[Shuntstick]

Originally Posted by salvage_bikes

I think bar ends look HORRIBLE, but if it helps you ride more, it's a good buy.

They prevent your shopping bags falling off the ends of your bars too ;-)

[Saugus18]

Originally Posted by salvage_bikes

That's a headache to install, but if you want to do it, put your v-brake levers on the bar ends, and use cyclocross levers on the straight bar. You will need new cables and housings, a bike cable cutter, and a soldering gun for a nicely done job.

$20 at Price Point
http://www.pricepoint.com/images/styleImages/D_035%20CACCT8.jpg

Cane Creek interrupt levers with barrel adjusters (nice. I love Cane Creek brakes and levers, my favorite v-brake set for years).

Very nice thx for that info!

[Saugus18]

Originally Posted by Shuntstick

They prevent your shopping bags falling off the ends of your bars too ;-)

True that! Shopping bags stay put for sure... ;?)

[LarryM]

Originally Posted by salvage_bikes

.....
How about a trekking bar? That might suit a "flatbar" bike better than a drop bar. Sheldon Brown did a write up you might be interested in. http://sheldonbrown.com/deakins/handlebars.html

Finally, after 6,500 mi, I got around to replacing the flat bars + bar ends on my LHT with trekking bars. I wanted trekking bars from the start, but no one had them in stock at the time I bought the bike.

So far, the trekking bars seem more comfortable then the flat bars + bar ends, but I've only ridden them a few hours on the trainer. It'll take a couple of back-to-back big mile days on the road to evaluate them properly. I still have to adjust the height a bit and am probably going to add a second stem.

They are MTB diameter, so the old grips, Paul Thumbies and MTB levers transferred over without change.

Photo of the bike with flat bars is at

Surly Long Haul Trucker


Photos of the bike with trekking bars in the basement on the trainer are below:

[salvage_bikes]

I like them. They are on my list sometime. I'm sure I'll find a take-off set or closeout sometime. I like when they are wrapped fully like road bars, esp with tennis tape or leather tape! REI sporting goods store calls them Safari bars.

If I go on a safari, I think I'll take a jeep! (african wild animal knocks over mountain biker)

How do you like the Axiom bags? I have seen some on Nashbar, and they look pretty good, not high priced. Are the zippers metal or plastic?

[LarryM]

Originally Posted by salvage_bikes

I like them. They are on my list sometime. I'm sure I'll find a take-off set or closeout sometime. I like when they are wrapped fully like road bars, esp with tennis tape or leather tape! REI sporting goods store calls them Safari bars.

That bar tape is Bontrager cork tape with gel backing. I put the rubber grips near the brake levers because I thought the tape would take a lot of wear there.

Originally Posted by salvage_bikes

How do you like the Axiom bags? I have seen some on Nashbar, and they look pretty good, not high priced. Are the zippers metal or plastic?

The Axiom bags are great. I put one on a Giant Cypress hybrid in 2005 and another on the LHT. They hold a lot and don't get in the way of lights and other accessories like the larger Topeak/Arkel/Ortlieb bar bags do. The plastic zippers are sturdy and easy to zip.

The bag is not water proof, so, if you ride in the rain, you have to put the things you don't want to get wet in plastic bags. In wet weather it also helps to slip a big plastic bag over the whole bar bag.

[sandlynx]

I like both bar ends and also add-on drop bars on a hybrid. I prefer the add-on drop bars because I can get much lower when riding into the wind that when using just bar ends. It also allows for more hand positions to prevent numbing of the hands and wrists. I covered the add-on drop bars with 10-speed foam. It's very comfortable, and numbing is no longer a problem.
I usually ride about 50 miles per day, average, when I have the time on my hybrid. I like the hybrid because you can ride it anywhere; paved roads, dirt roads, trails. whatever. It's just so versatile, as well as being built tougher than a road bike. And, with the roads getting worse and worse in my state, using a bike that can take the bruising of bad roads is a plus and one that can give you reasonable speed too.

[bjjoondo]

We just didn't see any real "hand relief" from the "bar ends" we installed and they looked like YUCK, jmho. We took them off and switched to Ergo GP-1 grips and it's amazing the "hand relief" these grips give over the stock grips and bar ends. Our "longer distance" bikes have, Euro Trekking bars and Gel bar tape, that combo works great for us 50+ riders.

[ChristineO]

I had the bike shop put bar ends on my Trek Neko today. Haven't tried them out yet, but it looks great!

[mikemi33]

I bought a pair of silver Specialized bar ends for my Sirrus Sport today. They just fit...lol. Barely. The bike is blue/silver, so I think they look ok. I'll post some pics.