All, I have decided to switch to a trekking bar for my Trek 7.2 FX. I like the bike, just do not like the lack of hand positions. My wife has a 7.2 FX, as well, and we would both be making the switch.

Who has made the switch from flat bar to trekking? Any tips? Seems like I wouldn't even need a longer stem from some of the pictures I've seen online. Anyone have any suggestions on which bar tape to go with? Which bar or bars would you recommend?

Thanks!!

SATORI ::Catalogues::

What an annoying web site!

Yes, the fact that this bar swap is relatively inexpensive is very appealing. I use my bike primarily for commuting, but we would like to start doing some tours and perhaps even work our way up to TOSRV next year. Trekking bars seem like a great option.

I always like a Nitto Albatross bar. It looks good on any bike.

Anyone have any pictures of trekking bars on their commuter they would like to share?

The Albatross is a good looking bar for sure!

Love my trekking bars! My beater/commuter/errand bike:


It's getting replaced this week with a TREK 830 in the proper frame size. It rides sweet but the TREK frame offers several advantages.The bars, racks, etc. are getting transferred to the TREK.

My "just because I could" bike:

The Albatross is an extremely good looking bar but I honestly don't understand how anyone can stand to ride them. Imagine that the grips to your handlebar are almost parallel to the top-tube and several inches behind the steerer tube. The only comfortable position I can find on them is the curves, which happens to pretty much be where MTB handlebar grips are, just much more narrow.

Crappy photo in the garage, but here's my trekking bar setup. 8-speed Grip shift, standard Shimano V-brakes/levers, Mirrycle mirrors mounted on cut-down bar-ends, Velo Orange accessory mount.

The left mirror is offset a bit because it is actually from an old Rhode Gear mirror that broke.

Sorry, I don't see why it's so hard to use ... maybe this is easier for you guys ...

https://issuu.com/artfile/docs/satori.../1?e=0/6122892

Any site that pretends to be a book (and uses flash to do so, just to make matters worse) is annoying. This is a website - there are far more effective ways to present information.

Where are you? US/ Europe?

there are Italian ones , Modolo and ITM, and there are Asian made ones , in the US. The latter are common in many distributors lists ..

thats what Nasbar's got .. & those Satori .. (its Pg 11 bottom right , looks like they copied 1 of the Modolo's)


Open face stems make the swap easy so if thestemyou have is not right , its easy to change..

I use regular padded tape .. 2 layers.. refresh the top layer , 1st layer older tape same sort.

there are foam sleeves too .. various densities .. my '04 KogaWTR had Foam tubes on its ITM 'freetime' Bars , when I got it.

It's a PDF of their actual catalogue at a 1:1 scale. That's as good as it gets. Are you guys on old windows boxes?

LOL.

Website design isn't really your thing, is it? A PDF scan of a print catalogue is definitely not "as good as it gets" when it comes to presenting information on the internet. Anyway, you are either just being argumentative for the sake of being argumentative, or genuinely not interested in understanding that there are better ways of doing things - whichever one it is, I'm out.

Bicycle content

These guys make great parts. Want to run flats on a road bike, they have nice adapter bars. Great stems, etc...

Non-bicycle content

Way to be a baby and make fun of the webpage and run off. Are you 12? If you're going to make a statement in my presence, be prepared to defend it. Argument for the sake of it? Why even introduce your original statement, if you don't want it subject to criticism? Do you just want to be surrounded by white noise, that's what you're proposing.

The whole point of ISSUU is to allow people to upload/create/electronically distribute a printed catalogue.

I don't want a fancy webpage, I want the same catalogue I can hold in my hand or read on the bus.

As far as website design goes, minimal is better. A downloadable PDF that I can print out and read on the pooper is unbeatable.

Keep on creating fancy webpages ... we'll, anyone with a reasonable understanding of Scandinavian minimalism, continue to ignore them.

If you went to your full screen mode there is a thumbnail at the bottom, to skip to the page you want to see..

[MENTION=311015]TrekCommuter[/MENTION] - Do you mind saying a little about how you chose the trekking bars over other options? Like you, I'd like to have more hand positions on my hybrid, so I've been thinking about swapping out bars. I thought about North Road bars flipped or about SoMA's Eagle bars. Did you consider either of those?

What about others? Can anyone who has used these other types compare then to the trekking bars? Would installing bar ends work just as well? (My apologies if this is a thread hi-jack. I can start a new thread if necessary.)

Murray Missile and Eric S.

Do you recall the manufacturer of your trekking bars?

My Safari came stock with them:


I much prefer them to bar-ends because you get more hand positions and more riding positions. When on the tops I'm very upright,when on the bottoms it's the same as being on drop bar hoods,only my hand position is flat,which makes it a little easier to work the brakes.

I bought mine from an eBay seller in early 2012; they have the brand XLC on them. I paid about $25.00.

Please tell me/us about your mirrors - are they intended for scooters or motorcycles? From what I've read online, mirror compatibility is often a reason riders don't want to use trekking bars.

Both mine are NASHBAR, they put them on sale every so often and if you time it right you can get them pretty cheap.

Mine were marketed for motorcycles, the ones pictured aren't the fold away version, they're my older ones, but they are located in exactly the same position when folded out. The tension for the detents is adjustable. There are numerous sellers on ebay, I just got the fold away set for about $24 a pair, the first pair I saw was listed at $99 a pair so shop around. Just do a search for "bar end mirrors".

From the most recent "mirror" thread..........

I run MirrCycles with the middle extension removed to keep them tucked in tight and on my trekking bars I run motorcycle bar end mirrors that fold in when not in use. By removing the bar inserts they'll clamp directly on the OD of the bars and tuck inside the outer end of the trekking bars when folded in.

I have about 12,000 miles on a set of the Nashbar trekking bars. Much better than the flat bar the old Raleigh came with. This is by far the best cheap option for something that came with a flat bar.

In the past year I have transitioned over to a Jamie Aurora touring bike with drops, and after about 1000 miles I am finding the drops more comfortable than the trekking.