I've ridden my new hardtail three times now and am really feeling the need for bar ends. I talked to my LBS and he gave me a few options. Solely for flash, I'm probably going with carbon fiber, even though the aluminum ones are lighter. What the hell, I have nothing really flashy on the bike anyway so why not?

So we start looking through catalogs and I'm shocked at the limited selection. In my day (10 years ago), you couldn't turn around in a bike shop without bumping into a display of bar ends. Purple anodized titanium knurled carbon fiber with 5 different lengths and shapes...everywhere!

Even more shocking, though, was the picture inside the catalog. It showed an obvious cross-country racer riding a bike decked out with Profile carbon fiber...but no bar ends!

So I started looking around more and more and see VERY few bikes with bar ends. They were coming standard on bikes when I was racing and now you don't see them anywhere? What gives?

Other than the weight, what's the reason someone would NOT run bar ends on an XC bike. For that matter, why not run them on a freeride bike? Surely you have to pedal them uphill as well.

I've got bar ends on all my straight bars. There's just no way to climb effectively without them.

Good question. I was similarly surprised after several years away from mountain bikes. I find bar ends most helpful when climbing, but I also used to strech out on them for long slogs on the road as well.

Apparently they're now looked down on especially when combined with riser bars. Why? Who knows. But I certainly wouldn't hesitate to add 'em if you can find a pair you like.

Well that's kinda scary. I don't have any on my FS, but I've actually had to replace the one's on my HT because I ate them up so much. They're aluminum and I had almost gotten through the metal in a couple places. Um, not from crashing or anything, tho...I only fall down when I plan to. And if you believe that....

Friend of mine just got a GF Tassajara. I'll see if it came with barends. I haven't thought to look at the LBS. Mine work fine and are nowhere near needing to be replaced so I don't really think about it. I probably couldn't find another pair of the same ones now anyway.

nope, the Tassajara does not come with bar ends stock.

So these bar ends, you say they improve climbing eh? I have a riser bar, would they still work?

Nah, I like my bars the way they are.

Never felt I neeeded them 'cause I have risers. And the risers have a brace and I hang on that if I need a different hand position or to be more areo.

The bar ends don't work well on risers 'cause the put your hands too high, look stupid and probably not fit well unless you have intergrated brake\shift lever.
2 collars, grips and bar ends won't fit the riser-bars as you can't push the lever collar past the riser bend.-unless you keep the bars unchopped -maybe 64 cm.

Bar ends >flats yes, risers -no.

Or maybe they will slide inward enough, my bars are just stupid. I do like the brace tho -cept I can barely get the collars for the ODI grips to fit. The bars are 60 cm wide.

I think fewer people use them now because as others have stated, more people ride with riser bars now. As jeff williams pointed out, some risers don't have the physical space for barends, and plenty of people think they look geeky, out of place or something to that effect. Personally, I've always ridden with flat bars and bar ends, and changed stems to get the position I want, but if I end up with a riser bar someday I will still want my barends

When I got my new bike a few years ago, I didn't have bar ends for about 6 months and really missed them. I have a pair of Cane Creek Ergo 2s right now that I love. Plenty of people complain that they are over priced, which I don't totally disagree with, but I got a good deal and once I got my hands on them I could completely justify the price. Not quite the flashy look you're talking about though. I don't think I'll ever ride without barends, unless I get into big hucking or djing, which is unlikely right now.

I've noticed this,too. I go to the LBS now and instead of seeing the 10 dollar aluminum ones all I see is the 60 dollar carbon ones, funny thing, that .

I'm constantly smashing my knuckles on trees in tight singletrack, if I had bar ends me thinks they would get caught often sending me flying.

'Back in the day', (that would be '80's for me) riser bars were considered pretty geeky and many ran bar-ends on their flat bars. These days, stock bars tend to be risers and there is no need (for me, anyway) to run ends.

I think where I'm confused is I'm missing what exactly it is about riser bars that makes bar ends unneccesary or even geeky?

