TrekCommuter

All, I have been thinking of either Ergon grips or a trekking bar. Do the Ergon grips really make enough of a difference to justify their purchase? The trekking bar also interests me and it seems like I could use the existing brake levers and shifters from some of the posts I've seen. This bike is primarily for commuting, but would like to get into more distance riding. The few long rides I've done thus far illustrate the need for a change. Any insight or experience would be appreciated.

Thanks!

no1mad 

Ergons have helped a whole bunch of people (myself included). Even so, on a long enough ride you'll be wanting at least on other hand position to change things up a bit.

Your correct in your observation that your existing controls will work on a trekking bar. I've read where some people have had to swap out stems as well (for reach). I've also seen at least one pic here on the boards of trekking bars w/Ergons installed

scaryseth

Did the replacement myself. See this thread of a number on this. https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post14219221

Replaced the bar with Bontrager Race Flat 31.8 and the grips are Ergon GS3. Current cockpit includes a Nightrider 350 as the main light. These grips are much better then the iso ones that came with the bike.

fire

Definitely, the ergons make a huge difference over what comes as standard.

I've never tried trekking bars, but would think that they must open up a whole new range of positions and comfort.

TrekCommuter

Thanks for the feedback! Nice looking bike, Seth.

bwilliams

Heres my trekking bars on a ds 8.3

pierce

I have the ergons like 'scaryseth' above, on a flat bar. I found I had to cut the flat bar down to like 550mm (21") from its original 600mm+ (23") for them to be really usable, otherwise the reach to the outside grips wasn't very comfortable. I'm a moderately big dude, too (6' tall, 210 lbs [down from 230], fairly broad shoulders).

I would think the ergons with the end grips (mine are the GP3) would be less useful on bars with swept back grips, as the ends wouldn't be parallel to the direction of travel, so using them would put your hands at an unnatural angle. My bike actually came with a mild riser bar with a slight sweep-back, it took me all of a week and a couple short rides before I scraped the straight bar off the smashed remains of my old bike, hah!

TrekCommuter

This is great information. I am only 5'10" so it sounds like I'd have to cut the flat bar down a bit.

no1mad 

Another option to explore if you have a straight bar is something like these. Upside is it puts your wrists in a bit more natural position. Downsides are that your controls aren't at your fingertips and you won't be able to use a bar end mounted mirror or light.

JoshSlocum

I have a 2008 Trek 7.3 FX and I am having similar issues with hands vs. bars/grips/etc. I have come to the conclusion that in my case (I'm 5'6") is that I have to reach so far forward that I have too much body weight on my hands. This seems to be what the trekking bar addresses. However, they wouldn't work for me due to the terrain I ride in. I need my hands on the shifter almost constantly.

My mod is going to be change the stem height and possibly the angle. I'm researching those presently after discussions at: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...em-alterations

David Bierbaum

When I replaced the riser bars of my old Crossroads with trekking bars, I found that I was reaching even further forward than with the old bars, but it was strangely STILL more comfortable than the old bars, mostly because of the different hand position I use on the trekking bars, which caused a different elbow position and different shoulder position, which took the stress off my neck as well as my wrists, compared to the original riser bars.

One advantage I feel the trekking bar has over bar-end/grips is that there are so very many grip positions. When my hands are on the sides, it's pretty much the equivalent of "riding the hoods" of a drop bar, and then there is the ability to lay your palms flat across the elbow formed by the near bar and side. Then there is the far bar for riding into heavy headwinds, and my favorite; the ersatz aero bar formed by gripping the inner elbow of the bars (if they are installed "riser" style) so that your forearms are gently resting against the near bars. This lets me ride in a comfortable aero position with elbows tucked close in. It's great for putting some speed into your pedaling or grinding into a moderate headwind...

pierce

heh, my old 5-er-7 speed 'cruiser', used to have these aluminum fluted 'longhorn' bars that had foam covers over most of the bar, and soft rubber BMX grips. I would grab the bars right at the gooseneck, and rest my elbows on the grips, was a perfect aero tuck for climbing hills or headwind riding. Freds in full team colored spandex on tricked out italian goodness would get mighty freaked when I'd blow by them UP a long hill on a 26" fatty wearing a tie die t-shirt and cuttoffs and sneakers on flat pedals, long hair blowing in the wind, muahaahahahahaaha, with all of 5, count them, 5 gears, ranging from 46-13 to 46-32. I'd smile and yell, SPIN, BABY, SPIN!

this is the bike, back when I did stuff like that I didn't have any accessories on the bars...

JoshSlocum

Way, way back when, riding Schwinn classics, I actually fell asleep in that very position. Not once but twice!!! First time ended up picking gravel out of my knees, arms, etc. The next time I ended up on the trunk of a parked car. Oh!!! the good old days.

TrekCommuter

David, you make a good argument for the trekking bar. Funny thing is, Ive never actually seen a bike with one, let alone tried one.

Pierce, cool bike!

no1mad 

REI has been equipping their Novara Safari with trekking bars for years. https://www.rei.com/product/807245/no...fari-bike-2013

pierce

that picture is about 10 or 15 years old. I still have the bike. I never did like that sidepull front brake, and the rear Sturmey Archer drum (installed circa 1980) never worked that well, and finally bent its unobtanium axle, so I put a spare set of mtn bike wheels on it, and had my buddy braze on some v-brake bosses, and wow, it can finally stop well. It looks like this with vbrakes......




SO now that it had good brakes (circa 2010), those gold fluted alloy bars, which were on the bike when I bought it 2nd hand circa 1978, finally cracked and broke, as did the fluted seat post. I replaced the bars with some generic cruiser bars I found at a local bike shop that specialized in cruisers... Sadly, the frame has a nasty 7/8" seat post, there's only like one made, cheap soft steel tube from Wald or something, and since I run the seat so high, I can bend it the first time I hit a firm bump sitting down. also the seat tube is too thin, and it cracked at the welds at the top tube, so I had my neighbor, a retired master boilermaker, MIG weld it. So, while the bike is still ridable, I don't feel its that safe for my 200+ lb butt, so I let my 140 lb daughter take it to the festival, and I ride my new hybrid.


btw, those are some late 70s KKT bmx pedals, and a vintage Sakae crankset The frame was made for Ashtabula, but has a square BB adapter installed in it. In that picture, it still had its 1970s Suntour V-GT rear derailleur, but shortly after that it wasn't shifting well, and I realized the top idler pulley had gone completely toothless, so now it has an Alivio or something on it, shifting a wide range 7 speed with the original suntour friction shifter.

DocsDad

I would like to get the Ergon grips (or something like them). For now, the simple addition of bar ends has made the biggest difference for me on long rides.

TrekCommuter

The Trekking bars seems pretty appealing for a hybrid type bike. I may order one soon and see if I need a longer stem.

pippin65

Was wondering if ergon grips are planning and play for a 2015 trek fx 7.2. Do they come in different sizes?

Wittyname

This thread is 2 1/2 years old, but the answer is yes