Utility Cycling - Big Dummy Handlebars

I have the C style cruiser handlebars on my Big Dummy, the ones that extracyle puts on. They work great for short trips but for my longest delivery, 17 miles one way, I'd like to be able to change postions and was thinking about an H bar. But last Saturday I went to an art festival with my stuff and had a pretty heavy load, I wouldn't or couldn't haul that much 17 miles. The festival was only 10 miles away. The heavy load made the bike a bit wobbly, the wide bars seem to help with the stability. So if I put on different handlebars will it affect the handleing of heavy loads?

I like the Nitto Albatross handebars on my Big Dummy. They seem as if they were made for it!

I'm also using Nitto Albatrosses on my Xtra. I love them.

Either Vic or dwnptrl_777 is using H bars on their Lamont and likes them.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/2872508399_e735870490_b.jpg

I like the h-bars on my Dummy. I've also got them on my Pugsley and will try them on a touring bike this summer.

Wobbely bike: Try to put some of the weight in the front. I think you`ll find it to be less wobbely.

+1 on the Albatross bars.

Trekking bars (butterfly) or moustachebars is also giving several handpositions. What is best depends on ridingstyle, frame size and so on. What is right on one bike could be wrong on another.

the "wobbely" bit is very much likely to be coming from the V-racks.
the frame of the BD is very much twisty, wobbly resistant.
any wobble I've found has come from the V-racks

there are a couple of ways to address this.

my favorite method is to use a stoker bar

so you use a straight bar attached to the seatpost
use the stoker bar as a "bump stop" to push your cargo up against.
use a LongLoader and use the same method.

I've been using those Titec H-bars for at least 2yrs now.. maybe 3.

the thing that will change compared to the C bars, is that you will lean forward more, therefore placing more of your weight over the front of the bike.
this is a significant change is muscle use.
with those C bars, you sit very upright, and chances are that you pedal in a stomping motion, that is, like going up steps, where you're pushing on the pedals. the reality is that your back foot is applying weight on the crank, therefore, every time you push down, not only are you applying effort to drive the bike forward, but you are also applying enough force to actually drive your rear leg up.

with a more forward lean in body posture, this posture allows the rider to pull up on the bars more.
as if mimicking a dumbell incline bench row
http://www.physicalfitnet.com/exercise_video/dumbbell_incline_bench_row_with_neutral_grip_.aspx

all of this about form, and technique
+ how to secure your cargo.

more pics on loads.

the idea is to lay heavy items low, lighter items up high
these pics are tool boxes. pretty damn heavy, and the cardboard box is full of bike parts.
this load did not "wiggle"

simply in that the majority of the weight is applied down low, on the WideLoaders, and pulled "into" the frame of the BD. that is... the weight of the load is focused low, and drawn inward.

the holes in the snapdeck are reinforced with 1" copper pipe, that I've cut into ringlets, and pressed into position, epoxied with 5 minute epoxy mixed with shavings from cutting the copper, beveled down, countersunk, to provide a smooth transition. (5 minute epoxy can hold to something like 1500psi) the copper ringlets take the brunt of the pressure, the snapdeck simply holds them in place.

run looped straps thru the eyelets, around the V-racks and down to the outboard side of the WideLoaders.

and of course, you can use a front rack and panniers too.

this pulls everything together under its own weight.

another option is to cross over the SnapDeck in the same method, and this allows the weight of the cargo to pull everything across the entire frame/Vrack of the set up.

the cardboard box, is simply secured to the SnapDeck, pushed flush with the stoker bar (acting as a "bump stop")

the BD has those wide sections in the frame that are a kin to footrests.
use those to apply weight to. they are perfect for that. as if, specifically engineered as such.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/2872508399_e735870490_b.jpg

I like the h-bars on my Dummy. I've also got them on my Pugsley and will try them on a touring bike this summer.

as to Vik's dummy
if you take note of the front Rotor
that is either a 160mm or 165mm rotor
the black you see on the braking surface is due to high heat
you want to avoid that
the solution is to use a larger rotor
or cary less weight
(not meant to criticize his build. I see lots of BD's with small rotors)
the issue is that with a small rotor, the increased pressure/heat at the pad, wears brake pads out faster than a larger disc.
the larger disc, has more leverage, therefor less pressure at the pad is needed to exert a given amount of braking power, and of course, less pressure is less friction, which is less heat.

the attached pic is a 203mm rotor

O.k. I'm thinking about adding a rack to the front. Part of the wobble problem I think is that I'm carry alot more weight than I weigh. I'm 5'3" and 115. I was thinking about the H bars before I got the extracycle build. If it quits raining I'm going to pedal down to the bike store and chit chat with my mechanic.

Just put Titec H-Bars on my Surly 1x1. Is it me, or are they really that flexy when you push on 'em?

Meanwhile, I went nuts and swapped my old MTB riser bar for a Jones H-Bar, Loop version. We've all heard it before: someone pays more for an item and suddenly it's the best thing since sliced bread, right? They make it sound like a miracle cure for whatever ails 'em. Silly.

But....(here comes the big butt again), this Loop bar is immediately 100% (to put a number on it) stiffer than the Titec bar. Difference in materials and build, I guess, as the Loop is titanium and it has that, well, loop to stiffen the whole thing.

I put a hundred miles on it, and decided to raise my stem a couple of inches (which required a new fork).

Result? Feels like a whole new bike. Much more upright...and I like it. Feels like I could ride it all day (which I'm about to do)...but with the Loop, I can drop my whole body with a change in hand position.

In short, I like having options with equipment and a bar like the Loop or Titec H-Bar gives you that: options.

Unwrapped on the bike:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/3364816174_aeb8c2c972.jpg

And wrapped, out/about:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3550/3373794749_c541f03360.jpg

"Just put Titec H-Bars on my Surly 1x1. Is it me, or are they really that flexy when you push on 'em?"

never noticed flex. but i don't yank on em real hard, or jump off of things...

those Jones bars are real nifty no doubt! whoa! huh? awesome!