Bar ends with flat bar or no bar ends???

Skeeter1

Kona Fan
Hi,
I'm hoping for a mixed honest response to this question......
I'm building a 94 kona Kilauea and was planning on fitting flat bar with nice bar ends. As I'm getting closer to finishing I'm thinking maybe it should have some riser bars? My heart is telling me flat bars but voices are saying riser!!
HELLLLLP PLEASSE!!!
THANKS :)
 
flat bar. Never like bar ends. Always found them gave me an unsafe feeling. Risers just look wrong to me on a mtb
 
Re:

bar ends?

2020 ….why on earth would you have bar ends on 780mm wide RISER bars
Getting the bars between trees on single track is hard enough without bar ends to catch on everything...and what is all this about cycling distance? It's about jumping isn't it? Bikes look utterly stupid with bar ends.

1991 ...bar ends are just excellent on my 500mm wide FLAT bars. They are great for relieving hand position when I am doing 60 miles cross-country in a day. I can shift hand positions to push myself back to relieve back strain, drop forward into a tuck on the smooth downhills. I can haul on them and get my weight forward on climbs. Bikes look utterly cool with bar ends.

There you go....
 
Re:

Depends what you find better to ride, it's your bike after all.
Personally I find flat bars "look" right on a retro mtb.
I have bikes both with and without bar ends, imo bar ends can look great on a retro mtb, they are one retro component you rarely see on modern bikes, but they definitely have their uses.
Only thing I avoid is bar ends on Riser bars, it's like the Mtb equivalent of socks with sandals :facepalm:
 
Re:

3 questions:

How often are you going to ride it?

How far are you going to ride it?

Do you want it period accurate or comfortable?
 
Sorry,I never intend to fit at ends on a riser bar..I know that's a massive No no!!

The choice is riser bar or flat bar with bar ends.
My preference is as it was when I had it set up in the mid 90s,with flat bar and bar ends for riding x country having a different position to ride and climb.

The riser bar is an option but feel I'll be making a silly decision going for it.
 
My old Zaskar has the original 540mm bar/ bar ends/ long stem and it is still 'comfortable' long distance.

The older MBK has a 650mm riser bar, short upright stem and is comfortable over long distance

The even older British eagle has a 670mm Nitto 'bullmoose' bars and is comfortable over long distance

The Konas were set up for flat bars, long-ish stems and bar ends, they rode great like that. They also rode brilliantly with short stems and wide bars to give it that trials/ jump style ride along with suspension forks.

Ride whatever suits you, as above, each bike is different, each rider is different, ride whatever is comfortable.
 
Re:

Big Cheese - nice comparisons

My '90 Marin ti climbed ridiculously steep and loose inclines and just hauled up and up, with me using the bar ends to get exactly the right balance of rear end traction and front end actually on the ground. These were loooong loose ascents on the South Downs - lung busting and demanding.
Descending was just terrifying.

My 2018 Cotic does not get me up the same inclines at all. Either front end wandering and lift, or rear end washout. It's not a bad climber, but it's not the extreme goat of the 1990's. Descending is fabulous, over the most demanding rooty routines.

Chalk and fromage.....
 
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