'Geeky' is in the eye of the beholder. I ran risers back in the '80's and it wasn't considered to be 'hard core' (narrow and flat bars were); but who cares? Bar ends went from being purely functional to being bling-bling with all the colors and shapes, etc. Sort of like extra chrome-stuff for the car. Which is cool, too. These days ends seem to have gone back to basics (grey and carbon) but a lot of people don't feel they need the ends with the riser bars (me included). Some still like them for climbing. That's cool.

What's 'geeky' should be the last thing that drives the decision, IMO. Why be 'normal'?

I don't fun em. Many reason, but can't type due to a cut finger. Narrow it down to safety for freeriders and downhillers. The gain to go up is not worth the sacrifice of coming down

KrisA, I have bar ends that are really low profile.

heres a link: https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=5252

I get my handlebars caught on junk all the time(fences, trees, bushes, other riders etc.) and when I switched from risers to flat bars(risers got busted in a crash) I HAD to have bar ends for climbing. Without them I would die but I needed bar ends that wouldn't get stuck on stuff, these were the solution. Had them for about 4 months and am very happy with them and they haven't got stuck on any junk yet.

I used to have bar ends many years ago, but on my last 2 XC bikes I did not use any bar ends. Instead I got a straight bar with a 7 degree back sweep and my hand position feels just fine. I also disagree that you need bar ends for climbs. On the contrary for a very steep climb, bar ends won't allow you to keep your elbows low.

Speaking of riser bars ...

Why do so many people think that riser bars are different than straight bars with a good back sweep? In other words, as long as the back sweep of the riser bar is the same as the straight bar, then wrist/hand comfort should be the same. The riser itself achieves nothing that a properly sized bike cannot achieve. For me, the riser bar is more about positioning, than wrist/hand comfort.

eh, the bar ends let you "pull" open you're chest more and allows you to get a little bit of extra air when you climb(note: this is what I was told by a fellow rider). They also help if you're bars are completely straight like mine are. BTW I would have gotten another pair of risers but these(my flat bars) were just laying around so I might as well use 'em.


The bar ends also let me get a little bit extra leverage when I stand up and climb. My flat bars are very narrow IMO, at 22" wide. My risers were 28".

forum*rider,

Actually, additional width lets you "open up your chest" and relax the shoulders (and bar ends do, in a way, add additional width). For completely straight bars, bar ends also allow you to change wrist position - which can be stressed by completely straight bars. And yes, bar ends are great for out of saddle climbs.

The real advantage of bar ends is leverage in the climb to control the front end and keep it from wandering... most bikes now, especially with risers, come with a 24" or wider bar, often 26", so really you're not going to get a huge advantage having bar ends in my experience. On my 22" flat bar they are a must, but on my 26" riser on my SS they wouldn't make an ounce of difference.

Would it pull you further forward to make climbs easier? Only time I can see risers being any use

Bar ends are definantly a must, especially on my 24" (i think) Ec70. I find that on climbs it seems like my hands naturally want to go to the position bar ends offer

I just grab onto the end of the bar like if i had the CC Ergo barends. I haven't had any issues of hand slippage, but i rarely use this position anyways.

That's what I'm doing now. Makes me think I naturally want bar ends so I'm bolting a set on.

Bar ends? Yes, in theory, however, I always maintain that if an XC bike is setup properly (IE proper length stem + geometry) then there is no need for bar ends (for climbing purposes). The reason I have them on my XC bike is primarly for a 2nd hand position and secondarily for extra leverage.

Not sure I exactly read you here, but for me personally risers correct my riding position on my singlespeed since it has a VERY short head tube... generally risers come in much wider widths than a flat (largest I have seen is a 24"), so for high leverage applications like a singlespeed I favor a wide bar with no bar ends. I easily climb as well with the wide riser as I did with the narrow bar + bar ends, on the same bike.

I think moustache bars might be nice on an xc bike, smoother look\ form.
Lots of hand positions.

the mtb fasshion dictatorship has decread that bar ends are no longer necessary because riser bars cure all your climbing problems,
They also fix badly set up shifters, brakes, riding technique while making your bike lighter.
Fit riser bars and you'll also get less punctures