH
    Canyon XC 8.0 '11
    Whyte 19 steel '10

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