Bar ends

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Most of the bar ends I've seen clamp around the end of the bars. This
would mean my bars would become 20-25mm narrower at each side which I
don't think I'd really like. Are there any which clamp into the end
of the bars instead?

What sort of riding do you do?

Is it the overall width of the bar you are concerned with or the gap
between bar end and brake lever?

One, you could fit a longer bar bar or two, slide the gear, brakes and grip
inboard slightly.

DavidR said:

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Most of the bar ends I've seen clamp around the end of the bars.
This would mean my bars would become 20-25mm narrower at each side
which I don't think I'd really like. Are there any which clamp
into the end of the bars instead?

What sort of riding do you do?

Mainly commuting, mostly on the flat but with the odd nasty uphill,
and the odd jaunt round the hills in Malvern (mostly on roads) and to
Worcester and back, also on roads.

Quoted message said:

Is it the overall width of the bar you are concerned with or the gap
between bar end and brake lever?

Primarily, yeah.

Quoted message said:

One, you could fit a longer bar bar or two, slide the gear, brakes
and grip inboard slightly.

I could, I kind of like the way there but I see a lot of people doing
the same sort of journeys as me and think there may be a benefit to
spending 10-20 quid on some bar ends.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck
MARS Flight Crew http://www.mars.org.uk/
UKRA #1108 Level 2 UYB
Tripoli UK Member #9527 LSMR

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

DavidR said:

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Most of the bar ends I've seen clamp around the end of the bars.
This would mean my bars would become 20-25mm narrower at each side
which I don't think I'd really like. Are there any which clamp
into the end of the bars instead?

What sort of riding do you do?

Mainly commuting, mostly on the flat but with the odd nasty uphill,
and the odd jaunt round the hills in Malvern (mostly on roads) and to
Worcester and back, also on roads.

You don't say what sort of bike you have. If it is an MTB have you changed
the tyres for something with less bulk and tread? That's the first priority
if you haven't.

OK, the bars depend on whether you want to wind up the hills in a low gear
or get out of the saddle. The general reckoning for the latter is to have a
grip that allows you to have the arms parallel. The ideal may actually be
to reduce your bar width.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is it the overall width of the bar you are concerned with or the gap
between bar end and brake lever?

Primarily, yeah.

Umm. I offered a choice in that sentence...
It is probably best to slide everything along the bar rather than reduce
the length of the grip, seeing what riding you do.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

One, you could fit a longer bar bar or two, slide the gear, brakes
and grip inboard slightly.

Quoted message said:

I could, I kind of like the way there but I see a lot of people doing
the same sort of journeys as me and think there may be a benefit to
spending 10-20 quid on some bar ends.

Agree that bar ends are excellent additions.

DavidR said:

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Mainly commuting, mostly on the flat but with the odd nasty uphill,
and the odd jaunt round the hills in Malvern (mostly on roads) and to
Worcester and back, also on roads.

You don't say what sort of bike you have. If it is an MTB have you
changed the tyres for something with less bulk and tread? That's the
first priority if you haven't.

Sorry. It's a road-rigged hardtail mtb with road tyres, rigid fork,
clipped pedals, mudguards and a decent set of lights.

Quoted message said:

OK, the bars depend on whether you want to wind up the hills in a
low gear or get out of the saddle. The general reckoning for the
latter is to have a grip that allows you to have the arms
parallel. The ideal may actually be to reduce your bar width.

I can generally spin up most of the hills I need to climb, I rarely
get out of the saddle.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is it the overall width of the bar you are concerned with or the gap
between bar end and brake lever?

Primarily, yeah.

Umm. I offered a choice in that sentence...

Doh!

Quoted message said:

It is probably best to slide everything along the bar rather than
reduce the length of the grip, seeing what riding you do.

I think I'll end up trashing the grips , they'll never slide along
after being on there as long as they have. Might not be a bad idea to
change them though, they're not the most comfy but I usually wear
gloves in any case.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck
MARS Flight Crew http://www.mars.org.uk/
UKRA #1108 Level 2 UYB
Tripoli UK Member #9527 LSMR

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

DavidR said:

It is probably best to slide everything along the bar rather than
reduce the length of the grip, seeing what riding you do.

I think I'll end up trashing the grips , they'll never slide along
after being on there as long as they have. Might not be a bad idea to
change them though, they're not the most comfy but I usually wear
gloves in any case.

So your original concern was not about bar width? You had hoped to leave
everything in place and not change the grips.

Since you are thinking of replacing the grips why don't you try putting the
bar ends between brake and shifters [*] rather than on the ends?

[*] awkward, however, unless they are non-integrated rapid fire shifters.

DavidR said:

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

DavidR said:

It is probably best to slide everything along the bar rather than
reduce the length of the grip, seeing what riding you do.

I think I'll end up trashing the grips , they'll never slide along
after being on there as long as they have. Might not be a bad idea
to change them though, they're not the most comfy but I usually
wear gloves in any case.

So your original concern was not about bar width? You had hoped to
leave everything in place and not change the grips.

I was looking for a minimum hassle solution and something which'd just
slide into the end of the bar and clamp using a collet (or something
similar) seemed logical. Bar plugs could be an idea but I'm not so
sure they'd work as well.

Quoted message said:

Since you are thinking of replacing the grips why don't you try
putting the bar ends between brake and shifters [*] rather than on
the ends?

[*] awkward, however, unless they are non-integrated rapid fire
shifters.

I think they'd end up being about 9" apart, got combined brake levers
and shifters, something like poor-man's aerobars ;o)

Maybe I should just swap bikes with someone at work for a day or two,
see if they any use to me before I start serious hacking.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck
MARS Flight Crew http://www.mars.org.uk/
UKRA #1108 Level 2 UYB
Tripoli UK Member #9527 LSMR

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

DavidR said:

So your original concern was not about bar width? You had hoped to
leave everything in place and not change the grips.

I was looking for a minimum hassle solution

<snip>
....but riding is only one part of cycling ...?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Since you are thinking of replacing the grips why don't you try
putting the bar ends between brake and shifters [*] rather than on
the ends?

[*] awkward, however, unless they are non-integrated rapid fire
shifters.

I think they'd end up being about 9" apart, got combined brake levers
and shifters, something like poor-man's aerobars ;o)

Yes that is awkward.