On One Midge bars -- don't understand

amaferanga

I've been using these for a month or so on my fixed bike and while they're 'ok', I just don't get them.

1) They're wide so a bit daft for riding on the road. Wide bars are good on an mtb or even for 'cross, but on the road - plain daft.

2) The default position is on the drop section which is fine, but then there's no position to help get you lower and more aero. The alternative is a silly high position on the hoods since you have to set them up so the drop section isn't too low as to be uncomfortable since you'll be on it most of the time. With drops my default position is the hoods and if I'm caning it down hill or its windy I get on the drops.

3) Both the hood and drop positions are (even after lots of messing around with position) less comfortable than the positions I have on regular road bars.

4) Not a big deal really, but they're unwieldy for manoeuvring through the house compared to drops since the levers stick outwards.

I'm really struggling to see why these exist and why some people seem to like them so much. Is it that they appeal to mtb-ers who find drops too different from what they're used to and so the Midge bars represent a kind of middle ground? They do look weird and a bit cool I suppose - is that why these are popular with the fixed brigade?

Please help me understand.

Oh and if anyone wants a set of On One Midge bars then I have some to sell

mz__jo

You are meant to cry out how wonderful they are if you want to sell them! Certainly there are a number of fixers who like them. They are supposed to be like a North Road bar so they appeal to the vintage look freaks.

stickman

A bit like Canadian Benz bars flipped to a drop position.

mattsccm

Its the high drop position thats part of the point. Mine are set so that the hoods are level with my seat, well nearly. The drops are a change of position but I don't want to go low as my cycling on that bike is not competitive. The width is comfy as well. the bike loves in a shed with a door wide enough to get a motor bike through. Just reasons why I like them.
Give you a tenner as I want another pair.

Croxted Avenger

I loved them on my pomp - they seemed to just work better with that bike than ordinary drops. On the flat they allowed a sort of not quite superman relaxed stretch, on climbs they gave fantastic leverage allowing you to muscle over hills you wouldn't normally be able to. Granted, if you live in a terraced house they can be a PITA.

Monty Dog

They work better with reverse levers IME

abaris

They are for MOUNTAIN BIKES dipstick.

amaferanga

abaris wrote:

They are for MOUNTAIN BIKES dipstick.

You signed up to the forum just to post that? Idiot. Think you'll find they're not for MOUNTAIN BIKES.

gaspode

abaris wrote:

They are for MOUNTAIN BIKES dipstick.

quote directly from the on-one website:

It's hard to pin them down. We've used them on:
Mountain bikes
Cross bikes
Road bikes
Fixed wheel
Road bikes

so looks as if you may be the dipstick......

mmcc854

Just because they've used them on several bikes doesn't mean they were made from them.

They're made for MTBs, you can use them for whatever you like, but they're designed for MTBs. I could use track/road drops on my MTB and complain about how they don't work, but that would not really be a problem with the bas would it?

Also, their width makes them a bit useless on road bikes.

southdownswolf

mmcc854 wrote:

Just because they've used them on several bikes doesn't mean they were made from them.

They're made for MTBs, you can use them for whatever you like, but they're designed for MTBs. I could use track/road drops on my MTB and complain about how they don't work, but that would not really be a problem with the bas would it?

Also, their width makes them a bit useless on road bikes.

Take a hike, obviously you are abaris wumming under a different name.
The manufacturer recommends them for any frame type, so being used on a fixed is fine according to them. I am a bit confused as to why the op bought them though as you can see from the dimensions that they are extremely wide for drop handlebars.

amaferanga

southdownswolf wrote:

Take a hike, obviously you are abaris wumming under a different name.
The manufacturer recommends them for any frame type, so being used on a fixed is fine according to them. I am a bit confused as to why the op bought them though as you can see from the dimensions that they are extremely wide for drop handlebars.

I bought them because I thought they'd be comfortable. I knew they were wide, but didn't appreciate before using them just how ludicrously wide they are for a road bike.

amaferanga

mmcc854 wrote:

Just because they've used them on several bikes doesn't mean they were made from them.

They're made for MTBs, you can use them for whatever you like, but they're designed for MTBs. I could use track/road drops on my MTB and complain about how they don't work, but that would not really be a problem with the bas would it?

Also, their width makes them a bit useless on road bikes.

Thanks. Really insightful.

southdownswolf

amaferanga wrote:

I bought them because I thought they'd be comfortable. I knew they were wide, but didn't appreciate before using them just how ludicrously wide they are for a road bike.

Fair enough, we all make mistakes when buying and I suppose for the money spent, it's not a big mistake to make.