flyingscotsman

Putting slicks on to my mountain bike as it is now only being used on the road.

Should I put bar ends on the handelbars?

Have been told it would make my road ride comfier!

Your thoughts please.

Maelstrom 

It would make xc feel better to. Allows for more hand positions and going uphill lets you really torque.

If I had a pure xc bike I would get them in a second.

forum*rider

I had bar ends. They kept slipping though, almost caused me to slip and smash my balls into the frame while I was riding.

Point being, if you get bar ends, make sure they work.

JohnnyTheFox

I love mine, I dont think I'd feel comfortable on a bike without them. When I rode a hired bike on a trip to a trail a while ago I kept reaching for them. It got kinda frustrating not having them. Is there any reason not to have them??

khuon

I have them and find them quite useful. However, on really tight trails, they can become a hinderance. Ever hook a branch with one of them? Also, they can skewer you in some crashes too. In general, for my type of riding, their benefits outweigh the cons.

roadfix

You'll be glad you have them on steep climbs....

Dinstee

I love them because of the ability to rotate your hands to a thumbs-up position. VERY COMFY on long hauls.

geoduck

Some comments in another thread regarding the 'dork quotient' of bar ends on a riser bar.

Comments?

I'm guilty as charged! I ride a riser with bar ends.

But, nearly all my riding involves significant climbs of 800' or more, and the bar ends are a godsend for my hands. I would be interested in trying a flat bar, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Howey

I also ride with risers and bar ends and like the afore mentioned 'geoduck' i can honestly say that i wouldn't feel comfortable without them, think i'd have to push the bike up hills if i didn't have em!

seely

I run a 3" bar end on my singlespeed and with a flatbar, its really the only way to go. When you get on the ends you feel like you're on a 28" bar without the tree snagging width. For a road conversion, DEFINATELY get them. Your hands will thank you! If you are using them on the road I would get the ski bar ends and wrap them and your handlebar in cork tape. Its far more comfortable than the stupid rubber grips out there.

Sp@eder

IMO, a MTB is not complete without bar-ends. More hand positions, comfort on long rides, ideal for climbing. Plus, I think they give you more protection against irresponsible car drivers who slam their doors open without looking first (especially the longer ones with a bend). Oh, and they look good too.

FoX Rider

I walk steep climbs.

zanq

I run bar ends on my XC risers (both geared and SS rigs) as well and will never go back. What others say has little meaning to me, who cares what's "fashionably correct". Typically, the individuals making such ignorant comments like that are the pansies I'm waiting for at the top of the climb........on my singlespeed!

DocRay

Bar ends...first they were cool, now they are not...
Well, my new bike has the now-cool riser bar (soon to be uncool) but it was way too wide, I cut off 2" and put on Serfas barends. They help with fast turning for leverage, really help on climbs and prevent hand numbness -the same reason people used them ten years ago. The Serfas are light, cheap and small, I've got the plastic ones. they would probably sell 10X more if they made them out of CF and charged 10X more.

Trauma

first thing i did when i bought my bike is got the lbs to throw on some new titec stubby bar ends. the alternate hand positioning is great and i dont feel fixed in one postion. for road riding i would consider bar ends a must have.

Raiyn

I hate barends with an unquenchable passion

rmwun54

I say bar end are for those who.....seek comfort, variation on the ride, and maybe a position for a little more aero posturing. I found this to be the case with the Nashbar ATB multipositional bar. But then some would say that this would make it a little unsafe to reach for the brakes; unless you have Delta's brake extenders: modified of course, then you could brake easily at the aero postiion. Whatever, everyone is correct for choosing the bar ends for all the reasons mentioned.

qmsdc15

Damn, Raiyn! You must have had a very bad experience with barends.

My new Marin hybrid (dork alert!) came with tiny carbon barends. They feel so nice, like polished stones. Its a happy place for my hands to go.