|   Flipped Cruiser Bars? | bk19
Sep 19, 2003 12:35 PM | | I believe there is at least one person here who has set up their bike with a set of cruiser style handlebars flipped over to get a "poor mans" dirt drops. I have been considering doing just this thing on a coffeshop cruiser/ easy sunday ride bike (either fixed or fixed/free), but was hoping to get some feedback first.
-How are they comfort wise? Are they easy to get a comfy hand position(s)? What about longer rides?
-what brake levers are you using? Mtb? Aero or non-aero Road?
-Grips or bartape?
TIA! |
| That would be Hollywood. | SS Jerry
Sep 19, 2003 1:05 PM | | NM |
| yeah I'm one of 'em | Hollywood
Sep 20, 2003 3:21 PM | | I got a used pair for $6 at a local shop.
they're comfy for short hauls, your hands are almost at a 45 deg. angle. But for longer rides I got un-comfy. I've since played with the angle, swiveled them down more and it feels better, so I don't know if it was the angle or what. Can't beat the price tho. It's on my fixie, so only running the original Modolo Speedy front brake.
search "hollywood trek" for pics.
I'm sitting in the Aspen library typing this, time to get back out to the Rockies. :)
Yo,
HW |
| ... and after a few more rides ... | GlowBoy
Sep 22, 2003 1:18 PM | | (BTW, I started with the Nitto bars, but later switched to some old steel cruiser bars that had the same overall width but had less flare, and were wider at the "points" where you mount the brake bodies. My comments apply to both bars - although the steel ones were better than the Nittos - and to both the inverted and upright bar positioning).
I thought they were fine for moderate rides of reasonably short duration, but after a few miles, like Hollywood, I could never get the position dialed in quite right. Either they were too high to be comfortable (too much wrist pressure) or too low to be secure on the downhills.
I think part of the problem is that the long straight "end" part of the bars is TOO staright. It needs to have some curve to it and cradle the hands, as drop bars do.
Those are my experiences. Your mileage WILL vary. Personally, I plan to go back to flat bars for real mountain biking, and drop bars for road and adventure biking.
Brake levers: use MTB levers if using the bars in the upright position and mount them outboard of the forward "points" (in which case road levers would bottom out against the bar before engaging the brake sufficiently). Use Road levers if using the bars inverted and mounting them out on the ends of the points.
Also, use bar tape! Grips won't cover enough of the bar or let you fully take advantage of the multiple hand positions available. |
| Sexly posted a photo with this setup ~2mos. ago (nm) | 1x1 Speed Craig
Sep 19, 2003 2:52 PM | | |
| my scorcher | club
Sep 19, 2003 4:07 PM | | yup, running an alloy cruiser bar upside down on my fixed gear scorcher. using mtb brake levers. grips at the ends, then cloth tape for a bunch of useful hand positions. |
| Ya sure | hitekrdnk
Sep 19, 2003 5:09 PM | | The best thing to do is get where there are several pairs of cruiser bars and grab ahold of them and see what feels the best. Chop whatever you need, but you generally want to leave at least a couple of inches before the bend. As seen on this bike an aero lever also works well. |
| Sorry I'm late! I got em w/pic | Sexly
Sep 20, 2003 3:06 PM | | Alright I got the bars from 1x1 Craig, so I am not sure exactly what brand they are but they look pretty standard. They are VERY comfortable, especially for commuting, but are a bit wide on the trails here (my 23" risers barely fit sometimes). The two best positions for me are with my arms straight out on the down curve part or on the bar ends, where my brake levers are. The brake levers are just some crappy old Schwinn aluminum levers off of some old 10spd, mated to cantilevers. Got them for $5 at the LBS. With the brakes on the end there is no need for areo levers really. I use bar tape. Like I said I love them and they are really sweet for my SS setup that I use to commute around town and campus. |
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