to cut or not to cut that is the question.....
05-16-08 | 05:43 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,491
Likes: 4,898
From: San Jose (Willow Glen) Ca
Bikes: Kirk Custom JK Special, 86 De Rosa Pro, '84 Team Miyata,(dura ace old school) 80?? SR Semi-Pro 600 Arabesque
to cut or not to cut that is the question.....
the handle bar that is.....
I am putting barend shifters on a bike was down tube before. What are the pros/cons to cutting a bit of the end of the handle bar so that the length stays the same?
thanks
I am putting barend shifters on a bike was down tube before. What are the pros/cons to cutting a bit of the end of the handle bar so that the length stays the same?
thanks
05-16-08 | 05:47 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 33,657
Likes: 1,119
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Cut the bars if the extra length of the barend shifters gets in your way while riding. Otherwise why bother?
05-17-08 | 05:05 AM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 30,225
Likes: 649
From: St Peters, Missouri
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
When fully extended the bar end shifters add about 2 1/2" to your handlebar drops. That's quite a bit. The last time that I redid my bike I cut a bit off my handlebar ends but I didn't take the whole 2 1/2". I think that I took about half that, maybe even a little less.
The bottom line is that I'd forgotten about cutting the bars until your post. It's been one of those modifications that "disappears" when I ride so it must have been the right thing to do.
The bottom line is that I'd forgotten about cutting the bars until your post. It's been one of those modifications that "disappears" when I ride so it must have been the right thing to do.
05-17-08 | 07:40 AM
#5
fender bender
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
From: St Paul, MN
Just make sure not to cut too much off the bars or you could run into one of the bends and the shifter won't insert all the way. It happened to me with some TT brake levers. Doesn't take much of a bend to mess it up.
05-17-08 | 11:04 PM
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,244
Likes: 1
From: Auld Blighty
Bikes: Early Cannondale tandem, '99 S&S Frezoni Audax, '65 Moulton Stowaway, '52 Claud Butler, TSR30, Brompton
I trimmed my bars to account for the 'fixed' length of the bar end levers. It works for me (I don't bang the levers at traffic lights and when climbing out of the saddle) YMMV.
