Mountain Biking - Bar-ends 86'd???

I recently returned to biking after about a 6 six year lay-off and have noticed bar ends seem to be thing off the past. Now the question is what happened? I still use mine on longer climbs and enjoy the option of moving my hand position. Am I an uncool old timer?

Also I have to say I have enjoyed the recent threads on 'what is XC riding?' 10 years ago it was XC or DH thats it. Now I don't know if I am a trail rider or xc or maybe a lightweight all mountain guy. But I know I'm not a dirtjumper, freerider or downhill guy.

So there it is my bike dates to me to the late 90's and I don't have real identity. LOL

I have this fairly ugly hole in my thigh which was caused by taking a tumble down a steep embankment and landing on the bar end. Methink they posed a danger and hence are no longer popular. I know I won't ride with them anymore.

when riser bars became popular, bar ends went the way of the Fred --er, Dodo.

when riser bars became popular, bar ends went the way of the Fred --er, Dodo.

Great, not only are my ends wrong I have a flat bar. I think I ride XC, but don't like spandex lycra monkey suits, I have don't know what to call myself and my hanldebars scream "hey I don't fit in!!" Maybe I should have never gotten back into this sport. LOL

go ride. That's all you need to do. :D

Great, not only are my ends wrong I have a flat bar. I think I ride XC, but don't like spandex lycra monkey suits, I have don't know what to call myself and my hanldebars scream "hey I don't fit in!!" Maybe I should have never gotten back into this sport. LOL


I've never had a tree or squirrel try to kick my ass because of my fashionable equipment/bling.

My father rides with bar ends. But he's got them setup in a somewhat dee dee dee format. They're turned outward, on the INSIDE of the handle grips...

Different strokes for different folks.

Bar ends, too tight for your ass lycra, or flat handlebars.. it makes no difference when your bombing through the trails, before, after or inbetween the same buddies that were joking you. Or even better, just YOU out on the trails, enjoying the nature-esque scene of things.

go ride. That's all you need to do. :D

I plan on it.

.. it makes no difference when your bombing through the trails, before, after or inbetween the same buddies that were joking you. Or even better, just YOU out on the trails, enjoying the nature-esque scene of things.

Ditto, most of my friends are in the same boat and of the same attitude as myself. We love riding together.

This is great- every Tuesday when we ride the local trail a group also has a tues evening ride, and they're all in the same jersey from a LBS(and of course matching shorts). There must be like 10 to 15 every week. Its hilarious.

And riding alone is great too. Too bad I missed out on it the last six years. Time to make up for lost time....

IMO, bullhorn / "tree hook" bar ends suck. But I really want these:
http://www.canecreek.com/ergo_control_ii.html

^^^^ Those are also getting popular. The rubber feels pretty nice. I tried them at the local shop. Very comfy feeling. I think Performance also has their own Forte version which is about the same, only a few bucks less.

Am I an uncool old timer?




It's OK, uncool old timers are the new hip thing.Embrace it.

^^^^ Those are also getting popular. The rubber feels pretty nice. I tried them at the local shop. Very comfy feeling. I think Performance also has their own Forte version which is about the same, only a few bucks less.

I am a little skeptical about the Perf. version. The integration with my ODI's is key.

I had bar ends on my first mtb, bought 12 years ago. I used them on climbs and occasionally to shift my hands position. And they looked cool... like the horns on a bull. :D My new bike doesn't have them, and I haven't even seen them with other bike accessories. And you know, I don't miss them.

I had stubby ones on all my bikes "back in the day". Like you I took a few years off and all of a sudden they can't be found. I liked them. I always feel like bicycle handlebars don't have enough pullback.

Despite starting to ride in early 2000s, I have never tried bar ends. I think they serve a purpose and I would love for another hand position or two every once and a while but I just never really thought I needed them. I also do not use a riser bar, for similar reasons, I never tried one but I don't see a reason for these. But then again, I ride tight single track and don't have monster climbs anywhere.

Bah, to each his own. So, I'm an old guy that uses a flat bar and no bar ends... I can live with that. After all, I'm a slave to function, not fashion.

Stop your b itching and ride your damn bike.