Fifty Plus (50+) - Flat Bar Alternative Handlebars

From time to time we've discussed alternatives to the "straight pipe" flat bars that are found on flat bar road bikes and mountain bikes. The bars that nearly everyone disses for their lack of hand positions on longer rides.

I wanted to pull together a number of the alternatives into a single thread to serve as sort of a reference thread on this subject. Something we can pull back up out of the archives whenever someone pops on the forum and asks about this subject.

These are bars that would fit a traditional mountain/hybrid/flat bar bike with a 25.4mm stem, or with one of the larger 31.8mm stems, and would be compatible with the brake levers and shifters on these types of bikes.

I will begin by providing info and links to some of the alternatives.

The Nitto Dove bar, with it's classic lines and steep 80'ish degree sweep.
http://www.rivbike.com/search/run?query=dove&commit=Search#product=16-123

The Wald #8095 North Road bar:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_info.php?products_id=5792

The Nitto version of a North Road bar, which can be flipped up or down:
http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/HB409B05-Nitto+North+Road+Handlebar.aspx

The On One Mary bar (note there is a near identical knockoff of this named an Origin8 Space Bar):
http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/14504-195_ONOMR5-3-Parts-62-Handlebars/Mountain/On-One-Mary-Hanldebar.htm

The Mary bar first sweeps forward 50mm before bending to a 40 degree backsweep, so it is possible to bar warp at the forward sweep positions for an alternative hand position.

The Titec H-bar, providing multiple hand positions without having to use bar ends:
http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/16092-195_TITHH7-3-Parts-62-Handlebars/Mountain/Titec-H-Bar.htm

The Nitto All-rounder:
http://store.somafab.com/nib3allro.html

Titec has a number of MTB bars here:
http://titec.com/pdlist.php?class=1&stype=all

The Dimension Trekking Bar, with up to 80mm of rise, depending upon how you angle it, and 25 degree sweep:
http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/HB409E04-Dimension+Trekking+Handlebar.aspx

A classic "butterfly" Trekking Bar:
http://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?ID=2109

Some discussion of bar ends will, eventually, follow.

Here's a thread with some good pictures of Mary and North Road bars

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=275682

Post #68 shows some good comparative pictures.

You can add to your data table some of my info. MTB clamp area outside diameter 25.4 or 31.8. Road clamp area outside diameter 26.0 or 31.8. Road bar outside diameters away from the clamp area 24.0. Most clamp on aerobars 22.5 (not Vision). I don't have the OD for MTB bars away from the clamp area but it is not the same as a road bar and thus the controls do not mix and match well.

The outside diameters (O.D.) of the clamp areas of a "road" bar are 23.8 mm (15/16"). For a mountain bike / hybrid / flat bar road bike, it is 22.2 mm (7/8").

The focus, at least my intended focus, of this thread is upon the options / alternatives which are compatible with the MTB/Hybrid/Flat Bar bikes.

Thus I made no mention of various drop bar options or alternatives like Noodle, Albatross, and Moustache bars, which cannot be used on a flat bar bike without signification modifications to the bar components and perhaps even the brakes and derailleurs.

Here's an interesting picture of a bike that has the On One Mary bar, with bar ends that have been placed inside of the grips/levels.

On my mountain bike, I have straight perpendicular extensions at the ends of the bars. With my hands on the extensions, my forearm orientation is pretty similar to that on the bends of my drop bars, but I am not bent over quite as far as on my road bikes. An added plus is that I can quickly and securely grab the ends of my 4-finger motorcycle-style brake handles from the bar extensions.

Every other bar style that I have tried seems like a poor excuse for drops when road touring. The trekking bars come the closest for me,

If I were to set up a bike for touring with a substantial off road component I would probably use trekking bars or maybe even road drops.

Another trekking bar:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=600092&subcategory=60001049&brand=&sku=9756&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20ATB%20Handlebars

I like L-shaped bar ends, like this, as they give you two additional hand positions. Then they can be positioned to either letting you have a very upright alternate position (when the L-portion is above the handlebars) or a more forward, lowered position.

Here's an interesting picture of a bike that has the On One Mary bar, with bar ends that have been placed inside of the grips/levels.

