Advice for a new handlebars

Bravo1c

Hi all,

new here, I would rely love some advice on a change of bars for my MBT. I have had it for around a year and a half and would like to make some improvements, I am open to other parts and for my bike too. I love my bike and don't want a new one as I handles everything I can through at it right now. I have linked my bike below so you can see what it looks like and what parts it has. I am a relative a noobie compared to most of you so please go easy on me. :P




http://www.competitivecyclist.com/gt-karakoram-elite-complete-bike-2015

The Rookie

What do your current bars not do that you want them to.

What do your current bars do that you want to keep as a characteristic of the new bars?

They are a fairly wide for OE bars, have low rise, butted so presumably reasonably light.

Bravo1c

The Rookie wrote:

What do your current bars not do that you want them to.

What do your current bars do that you want to keep as a characteristic of the new bars?

They are a fairly wide for OE bars, have low rise, butted so presumably reasonably light.

sorry what is OE? and i would like them to have a bit more rise as i feel i dont always have the best control and also have read that a bit more rise give you better control or is this not true at all?

thanks for taking the time to help.

poah

OE - original equipment

a shorter stem and slightly wider bars will make the handling better at high speed but can make the front end twitchy on climbs.

good trail bar

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/span ... prod126861

Bravo1c

POAH wrote:

OE - original equipment

a shorter stem and slightly wider bars will make the handling better at high speed but can make the front end twitchy on climbs.

good trail bar

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/span ... prod126861

ah I see, silly me, told you I was a noob lol. :P

That's great, I trail a lot and down hill a bit, sounds perfect.

thank you so much for you help.

Do you think i could improve the bike in any other way ?

cooldad

A 760mm, basically DH bar seems a bit of overkill for an XC bike. I know silly wide is sexy, but ...

JGTR

POAH wrote:

OE - original equipment

a shorter stem and slightly wider bars will make the handling better at high speed but can make the front end twitchy on climbs.

good trail bar

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/span ... prod126861

:shock: £67 :shock:

Just bought a Funn Full On bar from Chain Reaction for £20.99! Does exactly the same job!

I have a black 670mm (you cut it down to the size you want) 15mm rise brand new Funn Full On bar for sale if you're interested, £20 posted.

Bravo1c

any recommendations on grips? mine are warn to hell and probably should replace anyway.

poah

JGTR wrote:

POAH wrote:

OE - original equipment

a shorter stem and slightly wider bars will make the handling better at high speed but can make the front end twitchy on climbs.

good trail bar

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/span ... prod126861

:shock: £67 :shock:

Just bought a Funn Full On bar from Chain Reaction for £20.99! Does exactly the same job!

I have a black 670mm (you cut it down to the size you want) 15mm rise brand new Funn Full On bar for sale if you're interested, £20 posted.

his current bar is 710mm why would he want a narrower one?

£67 is cheap for a light bar

JGTR

POAH wrote:

JGTR wrote:

POAH wrote:

OE - original equipment

a shorter stem and slightly wider bars will make the handling better at high speed but can make the front end twitchy on climbs.

good trail bar

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/span ... prod126861

:shock: £67 :shock:

Just bought a Funn Full On bar from Chain Reaction for £20.99! Does exactly the same job!

I have a black 670mm (you cut it down to the size you want) 15mm rise brand new Funn Full On bar for sale if you're interested, £20 posted.

his current bar is 710mm why would he want a narrower one?

£67 is cheap for a light bar

My mistake, should be 760mm.

The Rookie

Bravo1c wrote:

any recommendations on grips? mine are warn to hell and probably should replace anyway.

Grips are a very personal thing, size (fat or relatively skinny) shape (plain, bulge in the middle for the palm or full ergo style) and how 'grippy' you want the surface, finally push or bolt on?

Personally I like the Ritchey WCS foam grips.

Bravo1c

The Rookie wrote:

Bravo1c wrote:

any recommendations on grips? mine are warn to hell and probably should replace anyway.

Grips are a very personal thing, size (fat or relatively skinny) shape (plain, bulge in the middle for the palm or full ergo style) and how 'grippy' you want the surface, finally push or bolt on?

Personally I like the Ritchey WCS foam grips.

i would like something with great brip as i ride rely rough trails and my current ones offer great grip at the moment, i was thinking about bolt on due to them not moving at all. i was thinking about one of the following, let me know what you think?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/wtb-padloc-commander-grip/rp-prod141385

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/wtb-padloc-clydesdale-grip/rp-prod141383

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/prologo-chameleon-grip/rp-prod123591

The Rookie

Cheaper and replaceable grip section and just as good
http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/l ... rinder.htm

Or for a bit more
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/rent ... prod114076
get the Kevlar, grip like crazy and low wear rates.

mattyfez

I really like the esi chunky grips, about £18. Although I'd say they are more regular than chunky, but the do a super chunky and a skinny one too.

Nothing flash to look at as they are just plain silicone, but i like the feeling of them, and they don't have hard lock rings.

Bravo1c

thanks all for you help, rely appreciated.