Im thinking of putting flat bars on my bike.


I never rode in the drops so i flipped and cut them. Now i hardly ever use the horns and im allways feeling like the place where i put my hands could be wider. I love my stem so i don't want to change and the only thing i can think of are mtb bars.

Anyone ride these and love them? Riser or flat? Im just trying to get some input before i thow down cash on another set of handlebars. Pics?

And if you're gonna tell me to use the search then just don't reply. If everyone here used the search function there would be nothing to talk about except, "hey look at my bike" and "lets ride this weekend".

much love.

Hey, let's ride this weekend
Then you could show use your new cut-down MTB bars ala...

inkd-
go get a cheap bar from the LBS and cut the muther to size and try. I have heard good and bad - so you should probably try yourself.
if you are never in the drops and always near the stem, they might work. I like the hand position options on my drop.
oh, and "look at my bike when we Hey, let's ride this weeked!" Okay!

Everybodys got jokes

I just put some riser mountain bike bars on my fixed gear. It feels a lot different than drops, but in a good different way. I bought the bars at the LBS for $5. Chopped them down to size and through on some BMX grips.

i have risers on my nishiki. they look sweet. i had to cut about 2" off each end so that my hands would be in a comfortable position. sometimes i actually want to grip the bars closer to the stem, so having a straight bar would be nice for that. if you're going on really long rides, however, i'd switch back to the horns.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...397#post695397

since those pics, i've cut another inch off each end.

Cool. I think im going to go with a pair of flat bars. But im not sure if i want bmx grips or something else. Im just not sure how risers would look with the track stem.

i can't figure out how you people are able to slow down or skid with flat bars... i've tried, and it just ain't happening at all...

That looks *stark*. Nice.

I'm still tooling around trying to get the right bars for my Mercian. Flipped and chopped was gorgeous but way to stretched for more than an hour's ride. Flat was easy, but kinda dull too. Moustache are damn weird. But flat bars definitely work.

Hundreds of Bostonians can't be wrong. I think there are more flat bars than anything else around here(exaggeration but pretty dern close). The flat bar does work pretty well for exactly what you are describing inkd. I have them on my Pista and they are nice for the shorter rides. They do, however, cause a little pain in the shoulders on the longer rides. They aren't exactly intended for the agressive position you have while riding a track bike. Give it a try, you might like them better, especially if you don't use drops.

Right now on the Pista I am using regular bar tape but I have used Oury grips in the past. Both work fine by me. It might be a looks thing vs. a function thing for me but to others there probably is a noticeable difference in feel between cork and rubber.

There are a lot of flat bars. I don't get it. I guess people don't like to sprint at all, because I just can't develop the kind of power out of a flat bar as I can from drops or especially bull horns. Plus I have a couple of different positions that I use for cruising and I would lose the shoulders of the bar if I put on a flat bar.

I've actually been thinking about putting drops on my mountain bike. Take it back to its yoot (it's an old Bridgestone).

I'm going to put flat bars on my Centurion single speed conversion. I tried the flipped and cut bullhorns yesterday for about 12 miles and the position is just too low for me (the saddle is a fair amount higher than the bars). I couldn't get comfortable, and my legs were cramping from being hunched down over the bars like that. So, a riser stem and flat bars are next for it. I know people say they don't offer as many positions, but for me they are so comfy that I don't *need* any more positions.

both my girlfriend and i ride flat bars. I actually liked them better than the drops. my back would end up hurting after riding the drops for too long so i ended up riding the flats alot. So i figured why not get all flats. I dont think i would like risers too much though. too much riding in the upright position make s me feel like im riding a hybrid and not going fast enough.

Check your local bike co-op, thats where i picked mine up at. They were like 5 bucks. Then all you haveto do is chop em down.

Plus, depending on your bikes geometry, with flat bars you might be able to spin your front wheel 360 while riding and chicks always dig that!

Yep, Im going to do the same for an old spare frame i have thats too small for me, but has the right length toptube. Quill to threadess adaptor, upturned stem and riser bars should put about right for a comfy shop cruiser.

I use flat bars on my fuji winter fixed gear conversion. I originally got them because I was putting a disc brake on the front and the lever wouldn't fit onto the nitto drops that came with the bike, so I decided to mix it up a little and make the bike more all-terrain with a set of flat bars. I have since ditched the disc brake and now just run the flat bars with a light, a bell, and a pair of oury grips (also the original fuji blue/chrome fork).

I like the flat bars because they give you nice control in traffic, they are really light, really stiff, and you can chop them down to the perfect length. The set I got has a 5 degree bend in them so it gives me a slightly more natural hand position, .

I find I can get nice power out of them, but I have my stem the lowest it can go and could actually use a little more depth (I have been thinking of trying out a set of riser bars, probably flipped, to see how they are in comparison). I do get a bit of arm soreness if I ride for a long time but since I just use it to commute to class its not really an issue.

For posterity:



II would take another picture of it with the original fork, but I have a sickening feeling that somebody broke my digital camera without telling me...

Im gonna give it a shot this weekend. I can get alot of power from just riding on the flats of my bar now. If i needed another hand position, i can be like the guy who rides around here on a cannondale time trial bike with 650c wheels--flat bar with aerobars. Im thinking spinachis.

riser bars are the bees knees on a street track bike. stable, upright, and just more fun. i always feel zippier when i have risers instead of my track bars.

I alternate between risers, Eng roadster, and flipped/clipped horns. Each is good in different way. Another vote for the Ourays though. Nice and cushy.

Yep, I'm another bostonian on a flat barred road bike, ok cross bike, but similar idea. I have a pinched nerve, so a can't use drops, but I have been contemplating barends for that strong sprinting grip. maybe those nice cane creek numbers...

I have a set of risers that I throw on my bars bike once and a while. I love 'em, the bike just feels more nimble and way more upright. If I ever sprint on them I just grab right by the stem and use nothing but my legs. PLUS the best part about risers are the wheelies!!! oh man I love doing wheelies on a fixie with risers!

Yea, I've rocked the flat bars a few times, and they're pretty b*itchin. A lowish stem, 0 deg rise, and shortish flat bars, it is awesome for riding. I like it that you are still in an upright position while riding, but you hands are nice and low. Weaving through traffic with flat bars is the best.
Cut 'em thin. Wide bars suck on the road.
I dunno about risers, the asthetics sort of bother me on a SS/fixed gear bike, but i've never used them....

I think risers look effing rad on a bike with a sloping top tube! real street fighter style hahahah

Is that a Performance "In-Line" brake lever I see?

Its a Cane Creek inline lever. I wanted to cut the bars narrower, but the lever doesn't like to be mounted on the bend. I may switch to an Odyssey Monolever, so I can cut another inch off the bars.

Don't mean to hijack the thread.....but here I go.

Any reason why those inline type levers couldn't be mounted with the barrel adjusters pointing backward on a set of bullhorns? Can you picture what I'm saying?