Worth noting about the Mary bars...because they bend forward first and then sweep back, the resulting grip location is about the same place as with straight or mildly sloping bars, but with a different angle. If they swept back at such a drastic angle without going forward first they would be much closer to the rider. So they are better suited to a situation where the cockpit is not too long. To shorten the cockpit, you would want bars that sweep further back relative to the stem clamp.

And bar ends set up to give you an aero position

http://www.wuextreme.com/linked/bars.jpg

They all look like they'd poke your eye out.

Calm down Mother. There's no need to worry.

Just came across one that I've neve seen before ... an adjustable butterfly trekking bar. You can alter the angle of the bars to the plane of the stem:
http://www.wallbike.com/oddsnends/synergic.html

http://www.wallbike.com/oddsnends/jpg/synergicmeasure.jpg

Wallbike also offers another unusual trekking bar, with with built-in aero bars (that could poke your eye out):

http://www.wallbike.com/oddsnends/selego.html

http://www.wallbike.com/oddsnends/jpg/selegoside1.jpg

I've been thinking of trying these on my Kona Dew Deluxe.

http://store.somafab.com/sosp490bar.html

I tend to think about things for a long time before actually doing anything, so it may be a while..and something else may come along.

After about 20 miles though, the stock riser bar (with added bar ends) is not very comfortable

There are just so many options......

Pete

Thanks Pete, for posting that one. I knew that one was out there, as I had looked at it before, but couldn't remember where I'd seen it or what the name was. It's a very interesting bar, that looks like it could work well either down or flipped up, depending upon one's preferences. It is similar in design to the On One Mary bar, but is narrower with a bit more rise. In fact, the 490mm is so narrow that a larger person could experience shoulder problems on long rides.

In the interest of getting a few more pics directly into the thread, here's what it looks like:

And speaking of Soma bars, they have a couple other variations on this theme.

Soma Oxford Handlebar, which will bring the hand positions well back of where a flat bar would place them & has a 2" rise:
http://store.somafab.com/sooxha.html

Soma Noah's Arc bar, which is just that, an arc. This one has a lot of sweep, but no rise.
http://store.somafab.com/noahsarcbar.html

Hello Tom,

Thanks for all of the links. I need new bars for my Milano as the straight flat bars bother my wrists. I'm sure one of the bars you posted will do the trick.

Some pics of the Titec H-bar

http://www.singlespeedoutlaw.com/images/blog/titechbar.jpg

http://www.crookedcog.com/gallery/d/8843-2/titecH-bar+005.jpg

http://seaotter.mtbr.com/files/2007/04/titec.jpg

Nitto Dove pics

http://bessasandackerman.com/i/p/0081-DSCN4636.jpg

http://bessasandackerman.com/i/p/0081-shimanothumbies.jpg

OK. I gotta fess up here.

I am a road bar LOVER. I ride all parts of a road bar equally. Never wanted anything else.

But I think the flat bars on my Scott are great with those bullhorn-looking things up front. I haven't gone any huge distances on them yet, but they really feel great.

I am now looking at these other bars with interest.

On One Mary bar pics:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2175/1581433481_bb078324e1_o.jpg

http://www.cyclofiend.com/ssg/images/ssg010-4gunnar%20ruffian%204.jpg

Should note that I have no agenda to influence anyone to move from drop bars. Just wanting to show that there are alternatives to straight pipe bars or standard riser bars, for those who have bikes with those types of bars on them.

Trekking bars

http://www.sjscycles.com/store/modoloanatomictrekkingbarsbig.jpg

http://www.rocbike.com/wp-content/gallery/080512xtra2/HPIM4277.JPG

Should note that I have no agenda to influence anyone to move from drop bars. Just wanting to show that there are alternatives to straight pipe bars or standard riser bars, for those who have bikes with those types of bars on them.

And now that I know it's not just a weird quirk of yours, I'm really glad you started this thread!

This thread is awesome.

Thanks Tom for posting this. I've had the Nashbar trekking bars for several months now and really like them. I'm planning to put bullhorns on my new bike when I get it in a few months since I am still certain that riding in the drops for ANY length of time will place too much stress on the implant in my wrist. Nice to know there are so many other options out there [edit: than flat bars].

