Bar ends yay or nay?

[MattiThundrrr]

Submitted for your approval, brake lever extenders for bar ends
At least that's what I think they are. If anyone has any other ideas, I'm keen to hear.
Seat collar for scale

 

[dirttorpedo]

I got into MTB in probably mid 90s when they were just becoming all the rage.

I see in the intervening quarter century they are now shunned.

Is there any practical reason for either their use or descent from popularity?

In other words did they have any practical benefit even when they were trendy and/or is there any valid reason not to use them now?

For reference my bike I want to make it a hill climbing specialist. I have read bar ends are specifically good for this, that was the original idea I remember too. Is there anything to that or was it just hype? I seem to recall them helping somewhat to pull up hills but was no expert and may have just been the cool factor that made me feel like they were working.

Are the benefits negligible or worth adding? I see they are still used on modern touring bikes so some people must find them of some use?

I love bar ends - particularly the longer ones - and feel they have two benefits. 1. leverage while climbing which was important with 7 speed and 28 tooth grannies, and 2. extra hand positions for long XC rides or bike touring. I think they fell out of favour because of the move to riser bars - they looked dumb on riser bars. I think later risers also had more back bend as well so they no longer sat in the correct orientation.

I still use them on occasion, but my flexibility sucks so I do prefer a riser bar now and am less likely to mount them with risers.

 

[bold stelvis]

yep, bar ends and risers are not happy bed fellows - minus a zillion style points

I like to wrap some spare roadie bar tape on mine

 

[GeneralOsik]

Submitted for your approval, brake lever extenders for bar ends
At least that's what I think they are. If anyone has any other ideas, I'm keen to hear.
Seat collar for scale

Those definitely look like lever extensions to me.

Here's some nice photos of the Kona ones I just picked up:

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/kona-extension-25-and-dr-dew-brake-lever-extensions.484685/

 

[GeneralOsik]

On the topic of bar ends, I still use them on most of my flat bar builds, and on my daily rider Trek 990, I find them essential. Here's my favorite bar ends, I now have three pairs, all different styles. I am looking for more, the collet connection is crazy strong.

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/tioga-bar-ends-fillet-brazed-cheap-usa-though.434076/

 

[DesertRyder]

yep, bar ends and risers are not happy bed fellows - minus a zillion style points

I like to wrap some spare roadie bar tape on mine

Yup. I 've wrapped my bar ends since the 90's with cushioned roadie bar tape.
An example. Black bar tape. Missing the handlebar end plugs in this pic.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Just had a mad thought, did any of you ever fit grips on your bar ends ?
I considered it but never tried it because I only ever use the bar ends when climbing and didn't really need the extra cushioning and given how beat up the outsides of my bar ends get the grips would soon have been knackered.

Bar ends are usually a smaller diameter than bars, (occasionally larger)
Because of the twisting force of climbing out the saddle, I think the manufacturers thought slip-on grips wouldn't be appropriate, hence the different diameters.
They can be cold in winter - the classic solution, as mentioned by @DesertRider , was to use cork road bar tape.

Somebody made tight slip-on sleeves for them, thin, hard, rough black rubber. Tioga?

 

[FluffyChicken]

Or wear gloves

 

[bikeworkshop]

Or wear gloves

Sub zero?
Both.

 

[DrDaveTampa]

I remember when my daughter was younger, but no less sarcastic, she asked why I called it "mountain biking" because there are no mountains where we live. She suggested "tree biking" cuz I kept running into them. Depending on the time of year, "swamp biking" might have worked. Either way, I only rode bar ends because everybody else did. In reality, all they did was hang on vegetation and threaten to puncture my liver every time I ran into the aforementioned trees.

Inner bar ends (there's an oxymoron for ya ... for Pete's sake, make up your mind) is a thing now, wifey is running them on both of her bikes and loves em. SQL makes a glorious system. Me, I just quit doing flat bars altogether. Jones opened up a whole new alternative reality, and I haven't looked back. I do keep a couple on hand, in the same box as my selle italia saddles, as props for photography ... but for riding? Oh please