Bar ends
avalanche_expert
Posts: 177
What's people's opinions on bar ends these days?
Back in the 90's they seemed very popular and widely available with a large variation of choice. I've been out of MTB'ing for quite a while and after 12 months of being back into it, I've noticed that I don't tend to ever see anyone else with bar ends fitted to their bike.
When I bought my current bar ends a few weeks ago for my new bike, it seemed like I had to do a lot of Googling to find what I was looking for. The shops have poor selection and overall they just don't seem very popular.
Not that it matters if they are popular or not, I just think they make a very useful addition to a mountain bike and I wouldn't be without a set. Especially on long distance rides, they are great for climbing when out of the saddle too.
Why do they seem out of fashion now? Any thoughts?
Back in the 90's they seemed very popular and widely available with a large variation of choice. I've been out of MTB'ing for quite a while and after 12 months of being back into it, I've noticed that I don't tend to ever see anyone else with bar ends fitted to their bike.
When I bought my current bar ends a few weeks ago for my new bike, it seemed like I had to do a lot of Googling to find what I was looking for. The shops have poor selection and overall they just don't seem very popular.
Not that it matters if they are popular or not, I just think they make a very useful addition to a mountain bike and I wouldn't be without a set. Especially on long distance rides, they are great for climbing when out of the saddle too.
Why do they seem out of fashion now? Any thoughts?
0
Comments
-
"Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
Nothing to do with fashion, they just don't really work with modern riding and bikes, but if you want...0
-
Is mid June just that time of the year when everyone starts thinking about bar ends? Reminiscing over the heady early days of mountain biking? How come we haven't had a slew of questions about elastomer forks and canti brakes?Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.0
-
Nothing to do with fashion, they just don't really work with modern riding and bikes, but if you want...
How don't they work with modern riding? What's so different now?How come we haven't had a slew of questions about elastomer forks and canti brakes?
Probably because they're shite
0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19628903#p19628903]Avalanche Expert[/url] wrote:
How don't they work with modern riding? What's so different now?I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
Elastomer rear suspension is coming back but on road bikes! In fifteen years they will be using Fox RP23'sTransition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350
-
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19628903#p19628903]Avalanche Expert[/url] wrote:Probably because they're shite
If you know that then you have your answer about bar ends too.Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.0 -
A slight stretch there! The rear suspension on road bikes is super short travel, just 15-20mm where an elastomer will work perfectly well, also modern materials have better internal hysteresis which gives an improved damping effect.Elastomer rear suspension is coming back but on road bikes! In fifteen years they will be using Fox RP23'sCurrently 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.0 -
A slight stretch there! The rear suspension on road bikes is super short travel, just 15-20mm where an elastomer will work perfectly well, also modern materials have better internal hysteresis which gives an improved damping effect.Elastomer rear suspension is coming back but on road bikes! In fifteen years they will be using Fox RP23's
It's still not particularly stable over the range of temperature it's likely to see in the UK so it's going to be rigid in winter and soft in summer.Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350 -
Perhaps part of the reason they supply different elastomers, but again, modern materials be much more stable, I was on the fringe of some work done by Moulton on revised elastomer springs for the original Mini, much more temperature stable and less 'boing' than the originals.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.0
-
Crap, bouncy suspension is part of the Mini's character. Why would anyone want to make it work?Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350
-
Trust me, it still felt like a Mini, just better.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.0
-
The only way to make a mini feel better is to bolt in a Honda Blackbird engine.Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350
-
And you thought the different cones would change the character?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.0
-
It still rides like a mini but goes like a greased weaselTransition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350
-
A properly sorted Mini is no slouch, paging Nicklouse to this thread!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.0
-
The old 1275 GT was possibly the first hot hatch (except not a hatchback), long before the Golf GTi
This has really gone off topic now :-)Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350 -
I think you'll find the the Cooper S predates the 1275 GT, which was only built so they didn't have to pay royalties to John Cooper.
My 62 mini which I had in 1968 was a bit bouncy on the 5.20's it came with so I put some Semperit 145 M+S tyres on changed the handling and ride enormously.
So to this day I have always put a lot of research into the rubber on anything with wheels.Now where's that "Get Out of Crash Free Card"0 -
I always wanted a mini but they aren't too good if you're over six foot. I had to settle for a Renault 5 GT turbo, another tiny, bad handling car with a fun motor.Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350
-
The Mini certainly wasn't bad handling!
Mine was on S rev rims and 145 Dunlops.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.0 -
I had to settle for a Renault 5 GT turbo, another tiny, bad handling car with a fun motor.
Yours must have been broken, then. For it's time it had great handling.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
Kona Process 134 viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=129946070 -
No they didn't, they all under steered and torque steered pretty badly. Lift off overseer was fun though.
They're quite rare now, most ended up in a ditch upside down.Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350