The outside diameters (O.D.) of the clamp areas of a "road" bar are 23.8 mm (15/16"). For a mountain bike / hybrid / flat bar road bike, it is 22.2 mm (7/8").


Didn't you mean to say these are the O.D.s of the main bar sections, not the clamp areas?

I misused the term "clamp areas" I was thinking of the clamps on the bar accessories, like the shifters, when I wrote that post. I believe that's what the person asking a question was asking about.

Yes indeed, the "clamp areas" (where the stem clamps to the handlebar) on the bars themselves are different, and can vary. Most road bikes are 26.0mm and many mountain bike/flat bars are 25.4mm, but 31.8mm is common too.

As mentioned in another thread, another bar end option that many find to be very comfortable is the "Cane Creek Ergo Control II." These fit right into the palm of your hand and allow you to rotate your hand position by roughly 90 degrees. Not sure they would work as well if you have bars with a lot of sweep or if your handlebars are very wide.

http://www.canecreek.com/ergo-control-ii-bar-ends.html

http://http://www.route66bicycles.com/long%20haul%20trucker%20front.JPG

Thanks Tom for posting this. I've had the Nashbar trekking bars for several months now and really like them. I'm planning to put bullhorns on my new bike when I get it in a few months since I am still certain that riding in the drops for ANY length of time will place too much stress on the implant in my wrist. Nice to know there are so many other options out there [edit: than flat bars].

Oh! Good! I was just about to order some of the Nashbar touring bars. But... if you're happy with them, why are you going to switch to bullhorns?

This is a very timely thread. My wife had neck surgery a while back (two vertabrae are now fused together), and so she has to have the bars higher than her saddle. I've currently got her old Trek mountain bike setup with a high angle stem and mountain bike bars that raise up a few inches, and after some tweaking, we've got the geometry where she likes it. We do road biking exclusively. So, now I'm thinking of making her a present of a custom road bike built to those dimensions.

The quandry is the handlebars. She'll never use the drops on a road bike, so the end result is that braking is harder for her. Mountain bike bars, as stated earlier, have no opportunity for hand location variations. Without going into drops or extending reach very much, what would the best alternatives be?

Hmmm .... Smorgasbord42 ... you may be looking in the wrong thread. Sounds like you are looking for alternatives to road bike drop bars, like moustache bars. Something that will accept road bike brakes and shifters that would in turn be compatible with road bike brakes and derailleurs. I haven't addressed those options here.

If you are looking at putting together a "flat bar road bike" or equivalent, using brakes and derailleurs that are compatible with mountain bike bar components, then this thread is relevant.

Hmmm .... Smorgasbord42 ... you may be looking in the wrong thread. Sounds like you are looking for alternatives to road bike drop bars, like moustache bars. Something that will accept road bike brakes and shifters that would in turn be compatible with road bike brakes and derailleurs. I haven't addressed those options here.

If you are looking at putting together a "flat bar road bike" or equivalent, using brakes and derailleurs that are compatible with mountain bike bar components, then this thread is relevant.

I'm planning on going custom with the frame, and expecting to mix and match components as appropriate - for instance 700x25 tires with wide gearing (needs low for uphills and moderately high for downhills). The issue is that I don't think any kind of handlebar drop would be appropriate for my wife, so this thread certainly seems relevant.

Her bike today kind of looks like this:
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/0/0d/180px-Adjustable_quill_stem_2.JPG
That is, adjustable stem with "flat bars" which aren't very flat. The setup works well for short rides, but after 20 miles or so she gets some fatigue which we believe is due to not having alternative hand positions.

My Trek hybrid is set up much like that picture. I installed long L-shaped bar ends, which provide two alternative hand positions. I have my bar ends leaning "forward" a bit and put foam grips on them so that they were comfy. This has worked out very well for me on rides of 40+ miles.

Found a pair of bar ends that I had to add to this thread. They are "bar drops" which add a drop bar onto a flat handlebar. Made by Origin.

