Bar Ends? Yes or no!

TrekTom

Was getting a bit nostalgic over the weekend and was contemplating the return of the bar end!

When I first started out riding in the early 90's, they were all the rage. then everyone went all weight concious and they seem to have disappeared - no-one I see on the trails ever uses them. Including me....

Do you think bar ends still have a place? I like the riding position they give, and if I stay off the pies then the weight wont make a difference really.

Time for a resurgence? Would be interested to see what others think!!

Happy Harry

I had the same thoughts a week or two back and posted a thread and a poll about it.

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12710974

The general consensus was that they work and that most people didn't care what they looked like. I ended up putting very short stubby ones on my Whyte and slightly longer ones on my Kona.

I reckon they add about 10% to my climbing efficiency which doubles if I lock the forks out as well. So I'll keep them. I still don't think they look as good as clean bars but nobody ever sees me anyway (and then only from behind on a climb )

njee20

Bar ends on flat bars yes. On risers I find the greater sweep means the bar ends end up in an odd position and don't really achieve anything.

.blitz

njee20 wrote:

Bar ends on flat bars yes. On risers I find the greater sweep means the bar ends end up in an odd position and don't really achieve anything.

+1

Almost essential on flat bars but not only do-bar ends look weird on risers, the sweep means they sit at a strange angle.

Having said that there's a market for riser-compatible bar-ends.

wesk

+1

Totally agree. On straights, I'm on them almost all the time. On risers, didn't feel they gave any advantage. Still can't work out why though.

Tartanyak

I've got bikes with flat bars and risers.

So, I agree with these people. I never feel the need for them on the risers, but my hands keep moving that way on the flat bar. Then I realise I don't have them, then think I should get them, but never have because I'm thick.

scotto

dead and buried.

jpstar

+potato to the riser idea

Scotto, I don't see how you can think they're dead and buried! On flat bars, they are a massive help for climbing, they offer another hand position on long rides and let you use the more powerful biceps rather than triceps while sprinting... I've got them on mine (admittidly its a rigid flat barred XC but...)

Splottboy

They work on any bars, in so much as they help to change hand positions, and stop hand numbness/pain etc.

Most of my local climbs are 16 - 20 mins plus, of sheer hell.
( Look at the map of Dinas Dinlle to Cilgwyn Mountain, 1,200ft )
There's also shorter 5 - 10 min climbs during my local favourite ride.

If I use just the bars, my hands are knackerd at the climbs peak.
Bar ends give a variety of positionsand a rest to the ulnar nerves in the palms.

Also, seem to give a "bit" of an aero position when big-ringing it back to home.
( More a psychological effect, probably..)

Happy Harry

I'm talking about short straight bar ends as opposed to the bigger curved ones.

I can't see the objection to using short straight ones on riser bars. I find them most useful for turning my wrist through 90 degrees, for leverage when climbing and for a rest. I've got 30mm risers and they don't offer that facility any more than flat bars. But I can see why fully curved bar ends probably don't work on risers.

paul.skibum

Wouldnt your weight end up coming up and therefore back on risers with bar ends? Back because on a steep climb you are effectively putting yourself more toward the back when looking at where your centre of mass acts (I'd do a diagram but you know, its the internet and stuff).

I can see bar ends on flat bars (and had them on my old Raleigh) but for risers it dont make no sense. I just hold the end of the bar.

wobbem

I love these so much I've got them on both my bikes
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... grip-17008

njee20

Also, seem to give a "bit" of an aero position when big-ringing it back to home.

Put your hands by your stem, bend your elbows, that's a lot more aero.

I'm racing on riser bars this year, and haven't missed bar ends at all personally, although I wouldn't have a flat bar bike without them.

Happy Harry

paul.skibum wrote:

Wouldnt your weight end up coming up and therefore back on risers with bar ends?

No, you're thinking of the curved ones. With my little stubbies I'm not changing my riding position at all, just the angle of my wrists and hands to give more leverage. It's the same as holding the ends of the bars except you've got something to grip.

Splottboy

Looks ok to me, bar ends are the-way-to-go, for various hand positions.
sorta similar to the way most road rides ride on the brake hoods etc.

Got me thinking I'll retrograde back to the 80's meself!

( But not Purple 7 ins USE bar ends tho...)

Northwind

I really like the Crane Creek ones I put on the Soul, it has risers and the combination looks absolutely horrible but they do work, I miss them on the big bike when I've got a longer climb to do.

Hitby

wobbem wrote:

I love these so much I've got them on both my bikes
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... grip-17008

Indeed, I have the cane creeks and I love them

Splottboy

Gotta ring Cane Creek tonight, re, Replacement Thudbuster so I'll ask them bout the barends.

Have to be quick, as the call to US gonna cost me a bit...

Anonymous

i think bar ends are a first rate way to offer more hand positions during a ride and for that reason, i say yAY!!

i had those cane creek ones on a merida flat bar road bike and they were very comfy to use.

fletch8928

I have the Crane Creek ones. Not in use anymore. I would if i though they would give me some advantage. I have Ergon grips and find that i can rest my hands on the outside of them. Granted they don't offer any help on the climbs.

I did have them on risers too, they didn't look that out of place. Also with all the levers that bars now have on them I wouldn't be able to move my controls in for the bulge to get them on the end.

jairaj

+ 1 for bar ends. I have the standard straight style ones on my low rise bars. I totally love the extra options you get to put your hands in. My mate has the cane creek ones and they seem like a much better option, I think I may swap soon.

scotto

jpstar wrote:

+potato to the riser idea

Scotto, I don't see how you can think they're dead and buried! On flat bars, they are a massive help for climbing, they offer another hand position on long rides and let you use the more powerful biceps rather than triceps while sprinting... I've got them on mine (admittidly its a rigid flat barred XC but...)

By the law of Biology your triceps are always twice the size of your biceps, triceps are in actual fact the more powerful muscle.

It's all in your head, like I said dead and buried. :-)

Marlow

Definitely YES to bar ends but you've got me thinking now - quite like the look of the Cane Creeks, might invest in a pair to replace my Ritchey WCS's. Can somebody tell me how they fix onto the bars please - not obvious from pics?

fletch8928

They just slide on the end and tighten up the screw. its the fact the hole doesn't go all the way through that will have thrown you.