OV9

ZedLeg wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 1:56 pm
I still find my self wrapping my hands over the ends of the bars on a long climb or flat drag even though I haven't had bar ends on a bike in about 20 years.

You need to get a flat bar and trim it down to about 12" to get the full retro experience.

Me too Zed...

Including v narrow bars back in the day!

dinny_g wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:50 pm

ZedLeg wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 1:56 pm
I still find my self wrapping my hands over the ends of the bars on a long climb or flat drag even though I haven't had bar ends on a bike in about 20 years.

You need to get a flat bar and trim it down to about 12" to get the full retro experience.

Me too Zed...

Including v narrow bars back in the day!

Mine included being fitted to a Girvin flex stem.

Is that the handlebar suspension which was popular for a while ?

A kid at school had Suntour sprung forks, a spring in the bars and a suspension seat. It was like riding a bike made of cooked spaghetti.

Dave!

I still have the flex stem

Simon wrote: Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:42 am I still have the flex stem

Managed to make a baby though dude, life perseveres.

KiwiDave wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 11:14 pm

dinny_g wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:50 pm

ZedLeg wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 1:56 pm
I still find my self wrapping my hands over the ends of the bars on a long climb or flat drag even though I haven't had bar ends on a bike in about 20 years.

You need to get a flat bar and trim it down to about 12" to get the full retro experience.

Me too Zed...

Including v narrow bars back in the day!

Mine included being fitted to a Girvin flex stem.

I had a pinkish Raleigh MTB for a while and it had a flexi stem. It was rock hard so not sure how much use it was but I certainly had some snazzy bar ends at the time too!

ZedLeg wrote: Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:44 am

Simon wrote: Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:42 am I still have the flex stem

Managed to make a baby though dude, life perseveres.

Best 17 seconds of my life.

Gavin wrote: Thu Jun 03, 2021 10:27 am

KiwiDave wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 11:14 pm

dinny_g wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:50 pm

Me too Zed...

Including v narrow bars back in the day!

Mine included being fitted to a Girvin flex stem.

I had a pinkish Raleigh MTB for a while and it had a flexi stem. It was rock hard so not sure how much use it was but I certainly had some snazzy bar ends at the time too!

I remember one of my mates was well proud of his Raleigh Activator when they came out. Fuckin' useless though, the suspension didn't move and it weighed about 4 tonnes

Holding them up proves that I don't want to fit them; the bars are 780mm and the bar ends would stick out a long way to catch on foliage etc. Still have bar ends on my old Crosstrail with 660mm bars; I didn't realise how much wider the new bars were until I measured them both.

Do they fit into the bar at the end, rather than over the bar??

That’s the style I want but there are very few choices. Most seem to be the other type. I don’t really want to re-position brake leavers and cut the grips

Edit - Scratch that - there doesn’t appear to be any choices... my set from back in the day fitted into the bars like an end cap

Are they the Trans-X ones? They were what people who couldn't afford the Onza ones bought in the 90's!

Definitely leave them off!

dinny_g wrote: Thu Jun 03, 2021 12:02 pm I don’t really want to re-position brake leavers and cut the grips

because that will take all of 45 seconds to do!

I've only ever had bar ends which clamp round the end of the bars, Dinny.

They are indeed Trans X, Rich. Sadly with logo printed in white on the outside as well Of course they're staying off, though if I ever cut the bars down....


Oh, and from 9 years ago, a short article: "Whatever happened to bar ends?" https://mbaction.com/whatever-happened-to-bar-ends/

Just found this wonderful article - 15 worst MTB products ever: https://dirtmountainbike.com/bike-revie ... ever.html/

Gripshift definitely deserves to be in there (though my wife's sit-up-and-beg bike with 8sp hub gears suits it). I remember being envious of a friend's suspension stem...

Rich B wrote: Thu Jun 03, 2021 12:24 pm

dinny_g wrote: Thu Jun 03, 2021 12:02 pm I don’t really want to re-position brake leavers and cut the grips

because that will take all of 45 seconds to do!

My time is valuable...

No it's more that I'm happy with the bar width, positioning of my hands etc but fitting bar ends will lose a couple of inches of the width in real terms.

Had a lovely ride today, using restricted byways and green lanes instead of bridleways. No punctures. Managed my highest ever speed on a push-bike, 42.9mph

Forgot the photos. Gorgeous day, not so madly hot I was sweating buckets.

One of the photographers was out at Rogate yesterday, it's always nice to have a flick through to see if there are any decent shots of you the next day. Not a bad one - complete with gormless concentration face...!

Some of that trendy riding, Rich

How busy was it? I’m going to visit the Forest of Dean again but I’m planning to choose a quieter day.

Jobbo wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:46 am Some of that trendy riding, Rich

How busy was it? I’m going to visit the Forest of Dean again but I’m planning to choose a quieter day.

we've been doing this "trendy" riding for the last 20 years (should really be better!)

FoD is always pretty popular - the car parks are usually full. we do the uplifts when we go, so everyone is riding in the same direction and it copes very well with numbers.