For those who own a flat bar bike and would like a drop option.

any idea where to buy the origin product?

thanks

any idea where to buy the origin product?

thanks

Origin-8 is the house brand of J&B Importers, one of the largest bicycle parts distributors. Just ask your LBS to get them for you. They should have a J&B catalog (http://74.8.32.132/nondealer/product.phtml?p=19687).

Yep, try local. If no luck, then Niagara Cycle Works has them:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_info.php?products_id=15300

At present I'm using a common type of "flat bar," a Bontrager crowbar which has a 25mm rise and about 6-7 degrees of sweep. Used in combination with an adjustable stem which raised the bar at least another 1.5" from it's original position.

I wanted to share pics of my comfy grips and bar-ends. I have inexpensive knockoffs of Ergon grips and Cane Creek bar ends. The grips are $10 Avenir (Raleigh) comfort grips, which are softer and contoured somewhat different than the Ergons. They fit perfectly into my hands and the extension in the palm area allows me to rest my palms directly onto the grips and take pressure off of my troublesome thumb joints.

The bar ends are from "Tranz-X" and are sold under other brand names. Paid $20. They are synthentic rubber (Kraton) coated carbon-fiber. Lightweight at 148 grams. Nicely contoured and also fit right into my hands.

The combination gives me three primary hand positions, one on the grips, one with my hands moved partially over the bar ends (resting the outside of my palms on the flat area of the bar ends) and partially over the grips, and then with my hands turned with the bar ends fitted into my palms. All three are very comfortable.

Does anyone recognize these? I can't remember where I got them...nashbar I think, about 16-17 years ago. I haven't found any exactly like them, but the concept is like the butterfly essentially.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v398/ronboskz650sr/bikes006.jpg

Although i just ordered Soma Sparrow bars (where is that UPS guy anyway..expected them today) in my long and agonizing decision process which included the H bars and Mary bars, I found these at Velo Orange

http://www.velo-orange.com/milanbar.html

Relatively cheap, but I decided to try the Sparrow's first. Velo Orange is local to me, although I've never been there...someday i'll pay a visit and see what follows me home

Pete

I've been thinking of trying these on my Kona Dew Deluxe.

http://store.somafab.com/sosp490bar.html

I tend to think about things for a long time before actually doing anything, so it may be a while..and something else may come along.

After about 20 miles though, the stock riser bar (with added bar ends) is not very comfortable

There are just so many options......

Pete

Hi,

I ended up with the Soma Sparrow bars on my Milano. No photos yet but will post some soon.

Hi,

I ended up with the Soma Sparrow bars on my Milano. No photos yet but will post some soon.

Hi Cleave. Still waiting for mine to show up. I got the black ones in 520mm width ( just cuz the 490s were not available...a decision made for me..i like that!). I will post some pics maybe this weekend (if they come by then!)

Pete

The On One Mary is great for comfort on my townie.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g68/gldnedge/IMG_0752.jpg

Yep, the On One Mary is nice. Your pic looks a lot like the one I posted in message #23 in this thread. Nice simple setup.

Picked up the Origin-8 version of the Mary bar at a shop the other day for $15. Hope to play around with it soon. They had the Soma Sparrow bars there for $28. I looked them over but decided they were a bit too narrow for me.

I sure wish the derailleur and brake cables on my Fuji had come a couple of inches longer. I may have to re-cable all 4 cables just to make them 2" longer. That irritates me. I can't quite get them to fit a couple of the handlebars I want to test.

Hi,

Finally took some pictures of my Milano with the new handlebars:

http://www.pbase.com/cleavel/image/107414611/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/cleavel/image/107414615/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/cleavel/image/108742455/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/cleavel/image/107414610/original.jpg

The last two photos illustrate a problem that I discovered during this conversion. The shift control on the right side actually required a 60 cm grip instead of a 90 cm grip that came with the bike. The left side takes a 120 cm grip. I discovered this because the control barely fits the flat section of the bar and when I started measuring things I figured out the problem.

Anyway, I rode this bike during my club's annual Christmas ride (30 miles) and the bars worked great for that distance.

Sleek looking bike. Wish I could ride something like that, but I suspect I would need those handlebars placed at least 4" higher.