General Cycling Discussion - are handlebar caps necessary?
Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.
What is the point of them? My handlebar caps were built in to my grips, which I had to cut short to add bar ends, and now I don't have any caps on them. Are they necessary for protection of the inside of the bar from water or dirt? What would happen if I got a lot of water/dirt in there?
I would worry less about water and dirt in the bar, and worry more about what a nice hole that uncapped bar would cause in some part of my body if I were to happen to crash.
What is the point of them?
They prevent core samples.
+1 on the core samples. And yes, I have seen this happen. It didn't make a complete circle because it happened to the guy's chin, but it bled profusely and left permanent scars.
Your LBS will sell you a pair for anywhere from free to a couple bucks.
They prevent core samples.
what he said
Velo Dog
05-02-08, 11:38 PM
What everybody else said. You can get them cheap, maybe even free if you're a regular customer, at any bike shop. The classics are Velox rubber plugs, but they come in all colors and finishes, even with reflectors on 'em. Champagne corks will fit, too, and look sort of classy in a declasse way.
The core sample worry is real, btw. I've seen it done. In the early days of mountain biking, people used to put a nickel over the end of the bars, then slide the grips on. That gave a flat surface instead of a cookie cutter on the end of the bars.
Pepper Grinder
05-03-08, 07:03 AM
I used to use wine corks before I found a set of velox plugs on a bike I bought to plunder parts from.
Search ebay for LED lights that fit into your drop bar ends.
apclassic9
05-03-08, 08:13 AM
and if you race, they're required equipment (for USACycling/NORBA, anyway)
Retro Grouch
05-03-08, 08:18 AM
What is the point of them? My handlebar caps were built in to my grips, which I had to cut short to add bar ends, and now I don't have any caps on them. Are they necessary for protection of the inside of the bar from water or dirt? What would happen if I got a lot of water/dirt in there?
In addition to what all of the other posters have said I recommend using end caps UNDER the grips on flat handlebar bikes. If you don't, the handlebar will eventually cut through the grip and will be left exposed to core sample your belly. Possibly the cheapest solution is to drop a nickle coin (it's just the right diameter) into each hand grip before you slide it on.