Bar ends yay or nay?

[PH]

I got into MTB in probably mid 90s when they were just becoming all the rage.
I see in the intervening quarter century they are now shunned.

Are you asking for MTBing, or for using an MTB as a hybrid/touring type bike? The answers might be different. MTBing is not the sport it was in the 90's, the bikes and the fashions have changed to reflect that. Current fashion is for wide bars, with some rise and moderately swept back, you hands would be in an odd position if you added bar ends to these. There's also the MTB argument that having protruding horns is a danger to yourself and others, I don't know how real this danger is (I don't do any serious MTBing) but it gets discussed.
For more general riding, including the sort of off-road that's always been done, you're more likely to be riding continuously for a longer period, so a choice of hand positions is an advantage. Plus having your wrist in-line with your body can feel more natural, you can mitigate that with sept bars. I use the large Ergon GP5 bar ends and probably spend my time 50/50 on the grips and extensions. If I'm out for an hour I wouldn't be bothered what sort of bars I was on, if I'm out for longer being in the same position isn't good on any bar. For hills sat down, I can be on either, for standing, I'll always be on the bar ends. If you're going for really low gears to sit and spin, I can't see it making much difference.
The continentals have long been in favour of butterfly type bars, if you can live with the aesthetics (I can't), there's probably a variant of these to suit you, that offers more options than just about any other bar.

[VinceLedge]

I got into MTB in probably mid 90s when they were just becoming all the rage.
I see in the intervening quarter century they are now shunned.

Are you asking for MTBing, or for using an MTB as a hybrid/touring type bike? The answers might be different. MTBing is not the sport it was in the 90's, the bikes and the fashions have changed to reflect that. Current fashion is for wide bars, with some rise and moderately swept back, you hands would be in an odd position if you added bar ends to these. There's also the MTB argument that having protruding horns is a danger to yourself and others, I don't know how real this danger is (I don't do any serious MTBing) but it gets discussed.
For more general riding, including the sort of off-road that's always been done, you're more likely to be riding continuously for a longer period, so a choice of hand positions is an advantage. Plus having your wrist in-line with your body can feel more natural, you can mitigate that with sept bars. I use the large Ergon GP5 bar ends and probably spend my time 50/50 on the grips and extensions. If I'm out for an hour I wouldn't be bothered what sort of bars I was on, if I'm out for longer being in the same position isn't good on any bar. For hills sat down, I can be on either, for standing, I'll always be on the bar ends. If you're going for really low gears to sit and spin, I can't see it making much difference.
The continentals have long been in favour of butterfly type bars, if you can live with the aesthetics (I can't), there's probably a variant of these to suit you, that offers more options than just about any other bar.

Pretty much what I was going to say.

[hoogerbooger]

Modern wide MTB bars seem a bit daft....to me.. I can't see why you would ever need that much leverage. Wider the grip postion the shorter the top tube needs to be.....unless the bars are swept back to compensate.....but why do it ? Certainly can't chuck a bike in the back of the car so easily now. No problem with 2 or 3 in the back in the 90's

Ditto I've always used bar ends on flat bars.

Been using these since 1993, for leisure and touring...to provide a good range of positions.

When you go up hill the bar effectively gets closer...and the most forward part of the bars ends used more, particulary when out of the saddle.Also if its windy or if you just want to ride more aero.

The stubs pointing backwards only occasionally get used.... when strong tailwind to sit as upright as poss.

Never actually seen another set like these...but for me they were better than an alternative of butterfly bars.....cos I can take them off when needed.....eg for planes, bus transfer etc.

I've done quite a lot of cobbly/rooty/ trail MTB'ing in t he past with these ends on without mishap...... although I did swap them for simpler ones for a couple of races.....mainly on the embarrassment factor !!..... but some kids laughed at the bike anyway...

[jb]

I always fit them to any flat bar that can take them. They are simply and obviously useful for hills and head winds and just different hand positions. Can't see why wouldn't fit them.

Not obvious to me, can you explain what the advantages are for hills?

You can pull on them without too much strain on the wrists. Like climbing a long ladder its better to hold the rails not the rungs.

[Bmblbzzz]

The safety aspect: I was knocked off by a car driver and cracked my skull where I hit my head on the bar ends. At least, I think that's what I hit but it might just have been the road.

The best advice to the OP has already been given: ride without for a week or so, then ride with and see which you prefer.

[Nearholmer]

Regarding width of bars: my riding is mostly somewhere between modern gravel, and ancient rough-stuff, and when I’ve tried super-wide bars the only circumstances where I’ve found them truly useful are:

- on twisty single track paths, where the width gives better stability at speed. Narrower bars, whether drops or anything else, make it harder to prevent the front wheel getting bounced from side-to-side, so one either has to go slower, or risk getting “tripped up”; and,

- really, horribly rough ground, typically badly hoof-pitted bits of bridleway in the dry season, where the width again allows one to keep the front wheel from being bounced about too much, so allows one to go where desired, rather than where the bike decides.

