Lolly Pop

Bad news. My mechanic can't seem to figure out how to install them. He spent an hour on it. Seems to be a problem of where the cable goes and in which direction.

I posted a question on the Bicycle Mechanics forum asking for help. The bike remains in the shop until this is sorted, which means no ride tomorrow.

Lolly Pop

Hello everyone. I am delighted to report that my handlebar conversion is complete. My short ride back to the office today at lunch suggests the bars are a good fit for me. I particularly enjoyed the ability to hang on to each side of the bars to get going from a stop at a light. I felt like I was able to put a lot more power into each pedal stroke than I would have with the drop bars.

A big thanks everyone who helped with advice and photos.

I will post a photo tonight when I get home.

Lolly Pop

As promised, a few pics of the new set-up. . . .

Butterfly bars, photo 1
Close-up of butterfly bars

My ride home was excellent, though I have to unlearn the reflex to reach down when I want to brake.

The riding position is excellent, and the Fizik bar tape and gel pads really cushion the vibration. I am very pleased.

The other thing is I feel more in control of the bike with the new bars. Not sure why that is. I think it just basically feels like a more stable set-up.

Thanks again for everyone's assistance.

balto charlie

Looks like your mechanic did a nice job. Surprised it took him/her so long to figure it out though. How do the bar ends feel?? or should we call them bar middles;-) i have a similar set up less the bar ends. Charlie

roadfix

Congratulations.... your mechanic did a very nice job with the setup. That definitely looks comfortable!

Lolly Pop

Thanks for the feedback and compliments. I agree that he did a nice job. There is a double layer of gel padding under the tape, so it's quite cushy.

The bar-ends feel pretty good. The angle of one of them needs rotated away from me by a few degrees, but otherwise, they seem to work just fine in that spot. It was interesting today to be able to change gears while taking off from a start under load, as it were. With the levers in their previous location it would have been more difficult, as my hands would have been up on the hoods for the start.

I'll be doing 60 miles on Sunday so I will have a very good chance to see if the new set-up is as comfortable as it seems.

Can't wait!!

Wil Davis

Nice job with the conversion! I still have the bar-ends I tried in an earlier experiment, and your pics have given me an idea which I might try the next time around. I eventually found a black stem - slightly longer and steeper, so my bars are now slightly higher, and they're more comfortable than they were.

Glad you're happy with your set-up!

- Wil

rmwun54

The set up is interesting, I am always amazed at how different people with different bikes can set these bars up so uniquely. I have these bars on three of my bikes and I also have my own unique twist to this set up. For one thing I have an extended brake lever that reaches all the way up to the front of the bar, which comes in handy when you have to brake in a hurry. This way you wouldn't have to move your hands to brake, a safety issue I think. And I use foam grips instead of bar wrap on the bar, which I feel is more comfortable to the hands. And thirdly the postition of the bar placement I have chosen provides some interesting performance variables that are quite applicable to mountain bike and road riding. It you are interested in my take I will post a pic of my bike....

Lolly Pop

Thanks Wil!

Yes, please post a pic! I am considering using my old brake levers horizontally on the front portion of the bar, like many people have done their brakes with moustache bars. I don't think I will alter the current set-up for some time, however.

I showed pics of the conversion to my touring club last night, and a number of them mentioned how popular these bars are with German riders.

buttbybrooks

Here are my trusty barcons fitted to a trekking bar. My gear head cousin used a 3/4 inch step down drill bit to take about a millimeter off the inside diameter of the bar.

oknups

Adjustable butterfly bars from Wall Biicycles, with T to hang bag from.
As set up I can grip near the far front of the bars and lean on my forearm near the back, sort of aerostyle, or relaxing stlye if you prefer.
Nice bars, adjustments unlimited.

Lolly Pop

I just wanted to say that I discovered a new position the other day, when I was quite exhausted climbing a hill: with my hands on the most forward position of the bar (i.e. furthest from me, arms straight out).

Very comfy for climbing, surprisingly. Shifts the weight centre forward, which seems to make things easier climbing.

It's like oknups describes above, except the angle of my bars means I am not leaning on my forearms, simply reaching.

Those bars from Wall, are they the ones that pivot at the centre?