TriBars on a MTB

[PurpleFrog]

Why not look at some 'dirt drops' there's a good few out there. You may need to change your brake leers to suit and as mentioned a new stem too.[/quote

I think the guy wants to stay with flat bars for offroad. Dirt drops are for people who actually want to ride on drops in the dirt. Which can work very well, depending on personal taste and the trails you are riding.

And true dirt drops like Midges only have a single position, so he wouldn't get the benefit of being able to change to give muscles a rest, or have a really low and long aero position. He'd have to fit something like Salsa Bell Laps instead and ride the road in the drops and the trails on the hoods, which is a much trickier proposition for technical riding.

..Plus switching to drops costs a lot more than adding bar ends or tri bar extensions, unless you are riding a singlespeed.

 

[gavinda]

Knew someone would have a better explanation. I always assumed that bars like midges et al had a wider 'top' and that they did offer position changes.

 

[Rob H]

I think the guy wants to stay with flat bars for offroad. Dirt drops are for people who actually want to ride on drops in the dirt. Which can work very well, depending on personal taste and the trails you are riding.

You got it in one, I've got some long rides planed to later in the year 200 miles plus which are 75% odd road but given there nature there are a few long road sections linking bits together, so it's a case of making the best of what's available to me.

 

[PurpleFrog]

I think the guy wants to stay with flat bars for offroad. Dirt drops are for people who actually want to ride on drops in the dirt. Which can work very well, depending on personal taste and the trails you are riding.

You got it in one, I've got some long rides planed to later in the year 200 miles plus which are 75% odd road but given there nature there are a few long road sections linking bits together, so it's a case of making the best of what's available to me.

What have you got planned for tyres? Crossmarks if it is still dry?

 

[Rob H]

I'm going for Conti Race Kings

 

[mattr]

You could look at some of the dinky clip ons that the triathletes have taken to using for bunch riding.
Or get a cheap pair and trim the extensions down.
(Normal length tri bars will be faaaar too long when combined with an mtb length top tube/riding position, plus I'm not sure I'd want that much metal cantilevered out over the front end of the bike when I was off road!)

 

[HK-II]

You need some scott AT4 bars then...

i used to have them on my old team stumpjumper,loved em,wish i still had them as an option.

May have a set for sale - although shipping will be fun.

 

[Rob H]

You need some scott AT4 bars then...

...and matching neon spandex. Whilst they made a lot of sense I just can't bring myself to put a pair on my bike.

Why not look at some 'dirt drops' there's a good few out there. You may need to change your brake leers to suit and as mentioned a new stem too.

Drops are a pretty much none starter as I'm running hydrolic disc brakes, I know there are work arounds but I don't think the cost / effort is worth the benifit.

Normal length tri bars will be faaaar too long when combined with an mtb length top tube/riding position

That is an extremely good point and one I'd over looked

You could look at some of the dinky clip ons that the triathletes have taken to using for bunch riding.
Or get a cheap pair and trim the extensions down.

That's a good idea, I'll look out for some

 

[PurpleFrog]

Re. reach, it sounds like you might want Cinelli Spinacci:

On sale (discontinued?) here: http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/HBC ... extensions

 

[gavinda]

well if you aren't concerned about looking uber what about butterfly bars? again waiting to be corrected but every suggestion helps