Portis

I have searched this forum and still am clueless. What exactly is the purpose of bar ends? Is it to gain leverage when climbing? Is it more comfortable on long rides?

RegularGuy

I will give up my bar ends when they pry them from my cold, dead hands....

They provide leverage for climbing, and, I think, open your chest up to make breathing easier.

They give you another hand position for long rides, and if you use longhorns, you can even get something like an aero tuck out of them.

I don't know if I would use them with riser bars, but then, I don't use riser bars.

bac

You got it - they are mainly for climbing, but some use them for other reasons. However, with the wide-spread use of riser bars, they just aren't cool enough to sell anymore.

Buzzbomb

Yeah, the old bar ends on risers question. When bar ends first came out there were issues with riser bars being able to hold up to the higher forces applied when using the bar ends, and manufacturers said don't do it. Now, the bars can take the strain, but for some reason the fashion police have decided that ends on a riser is a fox pass...(faux pas)

bentrim

I was considering some but decided against it due to peer pressure!

My reason was so I can change up my hand position on long rides (2+ hours).

Here's what I have found through my research:

- Only for XC riding. It would look dorky on a freeride, or DH bike.
- Only on straight bars; not risers.
- Only the small styles (like Titecs). Not the big bull horn style.
- The LBS rider told me to forget it and to learn to climb without them by keeping my elbows tucked in.
- Advantages: could save damage to your levers on a fall.
- Disadvantages: could catch low hanging branches on narrow singletracks.

montlake_mtbkr

funny, I was peer pressured into putting bar ends on my bike. I found them useful at times, however with my new Answer carbon fiber pro riser bar I can't install bar ends without voiding the warranty. ce le vie bar ends

bentrim

Oh, forgot to mention I use riser bars so it would break rule #2 if I got 'em!

To quote Bruce Lee: "If it works, use it." And yeah, they do look kinda spiffy.

Maelstrom 

There should be an option

5 - Bar ends have a purpose but not for me or my riding.

Thats my choice. I understand why they exist and agree there is a need. But they are like clipless pedals. They don't work for me on my bikes on my trails

Jim311

Enh, I run riser bars, and I'll admit to being a victim of the fashion police. It's just.. not done.

Cornish_Rdr_UK

They also protect your gear pods, brake levers and computers (if you have one) when u crash to a certain extent

rasheed

that's exactly what they're for. gaining leverage when climbing.

i guess i've broken some of the rules the others have posted. i run a riser bar on my tassajara and have a pair of gary fisher fish stick bar ends on them. they're not the small ones that bentrim mentioned, but they're not the long bull horn ones that come around and cover your fists either. they're usefull at times, but they can also be dangerous at others - think snagging them on a branch or tree as you're flying by at some insane speed while riding some really tight singletrack.

iamthetas

i had some called flattops.they fit the hand really nice so on long rides it was nice to give them a break.the fashion police do not ride my bike and they cant keep up with me cuz they are too busy looking at what doesnt measure up to fashion standards. on long climbs they are great even with riser bars due to body geometry.no longer have the bike with the flattops and they no longer make them so i have some elcheapos i install if need be before a ride.talk about funny looking,grips past ends for quick install of bars ends,that gets looks from fashion police all the time.if you find soome you like try them out for yourself and see if they help,if they dont it is better on tight singletrack (imo) to not have them yet if you see on the map that there are climbs longer than a mile you may appreciate them a lot.still looking for some that fit the hands well.does anyone make any that are shaped like o triangle and not circle or oval?

d_D

They are usefull for providing an extra hand position anytime you don't need to use the brakes. For long smooth xc rides or when you ride a long distance on pavement the extra hand positions are nice. I think the sweep on a lot of the early riser bars didn't work well with bar ends and other sorts or riding have become more hip (freeriding etc.) sealing there fate for a lot of riders.

Al.canoe

If you use the larger ones that curve over your hands, they push the brush aside and therefore provide protection. If you hit a tree, they'll allow you to bounce off the tree and keep on going rather than grabbing the bars and making you into a tree hugger.

Al

a2psyklnut

I've often thought about getting a set of the really long L-shaped ones and mounting them inbound of my shifters/levers and opposite sides. IOW, so the bar-end points toward the outside. This would provide hand protection and offer an additional hand position.

However, I too bought some carbon bars and decided against it.

L8R

Jay_2004

I thought bar ends were specifically referred to the plugs that go into the end of your bars so that if you get a handle bar in the chest...it doesnt do to much damage?

Avalanche325

I use them. I ride XC, do lots of climbing, and also ride on the road.

For XC the do act as a sort of brush guard. They also give me another hand position.

For climbing they allow me to get weight further forward.

For the road an additional hand position and aero tuck.

A REAL mountain biker would take no notice of the fashion police. Isn't that for roadies

tFUnK

if that's the case, then what are those bars that attach to the ends of your handlebars called? =]

khuon

That's what's typically known as handlebar plugs.

I run barends with flatbars for all the reasons everyone mentioned previously. I do a lot of long distance XC and they come in useful on climbs (especially long grinders) as well as giving me more hand positions.

Hunter

I will also agree with those who expressed reasons to have them. They work well in giving a alternate position, for example a rest position for those epic rides.