Trekking Handle Bars?
 

I have a Giant Escape,Hybrid, which is very comfortable to ride. I have ridden the GAP and C&O 2x and it works great.
My question is I am thinking about Trekking bars for more hand positions. What are the pros and cons? I really don't want drops because I think I could retain the same shifter/brake units.

I like the butterfly bars on my bike versus the flat bars. I get better hand positioning as well as a couple more positions than I would get with flat bars. And yes the MTB shifters and brakes are a direct swap over.

Aaron :)

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I have been using butterfly bars for the last few years. The good thing about them is that you have a lot of hand positions and you can use standard Mtb brake levers and shifters. The problem with butterfly bars is that on gravel or rough surfaces the place where you grip, while staying in reach of the brake levers, is too narrow to offer proper leverage. So, in my experience, butterfly bars are fine on roads and good surfaces, but not so good on rough tracks. This especially comes into play going downhill, where you want to keep your hands on the brake levers.

Magnus Thor
Iceland

JRA , Having a 10: &2: grip is quite comfortable, hands on the front quarters.
down hill, i found having the brakelevers, at the rear , combined with putting your
weight back off the saddle descents are OK, but Magnus may have more
volcanic rutted unpaved routes he has ridden, than I.
Given his Location..
My 2 trekking bars share the installation of Rohlof's grip shifter. on them.
Avid speed dial levers, on 1 bike, Magura HS33 on the other..
[ITM-Koga-Miyata sourced, 3 types, 2 on bikes 1 not.]

options:
on Harris website they show setting them up like a Mustache bar ,
with Road type brake levers on the front. curve of the bars.
so there is that set up..

J bend Guidonnet levers like Velo Orange offers, may be something
to allow more side of the bar brake access ,
if set up to mirror the curve, under rear to side bend...

I have shoulders a bit wider than average and long hands. Tried butterfly bars BBB multibar, but they didn't work for me. They are 58cm wide, but the outer curves steal a lot of space from the horizontal parts, so you end up with rather narrow bars. My wrists didn't like them at all. Like Magnus said leverage is not that great with these bars. If you will find them wide enough then they might be a not a bad choice. An improvement to plain MTB straight bars.

I find an albatross bar or wide MTB bars that sweep backwards way more comfortable for wrists. Nitto Northroad will accept MTB levers and has sweeps long enough to adjust your riding position a bit. They are definitely wide enough for myself. Beside, they look gorgeous. :)

ITM Freetime is less wide than the Kalloy types commonly sold.
[under various brands]

[coffee and tape measure]

At 53 wide, about like sliding the Ergon GC3, grips on my Brompton M3L

the 2D shaped bar and combined yoke ITM 'butterfly' ones are 57, wide,
but i dont grip the sides as much as Fwd curve.

Nitto mustache and the chromo albatross are also about 53~54 wide.

Glad to see this thread, the search function doesn't seem to work. I've been toying with the idea of the trekking bars (butterfly), very common here in Europe. Just need some different hand positions for my wrists. But I too worry about where to put my brakes/shifters. Trial and error I suppose.

I put mine on with the open part back towards me and the brakes levers up on the curves up front,where my hands are most of the time.Don't have to move my hands to use the brakes.

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I just put the trekking bars on my touring bike this weekend, went for a ride. I have 111 mm adjustable stem, the open end facing me. Have to say, I'm loving them at this point, and for a first time wrapping bars, not too bad either. I love the different hand positions, and the fact that I can stretch more forward and lowering my body down a bit. Much more comfortable. I should have done this a long time ago!

My trekking bars saved my tour! When we first took off for a year-long tour with our kids I had standard mountain bike bars. Within a month my hands were hurting so badly I could barely function. I was so determined to keep going, so just bit the bullet and did it, but it was to the point where I was in excruciating pain each time I had to shift (grip shift that twisted). I couldn't pack my bike as my hands hurt too badly. I had a hard time writing. As soon as I got off my bike, I cupped my hands in front of me to protect them to make sure my kids didn't bang into the them.

After two months we knew I couldn't do it any longer. We swapped out my entire handlebar system for the trekking bars to give me more options and put basic thumb shifters on that I could shove with the palm of my hand rather than having to actually use my thumb. It took another month or so for my hands to heal, but they did. I still have problems, but nothing terribly bad any more.

I can't imagine using anything other than the trekking bars now.