wow..riser bars
 

i've seen a couple bikes on fgg and what not with riser bars so i decided it seemed like it would be something fun to try..i wish i would've done it sooner. i have been riding profile stoker bullhorns for a while and it's such a nice difference. i feel like i have so much more control now and i can accelerate a thousand times faster. they even make my bike feel more fun in a juvenile..cruiser kind of way. anyone else try this bar setup and feel the same way?

mos def.. riser bars and oury grips smooth as milk chocolate.

i would like to try them some time...what ones do you reccommend-im sure it doesnt really matter, and do you cut them to decrease the width?

Yes definitely!
Risers rule!
Have been preaching the gospel of Riser ever since I've been converted!

The bottom of the line Easton EA30 are quite nice/tough and not too expensive.
I have some nitto/salsa chromo ones that I like a lot.
Your LBS might have a bunch of used ones for cheap.
Basically what you need to figure out is how much rise you want.
A lower rise will make gripping narrow at the stem more comfortable.
Then again I run about 4cm of rise with no spacers below the stem and gripping narrow is still fine.
A higher rise will also give you more options for adjustments.
I did cut mine down a little bit - about shoulder width plus some extra on both sides.
The first ones I cut down too narrow and it made climbing a PITA.
You will want them wider than drop or bullhorns (well at least I do).
Hope that helps.

if you want to get new bars then i would say look at Easton bars..they start off fairly cheap and are quality bars. i went into this shop that always has used bike stuff and picked up a nice pair of cannondale bars that were pulled off a new high end cannondale for $15 so you might want to try that approach. as far as cutting them down it's up to personal preference.

that's what i just setup on my fixie and all i can say is i love my ride WAY more now. it's so much more fun to take my fixie for a cruise now. i feel i can accelerate alot faster just sitting down and i like sitting a bit more upright.

you've just summed up EXACTLY how i feel after switching to risers two weeks ago. my bike is so much more fun to ride now but i think i need to shave another inch off both sides. try oury grips if you don't already have some on there. they are the cream of the crop.

yah man. this is my nishiki: http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005...ryanFraser.htm

tons o fun to ride. it's a total nice change from my gardin which is set up for speed and skids. i ride the nishiki around on the weekends and have a blast. i even have some ape hangers that i throw on every now and then for shiits and giggles.

b

Got the Icon riser bars/Oury grips combo on my KHS Aero track and its a blast.
got a cheap pipe cutter at the hardware store and had 'em chopped in less than 5 minutes.

yeah i'm going to get some oury grips but for right now i'm using some trials grips that look pretty neat and feel nice. my only issue with the riser bars is skidding feels kinda odd..i don't skid much anymore but since i do ride brakeless it is something i have to do every now and then.

i have riser bars on both of my track bikes....and love em' its like riding a big bmx...the steering is so much more agressive....the only time im ever gonna switch is for the velo at kissena for which i have some nice 35 nittos....

just practice a few times and you should be fine. i can't skid as well anymore but i haven't tried many times. i don't like to skid alot anyways but i do every now and then if the situation calls for it or i want to show off to friends how cool a fixie is. it just feels a bit off trying to put my body over the bars.

*hugs*

this is great. more love for the risers. actually, i switched from risers to a flat bar on my raleigh. really didn't need the rise on that bike. same width (about 44cm), though. i'm obsessed with trying different grips on them. went from oury to ruffian lock-ons to oury lock-ons to race face grips.

the control is outstanding, which is really crucial for urban navigation. long skidding is harder than with horns or drops, but who cares about that.

I just switched to risers on my bike too. now if only the damn lbs can get my hub in so I can ride again...

is it wierd to have to have your hands in the same position all the time?

that's one thing i was worried about but i haven't noticed any problem with it yet. it puts me up in such a comfy position that i don't even think about wanting my hands anywhere else.

what about when climbing hills?
you do much of that?

I have risers on a single speed road bike and now on my fixie. I noticed when climbing hills it keeps me in a good position to both stay seated and pull up pretty hard. I get up hills pretty quickly on the bikes with risers.

Also I hardly ever commute more then 7 or 8 miles one way on those bikes so hand positions aren't a problem. If I had a 15 or so mile one way commute though I probably would keep drops.

I climb plenty of hills in SF. Feels no worse with risers than with any other bar. Just don't cut them too narrow otherwise you won't have enough leverage.

Skidding works well too, standard ones as well as fancy variations (over the bar / throught the frame / no handed, etc.). Again same here, don't cut them too narrow otherwise your thighs might squeeze/trap your fingers if you tend to curl them all the way around your grips.

you can put your hands as close or as far from the stem as you want, which offers many hand positions. i've done 75 mile rides with risers, and started to develop some hand pain at the end of the ride. however, for going around town they can't be beat.

climbing? lots of hills in seattle. no problem with risers/flat bar.

For an even longer thread on Risers, including a note from Sheldon Brown (he's pro raised stem to flat bar), visit this thread:

Riser Bars - pro or con?


P.S. I rock em, and like them more than drops.

Yeah, it really comes down to intent and preference. I race MTB and love the width/height of risers for their control (less twitchy steering input) and greater climbing power (more upright position-->stronger power transfer, wider bar-->expanding lungs/rib cage).
However, when riding on the road I can't afford the aero penalties of having a wide, upright chest/riding position.

If you're looking for comfort and control, by all means run a riser (or rased flatbar). If you're looking for speed/long distance endurance, better stick with a set of drops that fit your shoulders. Sounds like a lot of people are rockin the urban scene here, so I can totally appreciate the want for a more laid back position. But trust me, touring 100k on a hardtail w/slicks is much more painful than a roadie w/drops.

I've got some old-school Club Roost bars on my Trek, and I've gotta say, they kick the ***** outta even the Syntace bullhorns which I used to love so much.

Here are some pictures of my setup. The bars are a bit wide but I am not riding in a narrow gaps right now so I haven't cut them any shorter.

http://www.brandonchalk.com/images/b...ie_risers1.jpg
Yup. No name riser bars that cost me about $3 I think.

http://www.brandonchalk.com/images/b...ie_risers4.jpg
Closer ....

http://www.brandonchalk.com/images/b...ie_risers2.jpg
From the cockpit.

http://www.brandonchalk.com/images/b...ie_risers3.jpg
What the whole ride looks like next to my brother's pond.

powertools is the KHS house brand.