upsweep?

Ferrals
Ferrals Posts: 785
edited January 2015 in MTB general
What effect does upsweep have on a bikes handling/rider comfort?

I feel my front end is too high and realised the simplest way to drop it as much as possible it (already no spacers and zero rise stem, and no point in a negative rise stem given that my stem is 50mm) is to replace my 10mm riser bar with a flat bar (not sure if I'll notice 10 mm that much but maybe worth a go).

All riser bars seem to have a certain amount of upweep but flat bars dont. Apart from the obvious that the grips will be fractionally higher, what other effect does 5degress of upsweep have?

Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Bars put your hands where you want them. That's all.
    I don't do smileys.

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  • Ferrals
    Ferrals Posts: 785
    that's b.s. - but i guess you're just being annoying.

    any more helpful insights?
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Really?

    OK.
    I don't do smileys.

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  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    Ferrals wrote:
    that's b.s. - but i guess you're just being annoying.

    any more helpful insights?

    It isn't BS at all, it's exactly the theory.

    Whether that theory is right or not is very much open to interpretation as if they were truly "ergo" they'd actually sweep down slightly (hold your hands out in front of you and see how your hands naturally fall. Graham Noyce was a legendary British MX rider who insisted on having his bars dropped at the ends to make the feel much more comfortable.
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  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    To add, look at your hands and you'll see they do need a backsweep....
    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.
  • Ferrals
    Ferrals Posts: 785
    Apologies then to Cooldad - exhausted after racing yesterday and I assumed he was being facetious - his wasn't exactly an enlightening post!

    I had assumed there would be some kind of leverage advantage when hard cornering as under those conditions when the bike was leaned over the lower pad would be nearer horizontal, or that there was a comfort element to having the upsweep.

    The only thing I could find online was the opinion that upsweep gave better levrage when standing (but I think that was a BMX forum post).

    Is there a reason that flat bars don't have up-sweep and risers do?

    I guess you can roll a flat bar which would reduce your backsweep but give you some upsweep.
  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    You can roll risers to. The different planes allow you to achieve different things.
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    The Rookie wrote:
    To add, look at your hands and you'll see they do need a backsweep....

    Is correct.
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Flat bars were originally quite narrow, and made quite simply - some of mine are dead straight wthout even a bulge in the middle - they use shims.
    As they get wider than your shoulders you might need some sweep to keep your wrists straight in line with your forearms. Sort of.

    But it's still a personal thing.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    Proving that upsweep is a load of old bollocks. ;)

    2407647_orig.jpg?419

    Graham%20Noyce.jpg
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    Ferrals wrote:
    I guess you can roll a flat bar which would reduce your backsweep but give you some upsweep.
    This.
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