riser bars or bar ends on straight bars

[festival]

The background to my question is this.
I am returning to regular cycling after a long lay off and am using my old but not worn out giant xtc2 ( 7 year old i think )
Originally i replaced the riser bars with straight bars cut down to shoulder width then added bar ends. I was racing track and road and was using the bike only for an alternative to my usual training .
I was riding non technical fast local offroad trails and this set up seemed to suit me.
Now i am riding a more all mountain style in the surrey hills (if that makes sense )
I understand the evolution of the mountain bike, its design changes from the early days. Position, gearing etc . But can anyone explain to me how i might benefit from using a wider riser bar and what else would i have to consider e.g. stem etc

 

[Cubist]

The background to my question is this.
I am returning to regular cycling after a long lay off and am using my old but not worn out giant xtc2 ( 7 year old i think )
Originally i replaced the riser bars with straight bars cut down to shoulder width then added bar ends. I was racing track and road and was using the bike only for an alternative to my usual training .
I was riding non technical fast local offroad trails and this set up seemed to suit me.
Now i am riding a more all mountain style in the surrey hills (if that makes sense )
I understand the evolution of the mountain bike, its design changes from the early days. Position, gearing etc . But can anyone explain to me how i might benefit from using a wider riser bar and what else would i have to consider e.g. stem etc

I've started riding more technical stuff and found my narrow XC bars a bit too low and narrow even with bar ends. The geometry was very much long and low at the front and arse up at the back. I experimented various setups, firstly a higher stem, which changed the feel dramatically. It made me more confident on descents, but the stem was shorter than before, which made the bike even more twitchy, and bizarrely, as speed increased, so it felt that I was having to wrestle the bike a bit more. Eventually I put a pair of 720mm lowish riser bars on, and now love the setup. The only downside is seated climbing, where I now have to scoot forward on the saddle to keep the front wheel planted

So, to answer your question from my experience, you need to find the stem/reach/width that sits you up a bit more that the race position. Shorter stem will be more direct in terms of steering, and a wider pair of bars will calm it all down a bit.

 

[lukesdad]

Straight bars cut down to shoulder width,not heard of that one,before. What was the reason for that ? As to risers or flats that will depend very much on you really not where you are riding unless,of course you are a downhiller. Ive never been a fan of riser bars. Keep them for the shopping.

 

[festival]

Straight bars cut down to shoulder width,not heard of that one,before. What was the reason for that ? As to risers or flats that will depend very much on you really not where you are riding unless,of course you are a downhiller. Ive never been a fan of riser bars. Keep them for the shopping.

Probably not cut down quiet as narrow as shoulder width but trimmed to mimmic my postion on my road bikes, riding on the brake levers. As i said, my riding then was really just to get a work out to benefit my road & track racing

 

[festival]

I've started riding more technical stuff and found my narrow XC bars a bit too low and narrow even with bar ends. The geometry was very much long and low at the front and arse up at the back. I experimented various setups, firstly a higher stem, which changed the feel dramatically. It made me more confident on descents, but the stem was shorter than before, which made the bike even more twitchy, and bizarrely, as speed increased, so it felt that I was having to wrestle the bike a bit more. Eventually I put a pair of 720mm lowish riser bars on, and now love the setup. The only downside is seated climbing, where I now have to scoot forward on the saddle to keep the front wheel planted

So, to answer your question from my experience, you need to find the stem/reach/width that sits you up a bit more that the race position. Shorter stem will be more direct in terms of steering, and a wider pair of bars will calm it all down a bit.

 

[festival]

many thanks.

 

[craigwend]

Not sure if it's any use, as I rarely use my mtb...

However one of the reasons was uncomfortable set up; so my set up a short adjustable stem (had tried extra spacers) which raises the bar considerably and brings the riser-bars closer

The bar ends are near the stem as well (useful for road riding / commuting with road tyres on) ,

Don't know if it's that I mainly do road riding - but found my mtb too streteched out & bars too wide & yes cut the bars down a bit as well.

See pic if this works - (bike now 10 yeas old)

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The mtb I bought last year has wide risers. Only ever had flats (or way, way, back drops) off road. I committed the alleged faux pas of fitting bar ends.

I'm just contrary, but it works wonderfully well for me, and I would not go back to flat bars.

 

[maurice]

Cutting down straight bars to shoulder width used to be pretty usual.

Wide risers give more leverage, I found the most benefit on slow, tight corners, and makes the steering less twitchy on small jumps.

However you do get the problem of clipping the ends on trees on tight trails. There's quite a few of these on the Surrey hills, last time I rode on Leith hill I did a superman when I clipped a tree! Of course you can always cut down the risers a tad if needed.

 

[festival]

thanks for all the comments i think i will stick to flat bar & bar ends for now as i am happy with the set up . If i progress to more technical stuff i will try risers maybe with a shorter stem.

 

[e-rider]

I absolutely hate narrow bars and bar ends but some people claim to like that set-up

The funny thing is, I was one of those people before I tried wide riser bars (685mm) without bar ends!

I was convinced within 60 seconds of trying it.

Obviously bar width will depend somewhat on your shoulder and as I'm a big chap I love the feel of freedom you get from wide bars

As a side note, I did LEJOG with wide riser bars - that has nothing to do with technical XC riding at slow speed and amount of possible leverage.

 

[lukesdad]

Cutting down straight bars to shoulder width used to be pretty usual.

Wide risers give more leverage, I found the most benefit on slow, tight corners, and makes the steering less twitchy on small jumps.

However you do get the problem of clipping the ends on trees on tight trails. There's quite a few of these on the Surrey hills, last time I rode on Leith hill I did a superman when I clipped a tree! Of course you can always cut down the risers a tad if needed.

What was the reason for cutting bars to shoulder length, off road,never seen it in 20 years.

 

[maurice]

Probably the same reasons you buy road bike bars that are shoulder width, try google?

I remember as a kid with my first decent bike the bike shop measuring my shoulders against the bars.

 

[lukesdad]

Probably the same reasons you buy road bike bars that are shoulder width, try google?

I remember as a kid with my first decent bike the bike shop measuring my shoulders against the bars.

I ll pass thanks.

 

[mr Mag00]

bar ends and straight for me!