Butterfly bars vs bar ends

[mudsticks]

Very easy to sort out bar end plugs if you are so inclined. With one eye shut I can see 5 hand positions I would use.

Yes I can see other places to hold - although i think I'd want some tape on there if it was cold / wet / or very hot .

Also the more centralised hand positions wouldn't give so much control

Mice and rain are not the big worries ...




I have read about several cases where an exposed handlebar end 'apple-cored' a rider's abdomen in a crash.

Yes that's the kind of thing i have nightmares about - or impaled eye-sockets.
But please no pictures of that sort of thing ever btw - I have the sort of picture retentive memory, which means i have to request 'no meat shots' at first aid courses - i can, and indeed have, dealt with plenty of real-world blood and gore situations - but out of context its too much for my sensitive little brainium.

Funnily enough, I was looking at the Surly bars earlier today (night time in India now) and saw this and thought that it WILL be sitting atop my next touring bike (with a possible bull horn bar end).

View attachment 446907

Oooooh yes - very sexy - i like that swept back look - and with bar ends added too - could be utterly irresistible. - dargnabit - more shopping .

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Mice and rain are not the big worries ...




I have read about several cases where an exposed handlebar end 'apple-cored' a rider's abdomen in a crash.

Like I insinuated and even said that I don’t like the open ends: Best to wrap and finish with bar plugs. Hopefully accidents like that are rare, rather than several.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes - it is an unnecessary extra risk to take for the sake of a couple of bar plugs.

I know that some people don't even see the danger. I pointed it out to someone whose bars were unprotected and he told me that it would never have occurred to him.

 

[mudsticks]

Like I insinuated and even said that I don’t like the open ends: Best to wrap and finish with bar plugs. Hopefully accidents like that are rare, rather than several.

I don't quite see what those extra projections, on the first surly bars are are for..

They're not long enough to be of any use.. Except for taking core samples of your soft parts.

 

[mickle]

For any question for which 'butterfly bars' is an answer, there's always a better answer, and that's 'drop bars'. In a tall stem if necessary. With in-line 'cross top' levers if necessary.

Like a Nitto Randonneur for example.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I don't quite see what those extra projections, on the first surly bars are are for..

They're not long enough to be of any use.. Except for taking core samples of your soft parts.

Long enough for what? Wasn’t your OP concerned about comfort? If you have ever spent very long days on the bike, covering appreciably long distances, touring or otherwise, you will enjoy any shift in hand position. They don’t need to be long like aero bars as that isn’t the point of them. I have some bar ends that are only about 3” and they are super comfortable. And if you think they aren’t long enough to be of any use, you will be horrified by the size of TOGS https://togs.com/collections/togs-1

But hey, we’re all different, and if you can’t see the benefit, they probably aren’t for you and I hope you find your perfect match.

 

[mudsticks]

Long enough for what? Wasn’t your OP concerned about comfort? If you have ever spent very long days on the bike, covering appreciably long distances, touring or otherwise, you will enjoy any shift in hand position. They don’t need to be long like aero bars as that isn’t the point of them. I have some bar ends that are only about 3” and they are super comfortable. And if you think they aren’t long enough to be of any use, you will be horrified by the size of TOGS https://togs.com/collections/togs-1

But hey, we’re all different, and if you can’t see the benefit, they probably aren’t for you and I hope you find your perfect match.

Just curious as to their function.

They are for resting just the mound of the thumb against?.
But not the whole palm?

I'm sure they have been cleverly designed for a purpose.

Yes I have spent many extended days in the saddle, over multiday trips, hence my question.
My interest has been piqued by all these different styles now, slightly overwhelmed by the choice, if I'm honest, and my guess is there's loads more out there.

How to choose, or test out, to find the right one?

And of course overall body shape, condition, and riding style will affect all this too.

I do also have a series of arm and shoulder stretches which also helps massively, with upper body comfort.

Thank you for the link I think I can grasp (!) their function

This could be an interesting (and possibly expensive) journey of discovery.

 

[mudsticks]

For any question for which 'butterfly bars' is an answer, there's always a better answer, and that's 'drop bars'. In a tall stem if necessary. With in-line 'cross top' levers if necessary.

Like a Nitto Randonneur for example.

Oh Lord, even more options.

Or maybe actually fewer

As surely (surly - sorry ) you don't get the same control over rough ground, with narrower span drops, even on tall stem, as with flat bars?

So Id agree if the butterflies are no wider than drops, then they aren't going to suit me .
But I seem to remember butterfies being wider???

If not so, then it's just a myriad of weird and wonderful flat(tish) bar designs to choose from.

 

[DCBassman]

For any question for which 'butterfly bars' is an answer, there's always a better answer, and that's 'drop bars'. In a tall stem if necessary. With in-line 'cross top' levers if necessary.

Like a Nitto Randonneur for example.

This is not true for me for one simple reason: drop bar brifters are loathsome things.
Gimme thumb shifters every time .

 

[Blue Hills]

For any question for which 'butterfly bars' is an answer, there's always a better answer, and that's 'drop bars'. In a tall stem if necessary. With in-line 'cross top' levers if necessary.

Like a Nitto Randonneur for example.

Well no. Some folk don't like drops. I wouldn't have got back into cycling or be here if drops still dominated "proper/serious/quality" bikes.

 

[Blue Hills]

This is not true for me for one simple reason: drop bar brifters are loathsome things.
Gimme thumb shifters every time .

Puzzled as to why you "liked" that comment then.

 

[DCBassman]

Puzzled as to why you "liked" that comment then.

Because Mickle makes a fair point, drops are probably the all-round best option. I'd still use them were it not for the utterly useless (to me) drop-style brifters.

 

[biggs682]

As surely (surly - sorry ) you don't get

Any reason I should really consider butterflies??

I have a set on one of my bike's and i have found them so versatile and offer so many variations of position

+
So Id agree if the butterflies are no wider than drops, then they aren't going to suit me .
But I seem to remember butterfies being wider???

My butterfly bars are 54 side to side

 

[Heltor Chasca]

You rarely see drops on the continent. They seem to be favoured by the U.K. and U.S.A. for some reason. Fashion? Trend?

I personally prefer drops for the simple reason I like the multitude of hand positions and my core is pretty strong and I am comfortable tucked up.

Tourer has Salsa Cowchippers. Audax has compacts with aero bars. Cargo bike flats with Dutch-Style aero bar. MTB has flats and I REALLY want some thumb over grips (TOGS) for long rides. For now I just curl my finger over the brake/gear shifter.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Windier in the States.
Hence the drops.
I blame Trumpf.