My guess, as a non-MTB’er, is that in MTB the width is similarly helpful in controlling the front wheel against potential deflection, which probably comes at greater force given the (terrifying) speeds involved in downhill runs.

For rides of any length, I reckon plain wide bars are horrible in comfort terms, and poor in power throughput terms, which is where things like the Jones-H come in, by giving the ability to ride “upright and very wide” when needed, and “more forward, and narrower” when wanted.

[rjb]

I use mine like this.
https://youtube.com/shorts/JIjmIBms05I? ... 6MGV6PkWn6
Luggage hooks.

[peetee]

I have bar ends on my ‘89 MTB and my cobbled-together straight-bar commuter. I wouldn’t be without them. I find them very comfortable for climbing as they mimic the on-the-hoods riding position of my road bikes at a time when I was riding many many miles of lung busting anaerobic effort and needed the best position to aid breathing.
They also offer a more wrist-friendly hand angle when riding out of the saddle and the curved style bar ends offer hand-friendly bramble deflectors when riding past vegetation.

[jimster99]

I was wondering this very thing last week! I think the reason they fell out of fashion are what people already said:

- safety (you don't want to be impaled on a bar end if you fall)
- less likely to catch on passing objects
- they're not nearly as comfortable as road bike hoods
- they work even less well with the modern style of wider /angled MTB handlebars
- maybe less visually appealing?

[freiston]

I can't bear holding a straight bar for too long without wanting to change my hand position, especially wide bars - except for when I need the control. Not sure what the technical term is but I like to hold my wrists so that the thumbs are at the upper of my wrist rather than lower for a lot of the time, especially where I'm not needing to exercise much control over the bar. "Bar ends" help achieve this

Especially on wide bars, I like a bit of a sweep but bar ends on the end of wide bars are too far apart for relaxed cycling where the extra control of the wide bar isn't needed.

So bar ends inboard of the levers work well - except that they can be difficult to get in the right place on bars with a bit of a sweep back - that's why I have Velo Orange Crazy bars

They are nice for generally changing position - of the back as well as the wrists/hands, and they are good for pulling up on when the mood takes you.

https://bikerumor.com/velo-orange-next- ... -handling/

On my bike (not the best illustration):

[biker38109]

Got some of the stubby with a little bend on the end on the way.

[pjclinch]

So bar ends inboard of the levers work well - except that they can be difficult to get in the right place on bars with a bit of a sweep back - that's why I have Velo Orange Crazy bars

My missus has similar on her MTB and likes them a lot. She doesn't get on with the outboard sort.

Pete.

[pjclinch]

Pulling on them, just like hoods on drops?

I think if one went up hills any quicker with bar ends then pro XC MTB riders would all have bar ends... but they don't.
I did have bar ends on my original MTB but since changing it I still haven't quite got round to putting some on the newer one. I noticed I've had that bike about 7 or 8 years now so while I liked them I guess I didn't like them quite as much as I'd thought.

Different positions can be nice though. My general hack of several years had Cane Creek bar ends on flats that I liked and used a lot, though when I replaced that I went for a completely different bar style (swept-back "North Road") where they're not compatible.

Pete.

[GrahamJ]

First, in defence of very wide bars: you can cut them shorter, so I think it makes sense that they are supplied as wide as anyone could possibly want, and let buyers use their hacksaws. I've cut mine to about 640mm on both my MTBs. One MTB is used for local rough tracks, where the width is good for stability. The other is adapted for touring, and the main reason for not shortening those further is I have a lot mounted on them.

I have SQLab inner bar ends which I like very much. They seem expensive for what they are, but well worth it for me for the change in position.

So bar ends inboard of the levers work well

It looks like you have grips, brakes, gears, bar ends. Doesn't that make reaching the brake levers awkward? SQLab say it should be grips, bar ends, brakes, gears. This makes them very easy to reach, and I can comfortably cycle with fingers over the levers.

Not sure what the technical term is but I like to hold my wrists so that the thumbs are at the upper of my wrist rather than lower for a lot of the time

There's a product called TOGS. Thumb Over Grip System. Some say they're great for climbing.

[freiston]

First, in defence of very wide bars: you can cut them shorter, so I think it makes sense that they are supplied as wide as anyone could possibly want, and let buyers use their hacksaws. I've cut mine to about 640mm on both my MTBs. One MTB is used for local rough tracks, where the width is good for stability. The other is adapted for touring, and the main reason for not shortening those further is I have a lot mounted on them.

I have cut mine down

It looks like you have grips, brakes, gears, bar ends. Doesn't that make reaching the brake levers awkward? SQLab say it should be grips, bar ends, brakes, gears. This makes them very easy to reach, and I can comfortably cycle with fingers over the levers.

The "bar ends" are not actually bar ends but are part of the bar, welded in place - they replicate the "hoods" position of my drop bar bike quite closely. I've not heard of SQLab - I'll endeavour to look them up.

There's a product called TOGS. Thumb Over Grip System. Some say they're great for climbing.

I'll look that up too - cheers!