Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Midge bars anyone?

The search tool is apparently Out of Service so I thought I would ask you folks about Midge bars. I saw a set today on a commuter bike as I was going the other way. Had to turn around and chase the guy down. Of course, he had all the praise for them, but I ride very long day trips.

Q: Does anyone use them on long rides?

I have a Sequoia but I just can't seem to adapt to the drops. I've given it the 'good old college try' but it ain't happening. My other bikes wear North Roads as a comparison. I find them amazingly comfortable even over 100 miles.

I'm thinking of one last shot at drops, and the Midge bars look inviting. Any thoughts on that?

Thanks

A couple of British Audaxers use them a lot, mainly because they don't like drops either.

A couple of British Audaxers use them a lot, mainly because they don't like drops either.

Thanks. I went over to http://www.audax.uk.net/ to look around a little. Didn't see too much representation there, but just check this guy out:
http://i7.tinypic.com/25tyc2d.jpg

Well, looks like a SNAFU with the pic. Sorry. It shows a guy with one leg gettin' out there.

That one-legged bloke is probably Mr Hickman. Google "Phil Chadwick" for a happy Midge Bar user.

I do, I do! I have put a whole lot of miles on mine, but I really find them comfy. They are wide and shallow, not aero. A dream to climb with.

What's a 'North Roads?'

I do, I do! I have put a whole lot of miles on mine, but I really find them comfy. They are wide and shallow, not aero. A dream to climb with.

What's a 'North Roads?'

Thank you LWab

lala, you may gag if need be. Here they are, mounted proudly on my ancient mtb, now morphed for long rides (it gets worse, I have them on my Trek 520 as well):

Upside down
http://i1.tinypic.com/25tyrrk.jpg

Right side up
http://i5.tinypic.com/25tysf9.jpg

lala:
I guess TinyPic is having issues today. Basically, North Road bars are the ones found on tens of millions of Euro 3-speeds and most early 5-speed Schwinns. For people with carpal tunnel or arthritis problems, they work well. For me, they are the game saver when coupled with the proper saddle.

So, why am I asking about Midge? Well, even though it's obvious that I care not a wit about current trends, I still have an eye for aesthetics. NR's can look "right" on an old school mtb and even on a Trek 520, which resembles a 3-speed on steroids. But, I just can't see NR's on a Sequoia...

BTW, how do you find riding the tops? Lots of room? They seem nice and wide up there. How 'bout the hoods? What's your setup for shifters? Do you have brifters like the sequoia?

That one-legged bloke is probably Mr Hickman. Google "Phil Chadwick" for a happy Midge Bar user.

Mr Chadwick is out of the office til 30th Sept. I'll keep pestering people til I get some more first hand info. Those things ain't cheap.

I run a pair on my geared Cross-Check

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/7866/img04784wd.th.jpg (http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img04784wd.jpg)

And just moved my other pair onto the fixed Cross-Check

Some more discussion here: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=210367

I have a Sequoia but I just can't seem to adapt to the drops. I've given it the 'good old college try' but it ain't happening. My other bikes wear North Roads as a comparison. I find them amazingly comfortable even over 100 miles.

I'm thinking of one last shot at drops, and the Midge bars look inviting. Any thoughts on that?


The thing with drops, like almost everything, is that if they aren't in the exact right place for you, then you are going to be uncomfortable. Most people aren't race oriented, yet on most road bikes it's difficult/impossible to get the flats around the height of the saddle or even higher if needs be(exascerbated by this trend towards people riding small frames of recent years).

First thing I'd do is buy a Look ergostem, install bars and move around until happy. If you haven't moved it about for a month or so and are completely comfortable, i'd say that's your stem length/height sorted.

As for bars, I have a set of Nitto B-135's, which flare up on the flats and out on the drops slightly. These have a deeper drop than the midges, but I'm thinking someone with bigger hands might be cramped on the Midges. Haven't used them, so can't really say.

Even after all this, drops might not be for you, but at least you can say you gave them a fighting chance ;).