Bar ends why

Koga Miyata is, among other things, well known for their lineup of long-distance bicycles. An oddity which is a drop bar with conventional handlebars wrapped into one. Koga Miyata would never again introduce drop bars for touring bicycles. This is the most optimal position to keep your upper body in place when you power down the pedal and engages the muscles of the arms.

But the overwhelming majority of riders would prefer flat bars, because of its ability to exert far more control over rough terrain. And soon bar ends would come in all sorts and sizes. By the early 90s, the popularity of mountain biking backed by sanctioned competition pushed bicycle bar ends into the spotlight. Every catalog from mayor brands would feature mountain bikes with bar ends. And in every section dedicated to parts, bicycle bar ends would be incorporated as well.

Somewhere along the line, bike catalogs would feature less and less mountain bikes sporting bar ends. It was in the first decade of the new millenium that pro riders would use bigger wheels , from And their bikes would also significantly increase the size of the handlebars. If you compare that to my CODA expert handlebars, which are a mere mm excluding the length of the bar ends, the difference is beyond astounding.

And everybody still used them moving into the new millennium. At the end of the first decade into the new millennium only a few riders would use bar ends. The time of bar ends was definitely over. To understand why the usage of bar ends died we have to look at the competition level. I believe you can still design a cross-country course with long enough climbs to warrant the use of something resembling bar ends.

Where you could win a downhill competition and cross-country course on the same bike in , that will be impossible today. Mountain biking has evolved in several distinct disciplines. However, some as permanent fixes on the handlebars. In the early s, bar ends were very popular until riser bars once again resumed their place, driving the existence of the latter to near-oblivion.

You should also note that despite their significance in cycling, the use of bar ends is restricted in some countries by regulatory authorities due to safety concerns. We will explore safety concerns regarding their use later on in this post.

Now, on installing bar ends, which should explain their functions and necessity, we compiled the following after extensive research:. For some bikers, fitting bar ends onto the handlebars is all about customization.

While they may have become less popular, you should note that trends do change. At some point, riser bars lost their popularity, only regain it later.

It is also true for bar ends. They make mountain bikes look unique, trendy or stylish, which could inform your reasons for having them on your ride. Cycling uphill is always going to be a difficult challenge, and without something to leverage the pull-up, it feels like the uphill task it is. They make it easy to ride bikes uphill by increasing leverage.

With your hands clutching the bar ends, slightly pulling your weight up and increasing pressure in the pedals , the mechanical advantage becomes great. The catch here is that when cycling uphill, speed drops and heart rate increases. It means without handlebars to leverage pedaling, cyclists find it difficult to maintain a steady speed uphill.

While it could have been obvious from the start that bar ends are primarily for positioning your hands in whichever way you please, there is more to it.

After long cycling sessions, especially during competitions, cyclists do report soreness or numbness in their hands. You could say it is because of pressure from handlebars. You should note that bar grips only minimize the pressure, but not entirely, hence the need for bar ends.

Now, when you have bar ends installed on your mountain bike, there is little pressure on your hands. They enable you to vary hand positioning. Whether you would want to turn your hands by 90 degrees, push your torso frontwards, stretch your spine or move your hands diagonally, they give you all the freedom to do so. Riding a bike uphill is not an easy task, even if it is something you do routinely. Increasing heart rate and reduced speed will make you want to give up and walk the way up.

However, with bar ends, things get easier. When you hold onto the bar ends, you can easily lurch your torso forward, thereby adding more weight on the front wheel. Thus, the center of gravity becomes low and shifts forward, making it less strenuous riding uphill. Without shifting body weight to the front, wheels will have a weak grip on the ground. You can imagine how difficult it would be cycling uphill on a light bicycle, only having handlebars to steer your way through to the top.

You could call it a faster getaway, which is more pronounced on flat trails. It happens when you pull your weight up by holding the bar ends, a bit off the saddle and pedaling fast. The resulting sprint is not any close to being a lead actor in fast and furious but good enough to propel you over long distances. When you assume a relaxed cycling posture, it begins to feel like cruising on a high-speed roadster.

Who would have guessed that sometimes you will hang your mountain bike using bar ends? Well, if you are thinking about using them as hooks when repairing your bike, go for durable ones. But that is not the only role they will play.

While at it, bar ends will keep delicate components of your bike off the ground or from getting scratched on surfaces. It is, especially practical in bikes with carbon handles. Thus far, you may want to go straight away into buying the best bar ends. But before doing so, it is important to ask this question: How do I choose the best ones for the money? We did some homework for you on this too and came up with the following handy tips:. Presumably, you have set your eyes on a bar end before. But you got a little apprehensive when it came to putting money on it.

It could because you wanted to learn more about these handy mountain bike accessories or you were not sure whether you need one in the first place. Now that you know why mountain bikers like to install bar ends on their bikes, forget about the rumor mills. For example, you may have heard bar ends are no longer useful, which is a big fat lie. Bar ends, we would say are a great investment, especially for bikers looking for extra comfort on the trail.

But when it comes to choosing the best one, the following tips should help you make the right decision:. The best brand will always carry the day, and so when you go out shopping, bear it in mind. Now, on finding a befitting bar end brand for your bike, there are plenty in the market both for the experienced biker and a novice. You can also check out more brands in leading bike stores.

Design, whether appealing or not plays significance when choosing an ideal bar end. We have seen and even tested several of these. The most important feature we always look out for in a design is the curving. Are you in need of a slightly curved bar end, a straight one or a one with an extreme curving?

Remember that regardless of the curving, you can always twist to face any direction. You should expect that bar ends do not have the same price tags. From different manufacturers, brands, low-end, mid-range to high-end crafts, there is something for everyone. On our part, we always advise mountain bikers to go for the best, usually high-end even if it costs a little more. Mountain biking is a strenuous cycling experience, and you will not want to install a bar end that breaks shortly after installation.

That is not our wish for MTB lovers. Another factor that plays significance when buying a bar end is the material. Are you looking for carbon fiber, titanium, stainless steel, aluminum or brass alloy? This is a question every mountain biker should ask before checking available options.

It is because depending on the craft material, bars end would last longer or break after a few weeks of use. Remember that material has a direct impact on pricing. Choosing either depends on whether you will have a good-strong grip or not.

What was the point of narrow handlebars again? There are still a handful of bar end fans out there. You may know of someone who still has cattle prongs on their bike. But they are very much in the microscopic minority. Even XC racers ditched bar ends sometime around the millennium.

So, anyway. These reissued Cane Creek bar ends. Are bar ends making a comeback?