Riserbars - why?

[lumos2000]

On a flat bar the leverage of your hands is in line with the centre of the stem clamp while on risers it's offset giving greater leverage to the rider. This results in two slightly slower (allowing better fine control) steering and less effort to turn the bars.

Personally I don't think that leverage works too well with roadie style body position set up for efficient pedalling as an XC racer would use but thats just my feeling

Not convinced, need diagram

note the position of the rider at the back as aposed to the position of the rider on top

 

[perry]

thats about right , the guy with the risers is getting shit on by the guy hunched over giving the orders

a kick in the face is a small price to pay to get mum away from the cooker and dad back behind the wheel after that court case

 

[MJN]

This type of discussion has been ongoing since the dawn of time!Well a long time anyway.
There is no right or wrong,just personal preferance,in fact I can't even take sides as I'm constantly changing bars than changing my mind then...

 

[andrewl]

Spoken by a man who is several inches shorter than you Andrew! And whose information comes from people who are probably also rather shorter than you. I'm sure you'd agree that the height of the bars relates to the height of the saddle.

No need to bite, the riser question is a very personal one and also very dependent on the frame geometry and head tube length and bottom bracket height as well.

I do ride with guys a roughly the same height as you and they find the risers still work better on their 6" FS bikes yet prefer flat bars on their retro machines.

Me I decide what goes on dependent on the bike, but if I choose risers its normally on a more modern frame and something with a shallow rise as there are now more choices becoming available with length and sweeps with flat bars.

 

[xizang]

I've got risers on all my bikes. I have since '94/95. Just don't like flat bars because:
a) Had back problems and using risers helped due to riding position. I know this could be solved with spacers etc.
b)Could never find flat bars wide enough to use bar-ends. I use 26-28" bars.
c) After using USE flat bars on a rough bit of track and seeing the flex in them, my arse went and went to risers for strength. Didn't fancy a bar snapping on me.

It's also why I started going for heavier duty gear ie D521's (cos I trashed a XC rim and got thrown over the bars), Azonic Shorty style stems. I'd rather carry a bit of extra weight on the bike rather than have it fail on me.
Basically I use mainly DH kit for XC as I'm no featerweight

 

[dyna-ti]

b)Could never find flat bars wide enough to use bar-ends.

Please tell me you dont have b/ends on the risers :shock: Please

 

[losidan]

having not ridden for years i had hardly any experience of riding risers. the bike i bought had them and i gave them a whirl...ploughed on with them for a few months.

bought some flatties and bar ends and they were an absolute revelation...the bike to me just rides so much nicer and i really feel i can get get my head down and give it some in a way i never could with the risers. i love the hands on the end of the bars and resting on the bar ends position when you are just buzzing along

 

[Fuman75]

My heads spinning, year before last i'd just finished building my dream S works epic when after the first ride 2 lads came over to tell me my bike needed riser bars to finish "the look" so when those carbon S works bars were released a made a purchase, loved em, then added carbon bar ends as i always used them in the early days, and use them when climbing all the time, must admit i love my new improved riding position so, sorry won't be changing that again, each to their own .

 

[BigBadgers2001]

Way big risers...

Sorry but I can't agree it's just fashion. It makes a massive difference to me with the back pain and I haven't found a stem and flat bar combo to match my risers.

They sweep back and up for a perfect hand position and with a decent 100mm stem I get a good position for my back. Not much rise on the stem either.

It looks nice and is totally functional.[/quote]

Being Craig's fatter and more spasticated older brother, If it was not for my huge riser bars, I would still be layed up on the couch not moving, getting fatter, and heading for heart attack number two. My very high bars enable me to ride in an almost vertical position, without which i would not be able to turn my head to check traffic. It also helps me with my lower back that is now so severe I use a walking stick and can only walk at the most 200 yards before I get sciatic spasms down my legs and am in agony.
Thank god for riser bars. They have saved my life.