Bar Ends?

[Boeing]

Yes or no?

I didnt ride xc with them for years but put them on my single speed and liked the different hand positions again. more leverage out of saddle. but they get caught up in brush in wooded single track.

anyone using them?

 

[Rip:30]

Yeah kind of out of style but I like em. Why not.

 

[BroDeal]

I like 'em. For dirt roads, riding on asphalt to a trailhead, or just long slogs they are great. They give me the same hand position I am used to when riding on the road bike hoods.

They don't look right on a riser bar, though.

 

[ericfalcon]

They dont look right but I still use them. I do a lot of 4-6 hour mtn bike rides and they help keep the hands from falling asleep.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

You mean tree grabbers

I don't use them. For me they are unnecessary. I would never touch them in tight or technical singletrack. If I want that position, I just put my hands on the side of the bars for a few moments as if they were there, but I'll only do this when the trail opens up or on my way to the trail head.


...but as brodeal said, I use a carbon bar with a slight raise.

 

[papisimo98]

i recently went back to them after 7 years with out them.
they really are useful and the looks don't bother me.
they do grab some bushes, makes me think now I know why the old ones were longer and bent inward.

 

[Boeing]

Interesting I see Ritchey just brought out a bar end with more inward bend to accommodate riser bars sweep

 

[slcbiker]

I have the Ergon grips with built-in bar ends. They are short, but useful. I don't touch them in technical terrain, but for long smooth climbs, it's helpful to have the extra hand position.
But then I've been mt. biking for a long time, and also ride on the hoods on the road, so maybe it's just force of habit.

 

[Bavarianrider]

I ride like 90% of the time with my hands on the Bar hands.
Pretty much all the time except for faster downhills.

 

[Deagol]

I've always used them, but don't have riser bars. I have the L-bends, so they don't grab bushes.

 

[badboyberty]

I've got the inbuilt Ergons too. Very short and curved in so they don't hook up on that much. A lot better in that regard than the old Profile Designs shorties that were my last foray into bar-end land, probably 99% in the shape and 1% because the carbon slides off things better. For steep pinches they really help keep the front wheel on the ground and on fire-track and road climbs they let you open up your chest a bit more.

Probably wouldn't bother with them if I did sub-2hr rides regularly, but for real rides I wouldn't live without them.

 

[Deagol]

If you were vegan, you would be so awesome that you wouldn't need bar ends. Heck, you might not even need handlebars....

 

[badboyberty]

I am vegan.... unfortunately diet doesn't totally compensate for lack of training.

 

[Sanglier]

I've been using them since they were available and have never caught anything on them and it's pathetic how something being in or out of style or fashion takes precedent over practicality. Go and have another Latte while you stroke yourself over how good your bike or trade team kit looks.

 

[Boeing]

I've been using them since they were available and have never caught anything on them and it's pathetic how something being in or out of style or fashion takes precedent over practicality. Go and have another Latte while you stroke yourself over how good your bike or trade team kit looks.

I am hot and cold on the Ergon. love them up the hill and flats. cant stand them on steep technical descents because less palm grip and free fingers for braking. feel like I am holding tight not to slip off the top and cant get a good feel for handling.

 

[badboyberty]

I am hot and cold on the Ergon. love them up the hill and flats. cant stand them on steep technical descents because less palm grip and free fingers for braking. feel like I am holding tight not to slip off the top and cant get a good feel for handling.

Which Ergon's have you tried? I used the 'standard' GP style ones and found those issues, but have swapped to the 'race' GX style and that's all solved. I also run my brakes almost an inch inboard from my grips to give my fingers some extra space.

Also the white and black with carbon bar-ends makes my bike look hot so when it's parked outside the coffeeshop I don't have to worry about fashion...

If you strain really hard you'll see there's a coffeeshop within 50kms of where this photo was taken... oh and the Tri-bag/bento-box was an experiment for the Otway Odyssey that failed miserably, actually lost food mid-race

 

[Boeing]

Which Ergon's have you tried? I used the 'standard' GP style ones and found those issues, but have swapped to the 'race' GX style and that's all solved. I also run my brakes almost an inch inboard from my grips to give my fingers some extra space.

Also the white and black with carbon bar-ends makes my bike look hot so when it's parked outside the coffeeshop I don't have to worry about fashion...

If you strain really hard you'll see there's a coffeeshop within 50kms of where this photo was taken... oh and the Tri-bag/bento-box was an experiment for the Otway Odyssey that failed miserably, actually lost food mid-race

actually I find the opposite true. the standard have more palm curve to free up the thumb and index . the race I got rid of because there was gust too much pressure on the thumb and index finger and i need the feel to brake and corner.

 

[Deagol]

I am vegan.... unfortunately diet doesn't totally compensate for lack of training.

Sorry was being facetious in response to this:

Too chubby to ride up hills? Get on the vegan high carb, low fat programme and go ride up bergs and you will be shredded like you thought couldnt be.

...

I couldn't believe the hard tail vs full suspension debate could be related to veganism. Of course, this post did look like it drifted a bit off topic.

Anyway, back to bar ends: yes, they are worth it. I use old Onza L-bends and love 'em..