Originally Posted by
dmott
Well your only reason is you'll look like a bum or look like you have a DUI and suspended license. And honestly, I usually will check out a bike when I see somebody on one and Ive never seen a bum (or anybody that I can remember) with their bars set up how I had mine. They were flipped upside down and turned around, so it wouldn't be just a one tool fix. And you would need to buy new bar tape since you removed the old to get the bars out. So no, I dont think the bars like that are part of a culture of bikes parked by liquor stores.
Regardless of all that extra work and money required for tape and appropriate levers, who really cares what some people think about you or your bike. The only negative I felt when everybody was staring at me is that they might think Im doing it to try to be cool, rather than just being comfortable and making the best with what I had or was cheap, but like I just said I shouldnt really care about that.
I know I should just let you be-
I see bars set up like that, and I think "hobo." I don't care if they're configured minutely differently. I wouldn't give them a second look. Hobo. Bum. DWI. You, yourself referred to them as "bum bars." I live down the street from a liquor store. I see these bikes laying on the sidewalk in front of the liquor store. I do not see these bikes out and about on recreational rides.
As to who cares... I do. I work hard for my stuff- I deserve to have stuff that I'm proud of because I've earned it. It seems that you're proud of your bike. Cool. It's a cool bike to be proud of, and it's in great shape and it's an immensely practical machine with the baskets you have set up. You were proud enough of it to post pictures on the internet and ask strangers what they thought. That's awesome. I think you have a really cool machine that's worthy to be proud of. I would like it to look nice for you. You've gotten more than 4 people in this thread that have made mention of the DWI-ness of the bike. It would be really nice if no-one made any comments about "bum bars" or "hobo" or "DWI" or "assload of beers" or 'less than a bottle of vodka and Jaegermeister.' I would be most happy if people saw your machine and ONLY thought that it was a cool bike with a variety of purpose.
I wish you the best, and I sincerely hope you enjoy your bike and riding your bike.