bar ends on a hybrid...yes or no?

lizzylad84

hey folks, ive recently purchased my first propper bike:D im chuffed with it, its a trek 7.2fx hybrid. im just wondering if fitting bar-ends would be any addition to my bike, or would this just be totally wrong?

Darkglasses

I'm thinking of getting the same on my hybrid, don't see the harm as long as they're low profile ones. Extra hand position is nice, and convenient for when you're flipping the bike over.

el Bastardo

If you think it'll work for you, why not? T'hell with what other people think: They're not you and they don't ride your bike.

AltAccount

How far do you ride? Having options for more hand positions can be good on longer rides. For shorter spins I'd doubt they'd be much addition?

lizzylad84

on average its 30ish k per cycle. having a look on ebay, postage is expensive enought thou

nomdeboardie

I've never ridden a hybrid, with or without bar-ends, but I'd imagine they'd be usefull for pulling on while accelarating or climbing out of the saddle. + I sort of like the look - a bit edgy, like animal horns :cool:

Enjoy the bike

nilhg

I put a set of these on my bike, find them great, just be able to change your grip makes a big difference.

easygoing39

Very popular amongst professional mtb racers in Europe,but only used by 1% of mtb racers in Ireland or the UK.I'd never feel the need to use them myself,and I do alot of 30k + training spins on my mtb.Try them on your bike and see how you get on.

Gavb

As said above the extra positions they provide are great.
I got a set of Giant Contact Ergo in Wheelworx (I think) for €15
Very comfortable, I highly recommend them.

deandean

I haven't used them but they don't look right to me.
If I was to have a 2nd grip position I'd want it lower rather than upper.
Look at the drop bars on a road bike.

smacl

I've bars ends on my hybrid and use them all the time. Mostly climbing, but also on longer spins when I just want change hand position and stretch the back out slightly.

2 Wheels Good

easygoing39 wrote: »

Very popular amongst professional mtb racers in Europe,but only used by 1% of mtb racers in Ireland or the UK.I'd never feel the need to use them myself,and I do alot of 30k + training spins on my mtb.Try them on your bike and see how you get on.

Find that hard to believe so few use them, have been using them with 20 years (scary!) and feel they're a part of the bike now (once they're fitted properly).
Use them regularly and even for on road/city use they're hand protection from wing mirrors/falls.

shayr

Bar ends came on my MTB when I purchased it and straight away didnt like them - felt they made the bike to wide and just got a strange feel when cycling with them on it. So took them off - after doing few 40 - 50 Km spins got an idea to put them back on but this time not at the end, I removed the hand grips and slid the bar ends in close to shifters and put the hand grips back on.
So they are positioned like mini Tri bars - perfect for changing hand positioning on long spins
The type are not the ones that plug into the bar ends but are rather clamped around it - hence I could position them anywhere along the handlebars.

youcancallmeal

smacl wrote: »

I've bars ends on my hybrid and use them all the time. Mostly climbing, but also on longer spins when I just want change hand position and stretch the back out slightly.

Yep I'm the exact same. Have these on my Trek 7.7FX.

Just note that you will have to cut out a hole on the handlebar grips to make the bar ends fit so if you find you don't like them then there is no going back!

Mycroft H

What about handlebars like this?

Dermot Illogical

Years ago I had them on a mountain bike and found them very useful.

rflynnr

As several contributors have already pointed out, the need for bar ends is probably based on how you're going to use the bike. If it's a short commute, they're probably inessential. However, I use my hybrid as a touring bike and thus the additional hand positions offered by something like this can radically alter comfort levels experienced over a day in the saddle. They're also very useful if you're facing a steep climb.

doozerie

I fitted bar ends very soon after buying my first mountain bike and found them handy at times when off-road (they provided some protection for my fingers), but they are very useful on the road where I've always used them a lot. Many years later I still use them. I highly recommend them but I've seen them fitted bizarrely on the odd bike, either pointing upwards almost vertically or angled back towards the rider, and if fitted like that they are of no use at all and are potentially dangerous.

Eamonnator

I have these on my mountainbike. They are really comfortable, they are padded. They also look quite tidy. They are expensive, but, in my opinion, they are well worth the money. I'm sure, they are available cheaper than CRC.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=20790

langdang

Ya, don't see why not on that bike. They might look odd on a sit up and beg granny shopping bike, but on that trek they won't. And they will give you more hand positions (the major negative of the flat bar sports hybrids)

clonmahon

rflynnr wrote: »

I use my hybrid as a touring bike and thus the additional hand positions offered by something like this can radically alter comfort levels experienced over a day in the saddle.

+1 to that. I toured on a hybrid last summer, when you spend long days on the bike bar ends are essential to give you a range of positions and avoid numb hands.

I never had that problem with drops, some how when I ride with drops I just keep changing hand position, without even thinking.

endacl

I have them. Wouldn't take them off. Would replace them if somebody else did....

shayr

End Bars moved to centre

check_six

There is a bike regularly parked in my neighbourhood that has a unique setup whereby there are bar-ends attached to the end another set of bar-ends on the handlebars. Must remember to get a picture someday.

In other death-trap bicycle news, has anyone seen the bike with the front forks made from medical walking crutches recently? Or has the inevitable happened, and the rider has had to switch the crutches back to their original purpose?

lizzylad84

found these on ebay? anyone heard of them before?

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/BE-001-Full-carbon-mountain-bike-MTB-bicycle-handlebar-bar-end-100g-/261010133389?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item3cc56a918d#ht_998wt_1112

BostonB

I have them on the MTB I use for commuting 14k each way. Probably on them most of the time, its the most comfortable position. I tried short ones and didn't like them. Mine are a bit longer than many I see. The first set here.

http://www.bikepro.com/products/barends/barends_tioga.html

jaqian

lots of hybrids have bar ends. i put some on my 7.2fx and wouldn't be without them but i frequently cycle more than 100km and its great for changing hand positions so you don't get pins and needles :-)

doozerie

lizzylad84 wrote: »

found these on ebay? anyone heard of them before?

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/BE-001-Full-carbon-mountain-bike-MTB-bicycle-handlebar-bar-end-100g-/261010133389?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item3cc56a918d#ht_998wt_1112

Personally I wouldn't go for carbon bar ends, particularly if the bike is to be used for commuting and the like. Bar ends on bikes used for utilitarian purposes are more likely to get knocks and scrapes (resting bike against walls, locking it in bike racks, etc.) and it's not the kind of treatment that carbon handles very well. The alloy bar ends on my MTB (used exclusively for commuting for years now) are heavily scratched, plus there is the odd chunk missing from a couple of falls, but they are still going strong, whereas if they were carbon I'd have replaced them ages ago.

It's a personal preference thing mostly. Those carbon bar ends are very cheap so the cost of replacing them wouldn't be the issue, but I just wouldn't fancy having my hands near them if they got damaged.

021CRETE01

lizzylad84 wrote: »

hey folks, ive recently purchased my first propper bike:D im chuffed with it, its a trek 7.2fx hybrid. im just wondering if fitting bar-ends would be any addition to my bike, or would this just be totally wrong?

Go for it!Buy alloy and not carbon.I spent €40 plus on carbon ends and broke one on my first fall.Nothing on a bike is "wrong" if it fits and works.