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I've got a Surly Krampus and am looking to change the 711mm Easton Havens. It's my only MTB so gets used for everything from trail centres, natural trails, bikepacking etc.
Does anyone run two sets of bars or bar/stem combos such as a wide bar/short stem for trails etc and a greater sweep bar/slightly longer stem for bikepacking / longer days out, or is there one bar/stem combo to rule them all?
Haven't used anything like the Jones Loops or Surly Moloko so whilst they'd be ideal on the bikepacking / long days out for a more comfortable riding position, not sure how they fare on the narrower, woody, steeper stuff.
Yep I've a Gamutt riser bar for trail center stuff and a Richey Kyote Comp for general duties
Sounds like an excuse to buy another bike....
I've one bike, two sets of wheels (fat and 29), two forks (Sus and rigid) and two bars (riser and swept).
One bike to rule them all 😁
Yes, I use different stems & bars for different types of riding.
I also find it more convenient to attach a fork, frame, drivetrain, wheels and other components to them, to save time.
On my SS (Ti travers Angus II) I've got a 70mm stem adn flat USE carbon bars for XC racing and night riging (cos it's the only one my light fits on) and a 90mm stem on some love-mud weirdo jones-esque type bars, for long days in the saddle.
Being an SS, it's just a case of swapping brake levers..
DrP
I have a fixed wheel bike i swap between drops, chopped risers and wingbars (aero stylee not DMR)
Drops are for days out/ long rides
Risers are for popping to the shops/ ride to work (its very close)
Aero bars were an experiment / used when i commuted further
Obviously I don't swap them on a daily basis, the risers are on there most of the time, but if i was planning a Sunday ride (and wanted the added inconvenience of 1 brake and no freehub) I'd swap over to the drops.
I also have 3 front brakes, as they all need different levers, its easier to change the lot
An alternative is a wide flat bar with inboard bar ends, works really well for mixed terrain riding.
I have a technically capable rigid 29er with Jones Loops. On this bike I can't say I've ever thought having a wider flat bar would add to the technical ability - it would if the bike was a FS or a LT HT but not for a rigid.
not sure how they fare on the narrower, woody, steeper stuff.
Perfectly well, advantageous even, IF they suit the bike to begin with. ime they work better on rigid bikes but it's tricky to explain why. Something about they way they can aid agility but don't compete with a wide flat bar for smash-through ability.
Thanks all. Like the look of those Ritchey Kyotes and they're priced pretty reasonably too.
To those suggesting a new bike, I'm already too close for comfort to going for something like an Aether 9 / AM9 or Privateer 141, but am going to be sensible for the moment and see what these more wallet-friendly changes could be like.
Jameso, that's really interesting. It's set up rigid anyway which already limits the smash-throughability (TM) and you definitely find yourself picking through the lines more carefully compared to my previous FS. Doesn't stop you feeling beaten up at the end of it though!
smash-throughability (TM)
Oi. You can't just take out a space then claim TM on it.
: )
I thought you were talking about a DangerHolm bike.
I run loop bars on a couple of my bikes - 29+ and fat bike. Took my fat bike down the Golfie - as steep as I would comfortably like and didn’t find it was my handlebars slowing me down. Having a big front tyre probably helps compensate for a more mid-position that having a more aggressive ‘gnar’ set up to make the front wheel work harder.
Funnily enough I've been playing about this week with two sets of bars and two stems fitted at the same time. Normally run Jones loop bars but finding around the 4 hour mark I'm getting hand pain and just wanting to ease it by turning my wrists away from the 45 degree angle. So I've put a longer stem under the 40mmm stem with some Thompson risers fitted with ergon gp3's. Controls are still on the loops but now I've got more hand options. Looks wise it should probably only be ridden in the dark but I don't really care! It's a fully rigid fat bike just for clarity.
Swapping out enough parts and your 1 bike becomes a little like Triggers broom.
I have a fixed wheel bike i swap between drops, chopped risers and wingbars (aero stylee not DMR)
Exactly what I do between drops, risers and aero base bar. Even use the same stem as it seems to work okay (although it shouldn't really). Having no gear or brakes levers to mess around with makes it such a quick an easy job that I change bars just before going out for a ride sometimes.
I have a fixed wheel bike i swap between drops, chopped risers and wingbars (aero stylee not DMR)
Drops are for days out/ long rides
Risers are for popping to the shops/ ride to work (its very close)
FFS, I've gotten to the stage where I can't be arsed swapping wheels for commuting during the week, let alone swapping bars to pop down to the shops.
Not sure if it's been covered, but if:
a) you had hinge-type brake levers with gear shifter and dropper lever attached to them ispec/matchmaker style,
b) you had grips on each bar,
c) your hoses were long enough for both bar/stem combos (this should be a), really)
D) you kept bar1 attached to stem1, and b2 to s2
it should be a 5 min job to remove top cap, loosen stem bolts, undo brake levers and replace onto other bar, slip off old stem slip on new, replace and tighten top cap and stem bolts.
I tried this with local bars (740mm) and away trip bars (810mm). After a short while I ended up sticking to the wide ones for everything and just going slower in the tight bits - until I didn’t and then had a nasty crash... Then bought a longer frame and switched to 770mm all the time.