peterws

Purists, avert your beadies.

Long have I desired the Perfect Handlebars. Two decent positions, one up, one down. You know something's wrong, 'cos with the "up" bars, iIride downhill, and wi the "down" bars. . . . You guessed right.

I did have standard drops, but swapped rapidly for Raleigh Bullbars. They were ok, permitted excellent braking and riding in a competitive (I use the word loosely) manner and climbing hills comfortably.

That last bit is important to me.

But anno domini dictated that I needed a higher posture for general riding. The holes in the road (an economic guide to the state of one's nation, and therefore quality of government amongst other things) are such that a damaged neck is a distinct possibility.

Having achieved that milestone (the damaged neck, that is) it was time for a change. It is a story covering several years, and several pairs of handlebars some of which were returned.
I eventually got there. Here I proudly present, for your mirth and understanding (I come from another planet) my Forever Handlebars!! (drum roll, cymbal crash)

They offer excellent control on the flat, and downhill. But no braking, or easy gearchanges on the uphill. Small price to pay for something that handles beautifully.

shelbyfv

Sorry to hear of your afflictions. Do whatcha gotta!

BobbyG

@peterws I feel your pain...

Here are the bars on my "big" bike...


My other two bikes have conventional drop bars which still work for me so far...

Maelochs

I don't see how you get to the lower extensions unless you have no bones in your arms. Pics, please, of you using the various positions.

And yeah ... above all else, they are ugly. But who cares, if they work for you.

55murray

You warned me. And now I cannot unsee it.

OldTryGuy

NOT a PURIST and !!!

TiHabanero

Necessity is the mother of innovation. Frankenbars for sure! Nicely done.

Retro Grouch 

Only one person in the world that bike has to make happy.

BobbyG

+1 on showing pics of use.
+1 on "ugly but they work".

Wildwood

I have never understood why people don’t ride frames that fit.
For me it’s not the bars to be unseen.
5 fistfulls of seatpost and 4 fistfulls of stem height says the frame was make for someone 8” shorter than the current owner.
Can’t get leg over top tube?, get a mixte that fits.
The correct size frame fixes all sorts of contrived bike fit solutions and handles nicely.
But what do I know?
YMMV

peterws

They work well. I never tried the lower bar position before, for the reason you stated. But the bar ends have a twist up, giving ample space for everything when I'm on the pedals, and also when sat, though they're not there for that, since I wouldn't have access to the brakes!
I could probably make the assembly look better using straight, short bars as a basis. Or get somebody to do a bit o' aluminium welding . . . .

Maelochs

As @Retro Grouch, noted, they only have to please you. If they work they way you want them to .... what else matters?

canklecat

I've seen worse. Usually involving green tennis balls or clothing found along roadsides as cushions for handlebars and saddles.

peterws

I can see my talents and ideas have that "posthumous" quality to them . . .or maybe "post humorous" . . . way past idiotic.
But they do work so well for older and perhaps, more leisurely riders who like to open up on the hills. Got to be better than upside down drops . .

canklecat

On the plus side, hang a hibachi under the bar and you can smoke some ribs while riding.

GeezyRider 

I don't know about your handlebars but I LOVE your-weed free lawn.

peterws

Fake grass! Ready for mowing; it's been very wet lately . . .

79pmooney

What I am seeing is a rider who is fit best by a rather tall bike but with a short top tube. He chose to modify a stock bike with the appropriate top tube. I'm betting that the larger versions of that bike would have longer top tubes and require (for the same fit) shorter stems. Longer stems make for a "quieter" ride, ie easier, less sensitive steering.

Years ago I wrote a program into which I could enter the published dimensions of a bike and quickly find out what stem I needed to make it work. Plugged in every stock titanium bike I could get the specs for. All required custom stems. I waited until I could afford a custom frame. Paying $4000 for a "class B" fit plus several hundred dollars for a custom stem? Nah. Now do I have had those custom stems on several other bikes. Stems I have used over the years to make stock bikes fit: Horizontal quills (-17 degrees); two 180s, -22 degrees; 155, -27 degrees; 175. A bunch of stock 140s (thank you, Nitto for the Pearl 130 which is actually a 140), 135 and many 130s. (In hindsight, many of the bikes with the 130s didn't have enough reach.)

The OP and I have opposite needs for reach. We ride roughly the same seat tube size. I am always looking for more reach, either forward or down. My older 59 cm Trek 400? runs the -22 175 near slammed. I run a 140 most of the way down on my 53 cm Raleigh Competition. Bars closer and lower but my shoulders stay in the same place and the two bikes are different but work equally well. Both bikes look "odd". I am totally old-school racing when it comes to handlebar shape because they work so well for me. (Some minor changes from what they raced 50-80 years ago plus aero levers.) But to each his own. I applaud the OP for finding what works.

Ben

Wildwood

I swing from 58cm - 62 frames, with tt from 57-59, stems from 125mm-140mm. Best fit allows me to feel top tube between my knees on fast descents. Which means I greatly prefer a level or nearly level top tube framed bike.

I think @79pmooney is somewhat unique in riding negative angle stems (below parallel re ground). And congrats to him for finding multiple ‘fits’ on varying bikes - arm angle, tt lengths, stem drop, etc.

i still maintain a closer fitting frame would handle and ride more nicely (as designed) for the OP, than such an extreme contrivance. Constructive observation intended. I too applaud the OP for getting out to cycle. Best riding experience results in folks who stick with the sport and draws others in. Extreme contrivances deliver a sub-optimal riding experience. YMMV

peterws

Hmmm . . . .I've rode with much lower bars which are great for steep uphill work, 1 in 6 and worse. But terrible for coming back down those hills. You can imagine!
Now, looking out the top o' my beadies is a problem which age has dumped on me. My eyes although with lens replacements are good, they don't talk to each other, and thus, for me, a general high riding position is essential to actually see where I'm going!
But the lower bar ends are great for climbing when I can just focus, for the most part, upon the ground.
I can see no-one's convinced my solution will catch on. And why should it? We all have our own men-moments when one feels the need to . . . modify. At least I left the angle grinder in it's box . . .