Bar ends

[Merlin]

It is about 18 years since I last read a Mountain Bike journal. I bought MBR today and could not find a single picture of a bike with bar ends, not even the winning retrobike.

Why does no one use bar ends any more?

 

[hamster]

Fashion, plus modern bikes are so heavy they have to be walked uphill.

Seriously, I think it's because risers are fashionable, bars are higher these days and on a more technical note, with modern long-travel suspension forks (or full sus) it's better to sit down and spin uphill rather than rise and bully it up out of the saddle and gripping the bar-ends.

 

[yagamuffin]

It is about 18 years since I last read a Mountain Bike journal. I bought MBR today and could not find a single picture of a bike with bar ends, not even the winning retrobike.

Why does no one use bar ends any more?

'Cos modern bikes are so heavy and cumbersome they have to be pushed up hill so no need for barends

And speaking for myself, I'm too unfit to rife uphill so I don't need 'em either!

 

[Merlin]

Thanks, hamster, for the sensible explanation. I am still riding rigid forks and Mag 20s. I still use my bar ends for climbing and also to help me get further forward and lower when cruising fast on road or easy tracks. I will leave them on.

 

[hamster]

I just swapped the flats and bar-ends off my singlespeed for some fashionable and cool carbon risers.

It's horrible to ride out of the saddle so the flats and bar-ends are going back on!

 

[silverclaws]

Yeah, I noticed that too, but I like them especially the ski bend type as they also act as guards to protect the fingers when a miscalculation results in one catching a tree or wall with with the end of the bars, ( been there done that, it hurts, so I got bar ends as crash guards).

But, I have had risers before and I had them fitted with bar ends, stuff fashion, finger safety is paramount, got to guard them hands, brakes and gears don't work without them, neither does the steering for that matter either.

My all time favourite bar ends are the Specialized Dirt Rodz and would not at all mind another set, since my last set was on the saracen I had stolen, and I had them on there, because I had a set on the first saracen I lost, good bar ends.

 

[taffy]

4 out of my 6 have bar ends and i'll be honest if i could get some nice 24" or so wide flats they would all have bar ends as i cant do narrow bars and bar ends - feels like my hands are on either side of the stem clamp.

Climbing and cruising are great with them.

 

[clubster]

just been looking on ebay for some for my next bike i like them for just cruising along after a mad pedal

 

[sylus]

apparently bar ends are so yesterday darling :roll:

me i like em

 

[hamster]

My carbon risers can't take bar-ends according to the bumpf with them - the same version in flat can, as the end is reinforced. Grrr.

As I'm 44 I'm hardly likely to be able to carry off fashionable anyway. :shock: