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Anybody ever try one of those trekking or butterfly handlebars?


Dottleshead

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I like to ride long distances -- especially when I'm on my game.  For me, anything over 60 miles is pretty long distant.  I have toyed with the idea of getting on of these handlebars as they look comfy (more places to put your hands and cut back on fatigue) but I guess they do take some getting used to and I hear some of them have unwanted flexibility.  I also hear taping them is a nightmare.  But from the few reviews I've read is that once you've gotten used to them -- they're great.  Anybody?

Image result for trekking handlebars

 

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@Tizeye has some handlebars similar and seemed to really like them the last time we got the chance to ride together.

It's been awhile though so I cannot say what he's using now or what he thought. Perhaps he'll chime in. I have drops and mostly ride on the drops occasionally on the hoods.

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3 hours ago, goldendesign said:

@Tizeye has some handlebars similar and seemed to really like them the last time we got the chance to ride together.

It's been awhile though so I cannot say what he's using now or what he thought. Perhaps he'll chime in. I have drops and mostly ride on the drops occasionally on the hoods.

Wow, you have a good memory. That was back in the 60's. I think you sold them to me for $1 which was a lot of money in the day and I thought over priced, but you said would make me go faster on my Huffy.

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4 hours ago, Dottie said:

I like to ride long distances -- especially when I'm on my game.  For me, anything over 60 miles is pretty long distant.  I have toyed with the idea of getting on of these handlebars as they look comfy (more places to put your hands and cut back on fatigue) but I guess they do take some getting used to and I hear some of them have unwanted flexibility.  I also hear taping them is a nightmare.  But from the few reviews I've read is that once you've gotten used to them -- they're great.  Anybody?

I think a revisit to a bike fitter would be in order - especially considering your "never on the drops" comment.  The drops provide two more hand positions, so you're losing perhaps 40% of your options, and most likely it is because the set-up you currently are riding is not right for you.  But my comment really only relate if are talking about a road or maybe cross bike.  On a hybrid or some types of touring rigs, those handlebars might have a place.

Tom

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18 hours ago, Dottie said:

I like to ride long distances -- especially when I'm on my game.  For me, anything over 60 miles is pretty long distant.  I have toyed with the idea of getting on of these handlebars as they look comfy (more places to put your hands and cut back on fatigue) but I guess they do take some getting used to and I hear some of them have unwanted flexibility.  I also hear taping them is a nightmare.  But from the few reviews I've read is that once you've gotten used to them -- they're great.  Anybody?

Image result for trekking handlebars

 

If you or she needs them, use them!

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I am always surprised about the comments I get from pro drop bar fans.  Hey, I like them too.  But folks just don't seem to get I'm no into the 'ride for speed' posture.  With the type of riding I do, drop bars make zero sense.  I read a piece from a guy that trekked for over 10 years before he figured out that he didn't need them either.  You bastards should cut me some slack and realize it only took me 5!

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7 minutes ago, Dottie said:

I am always surprised about the comments I get from pro drop bar fans.  Hey, I like them too.  But folks just don't seem to get I'm no into the 'ride for speed' posture.  With the type of riding I do, drop bars make zero sense.  I read a piece from a guy that trekked for over 10 years before he figured out that he didn't need them either.  You bastards should cut me some slack and realize it only took me 5!

...the guy I met here who has done the most miles on a bike (he was taking a break from doing an around the world by bike tour) had a straight bar setup on his bike, with bar ends IIRC.

Every time I see someone go by me out on the bike trail hunched down low on a set of aero bars, I feel sorry for them.  Part of the reason I'm out there riding is to look around at the scenery, not down at the ground.

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1 minute ago, Page Turner said:

...the guy I met here who has done the most miles on a bike (he was taking a break from doing an around the world by bike tour) had a straight bar setup on his bike, with bar ends IIRC.

I know.  Biking setups seem to be a bit different for each of us.  I started out riding with a straight bar and after about 15-20 miles my arms and hands would start to fall asleep.  Plus there were only 2 positions for your hands.  On the grips or on the sides of the bar grips.  Riding the hoods or going down the middle on the crossbars of the drops seemed to help. But now I'm thinking maybe the 45s of the Orange Velo's crazy bar may work.  I don't know.  I suppose it's like a saddle thing.  You don't really know until you try them.

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11 minutes ago, Dottie said:

I know.  Biking setups seem to be a bit different for each of us.  I started out riding with a straight bar and after about 15-20 miles my arms and hands would start to fall asleep.  Plus there were only 2 positions for your hands.  On the grips or on the sides of the bar grips.  Riding the hoods or going down the middle on the crossbars of the drops seemed to help. But now I'm thinking maybe the 45s of the Orange Velo's crazy bar may work.  I don't know.  I suppose it's like a saddle thing.  You don't really know until you try them.

...bar ends make a big difference, in terms of additional hand positions.  Also, thosr ergonomic grip thingys are pretty good.  I have them on most of my straight bar setups.

If your hands are falling asleep after 15-20 miles it's usually related to too much weight on your hands and arms, which is addressed by saddle tilt and position fore and aft, not by a different bar.

 

Balance on the saddle is something a lot of people never quite figure out, which is a shame.  You need to be pretty neutral fore and aft, or at the most with a very slight forward balance.

Some of it depends on fitness and flexibility, which changes depending how much you're on the bicycle at any given time. I have a number of setups with some backward tilt on the saddle as the only way I can get a good wietght balance.  Also, too long a stem will pull you forward and put too much weight on your arms/hands.  None of this will be fixed by a different bar.

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1 minute ago, Page Turner said:

...bar ends make a big difference, in terms of additional hand positions.  Also, thosr ergonomic grip thingys are pretty good.  I have them on most of my straight bar setups.

If your hands are falling asleep after 15-20 miles it's usually related to too much wight on your hands and arms, which is addressed by saddle tilt and position fore and aft, not by a different bar.

 

Balance on the saddle is something a lot of people never quite figure out, which is a shame.  You need to be pretty neutral fore and aft, or at the most with a very slight forward balance.

Some of it depends on fitness and flexibility, which changes depending how much you're on the bicycle at any given time. I have a number of setups with some backward tilt on the saddle as the only way I can get a good wietght balance.  Also, too long a stem will pyull you forward and put too much weight on your arms/hands.  None of this will be fixed by a different bar.

Page, you give sound advice. In the first case with my arms falling asleep, there was no doubt it was a sizing issue.  It was the first bike I had purchased in 20 years and that was 8 years ago.  I don't profess to say new handle bars will fix all my problems.  In fact, I don't really have any problems right now with exception I never, ever use my drops.  I just don't.  In 5 years or riding with them, I suspect I would have used them by now.  So in my case it's about variation and maybe trying something different.  There are a lot of folks in this thread that ride long distances and many have variations.  I think I may be in the market for 'trying out' some of these handlebars but I'm info gathering now.

My wife on the other hand, she definitely needs a more upright position and I may actually pay for her to go get fitted for that.  My other option is to fly you up here and let you do it.  The former sounds a little cheaper.

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1 minute ago, donkpow said:

I rarely use the lower part of drop bars. The occasions that I do are into a strong headwind and on a downhill run. There is a shifting of weight by going into the drops. This becomes most apparent on the twisty part of a high speed descent.

I have done that on occasion but I am ok with just ducking low and going 85% of my max speed downhill too.  In other words, I find riding in a more upright position for longer periods of time is the way to go... even if that takes me a whopping additional 15 minutes longer or whatever on a ride.

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