Bar orientation

suspended
suspended Posts: 30
edited February 2013 in MTB general
Just something lurking in the back of my mind: why do bars actually have any backsweep? When I ride, my wrists tended to be swivelled so that my hands are rotated slightly inwards on the bars, rather than matching the angle of the backsweep. Surely having bars swept forwards would make more sense - has anyone ever tried reversing their bars?

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    nope and nope. sounds like you have been assembeled oddly.

    but these

    http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/HBOOBINGO/o ... _handlebar
    http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/HBOOSNOR/on ... _handlebar

    are basically bars with bar ends built in which is a bit more natural.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • suspended
    suspended Posts: 30
    LOL - never thought of myself as oddly assembled but anyway... I've noticed a lot of riders also tend to ride with their hands angled inwards, hence my idle thought
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    In an't say I've ever noticed any! It will also increase the cockpit length as well.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • suspended
    suspended Posts: 30
    I think I feel an attack of experimentation drawing nigh!
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    It's not backsweep that's a potential issue, that's simply the way that your hands should fall, it's upsweep.

    Put your hands out in front of you at shoulder width apart and in a relaxed position and if you were to put handlebars in your hands they'd have to show a backsweep and downsweep.

    Grahame Noyce, world championship MX racer in the 70s and 80s revolutionised the MX bar world by first just rotating some standard bars back to completely neutralise the upsweep but then took it a stage further and had a slight drop on his bars from then on.

    a221892_1.jpg

    Graham%20Noyce%201979%20cropped.JPG
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • raldat
    raldat Posts: 242
    Ok ok, I know it has a motor but awesome pics.
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    I found backsweep really uncomfortable when I started riding, then I realised my bars were too narrow so my handfall was awkward, now my prefered width is around the 800mm with the standard backsweep and are so comfortable, but I am a big dude at 6'3" with a 48" chest and am 4" wider in the shoulders than the average :wink: so they look like 710mm when I'm riding :roll:
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    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:

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