Tapered handlebar – lack of room for mounting accessories.

mrfrench

Tapered handlebar – lack of room for mounting accessories. Help!

Bonjour Bike-Radars! New member here, with a new bike but, I suspect, an old problem. So if this topic has been dealt with before – pointers appreciated (assuming I’m in the right section?)

Setting up the.. umm.. cockpit ? I need to add accessories… but on a tapered bar – have you ever noticed? - there’s so little room. Especially if you prefer a shorter bar (say 58cm) with brake levers slightly inboard.
Rather than trying to cram everything into the very few centimetres left, I figured it would be better to find a bar with a longer length of normal diameter tube. Except, gulp, I couldn’t find any..!? Every bar going with a fatty middle (sounds like some riders I know) which seems standard to fit stems these days, seems to have a lengthy taper (you know, the bit where the diameter gradually changes).

Alternatively, could there be some magic adapter device for attaching stuff to the tapered sections, that doesn't keep sliding off ? - preferably without adding excess weight? And, just to make things interesting, I'd rather avoid adding one of those add-on-extra-bar thingies that stick out front - heavy and, well, ugly, don't you think?
We now have 3+ bikes in the family with this problem, so it’s for commuter biking too – where I try to encourage everyone to have bells and lights (meaning I have to buy them and put them on).
Otherwise, we're talking of computer (or GPS?), light bracket (that stays on but not the light), map holder and, for cruising, a bell and why not? make-up mirror, cold beer dispenser, umbrella holder... Any ideas, welcome!
Merci - Mr French :?

nicklouse

lots of accessory bars out there. generally made buy the accessory makers.

u05harrisb

use old inner tube to wrap the bar then just put the clamps over that and do it tightly and you will be fine. put more tape on the thinner side of the taper for example to make it as level as possible then just put brakes over that and tighten like normal

Anonymous

Have you considered switching back to a non-ovrsised bar?

mrfrench

OK, so back on-line after a day’s tinkering and thanks for the comments.
To Nicklous : The accessory bar - I was trying to avoid (see original post).
However I gained some space by removing the gear indicators (Shimano 10 speed – but who reads them anyway?) and (u05harrisb) then tried the inner tube which seems to be holding the light bracket in place for the moment on a more or less parallel part of the bar. The computer bracket (Sigma) can sort of squeeze next to the stem using just it’s rubber ring to hold it in place – as there’s not enough room before the taper slants down for the supplied adhesive tape underneath to get a full grip.
Guess I’ll try that out for a few days/weeks and if it doesn’t hold, I’ll have to hunt around (yeehaamcgee) for a non-oversized bar. The LS said that they do exist – but could only show me a curved bar on a sit-up-and-beg Holland type bike. He said he’d ask if there was a straight-ish bar the next time he speaks with the supplier.
I sort of thought this would be a common problem for quite a lot of bikers? But then.. maybe not?
Merci quand meme..

nicklouse

there are also stem mounts.

and a whole shed load of 24.5 flat bars
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... delID=2739
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=31820
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=19575
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=19579
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=19589
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... delID=2739
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=54350

for starters. dont forget shims or a new stem.

captainfly

Erm the topeak bar extender is pretty good, I use one for my winter lighting rig.

mrfrench

Great Nicklous ! Never realised there was quite such a choice of flat bars (£8 to – gulp - £112!) but now you’ve pointed them out I’ve found a few on French sites too. I think I’ll pass on the bar extender (thanks captainfly) for reasons mentioned in original post. What I have is holding so far (though just 2 days). Providing I don’t add anything else (brolly holder perhaps not essential in southern France) I may be ok with the original bars for the time being.
But… I will probably chop a couple of centimetres off at some stage as I need a wing mirror - Zefal Cyclops - screwed in to the end of the handlebar is the only one I’ve found over the years that doesn’t vibrate, though it does break if the bike falls over. And of course it adds to bar width when in traffic.
And now I’ve just discovered a new problem – wheel wobble above 40 kph ! And this on a brand new high-ish end bike! Grrr! So.. will adding accessories to the bar accentuate this problem !? Guess I’ll now have to research the causes of that.. I can see a new bike is an on-going adventure!
Merci pour les commentaires. A+

Anonymous

Do you really need a wing mirror though, really?
There used to be an old motorcyclist's saying about looking over your shoulder, but I can't remember it for the life of me.