damnable

Hi all,
This could go in a few forums so I decided to put it in general.
I am going to install bar ends and a mirror on my bike for better comfort and safety when riding the streets. (wow it sounds like I am part of a gang).

However, they are going to be used on a mountain bike that I would like to also use as a mountain bike and would like to be able to easily remove the bar ends and mirror for safety reasons when on trails. Then of course I want to put them back on again for a more commuting style of riding. It is a much cheaper alternative to owning two bikes.

However, I have been told that, if you haven't installed bar ends before, it can take you up to an hour to put them on properly. I was planning to get the LBS to install the bar ends first off and then do it myself from there. I have yet to ask about mirrors.

So, is it easy/hard to install and remove?
Any styles or brands that you know are easier to take on and off?
Any how to guides? (Or you could just tell me how to do it).
Any tips or pointers that may help?

Thanks.

Lurker1999

It'd take me about a minute to take the bar ends and mirror off my bike. Most of that time would go towards looking for the right sized Allen wrench.

Unless you're seriously mechanically challenged this is a job you can do yourself. I use a set of these Titec Hell-Bent Shorties and a Zefal Cyclops mirror. The main issue you'll have with mounting a set of bar ends is sliding the grips inward far enough to accomodate the bar ends. Or if you're very certain you'll keep them on there you can always cut the grips to size.

Machka 

Perhaps it depends on the bar ends, but I'm pretty sure mine took less than 5 minutes to put on. You just slide them over the handlebar and do up the bolt .... it's easier than setting up lights or a computer.

Mirrors are usually either clamped over the handlebars (much like the bar ends) or stuffed into a bar end, and turning a screw expands a thing inside to make it stay put.

lsits

Righty tighty,
Lefty loosey

cyccommute 

Or...you could use a Third Eye Pro helmet mirror and leave the barends on the bike while riding off-road. I've ridden many years with barends on the bike and never had any problems with them. If they curve inward, they are even helpful in brushy conditions.

mercator

I have regular bar ends and one of those cateye mirrors that mounts on the endcap. Usually takes about 5 minutes to remove them, although when I fell on a patch of ice last week, that mirror came off much quicker

N_C

Let me use Bicycling Magazine's difficulty rating they used to put in the section that talked about doing maintenance your bike, yourself. If I'm not mistaken they used chain rings, they would show the difficulty from half to whole rings. The more rings you saw the more difficult it was, half a ring being the easiest to 4 rings for the most difficult.

I would say this is only half a ring. Very, very easy.

ghettocruiser

The mirror, being non-structural, is fine, but I'd hestitate to put bar ends on and take them off too often... eventually this will probably stress both the clamps and your handlebar. The threads on the barends are usually alumium and will get softer over time.

Is there a way to mount the mirror outboard of the bar-ends without removing them?

AndrewP

I thought bar ends were used by mountain bikers to pull up better on the bars while climbing steep hills. I only used bar ends to get a more stretched out riding position when fighting head winds.

ghettocruiser

^They provide an alternate hand position... what aspect of your riding the hand position is best suited for is a personal thing, I think.

cyccommute 

My mirror doesn't come off unless my head does...and then I wouldn't really care

edp773

For safety reasons, I would suggest leaving the bar ends on for moutain biking. If mounted properly, the bar ends will help protect your hands. Removing the mirror( and putting on an end cap if neccesary) is a good idea that would only take a minute ir two.

damnable

I suppose yes, I could just leave the barends on. I am not planning on going anywhere that is too scrubby and would make the barends acts a bit like a coathanger.

As for the mirror, I'll probably just remove that as it goes and it sound like it will cause less stress that constantly changing the barends. I just don't like the idea of a helmet mirror, but I will make sure I try it out before I decide.

Thankyou for all your help.