Before I watched the video I thought you was going to say you switched from dropbars. These gravel bikes that use dropbars are so friggin harsh and hard to control that I gave up using them in favor of a MTB bar. I can't even believe dropbars offroad are even a thing.
Yes I have seen people using them but in my mind (I will get slated for this) I see gravel bikes as a big marketing ploy as they are just road bikes with fat tyres...... (Runs for cover) 😮😁
The bars are for high speed capabilities not technical riding. Since Drop Bars have been the winning combo for years in Cyclecross, I'm not surprised. Commercial Gravel Bikes are just fat tire Endurance Bikes with big tire clearance. They are way more successful in the market than the ones actually designed for serious Gravel Racing (which is essentially Road Racing on a gravel surface). They are 95% road / 5% unpaved surface.
I have always thought that gravel bikes are just a marketing ploy. Oh lets put slightly bigger tyres on a road bike and call it a gavel bike and charge a fortune for it 🤔
Yes you are right the people who make the bikes just want to make more money at the end of the day and if 'Gravel bikes' do that for them that its all good. .... well for them al least 🤔 Makes you wonder what they will come up with next. - "We have had a fantastic idea lets make the bike look cleaner and less clutter and remove the ugle disk brakes that are noisy etc and put small brake blocks on that push against the bike rims to stop them....
Also having wrist pain and numbness. Ive got some riser bars and adjustable stem to play with. Hopefully one or the combination of both will solve the problem. Getting old sucks. Thanks for this informative video!
Thank you, Great information for someone looking for more adjustability and comfort! I totally forgot about the adjustable stem!!! i always find the bars are just too low!!!
Thank you 😀 Yes I totally agree. Years ago you could adjust handlebars a little but now its so difficult and it can make riding the bike so uncomfortable to
I just saw this. Straight bars are ok for short trail runs but I switched to swept back as well. It makes a huge difference. I ride trekking trail style and for hours since I have a XC e-bike. I still get numb hands but maybe after an hour versus 15 minutes before the change. Good job. No one thinking it's not cool because so many of us struggle with issues using straight bars.
Yes totally agree the straight bars do have their uses and for anyone doing short runs or technical work they will be great but for many of us they are just not confutable. Yes you can still get hand numbness but for me personally I can ride for hours and hours now with no problems and my ganglion cyst on my wrist has not returned yet. May be a coincidence I am not sure but its all good for now
Great too watch, I'm also struggling with my wrists so going to look for some new bars, I'm so pleased I came across this and thanks for taking the time to share
Thank you very much for the kind comments and I am happy it helped. I have been using them a while now and what a great difference it has mad to my rides. Best thing I ever did 🙂👍
Yes I had them on my old bike and where great but did not fit on this bike when I got it. Suppose I could have bought some but thought a new set of bars would be better
I like the bar ends that hook at the ends for the extra aero type position . I use a tarted up Carrera hybrid bike for sort of terrain you are using yours for as it rides a bit nicer on the road sections. @@JohnonaBike
Tarted up Carrera 😗😁 Love it. Yeah I don't really push my mountain bike much and never really do any technical off road stuff just gravel type rides. I did look at getting a 'gravel' bike when I got mine but as they are trendy the prices where silly.
Pretty radical back sweep bars for a mtb, but if I had your wrist I'd probably try similar. Mine are about 7 or 8% back sweep, much better than standard flat bars which cannot get on with either.
Yes you are right I was actually looking at the 8 degrees back sweep but then I found these ones and thought I would give them a go. I actually went to Halford's to see I could get the feel of some bars in the shop but they keep none in store only online. So I thought I will order these and if they are no good I will send them back. But thankfully these feel great and will certainly help my wrist 👍🚲
Glad that I found your channel, John. Liked and subscribed 😊. I am 64 years old and have been struggling with my wrists lately when riding my mountain bike on gravel trails and on the road. I am going to give these a try. Best wishes from Vancouver, Canada.🇨🇦
Hello and welcome and thank you very much for subscribing 🙂 I do hope it helps your wrists like it did with me. I was having all sorts of issues with mine until I changed them. I can go much longer (and further) now with no problems. Let me know how it goes 👍
I had this years ago when they were still called the Ragley Carnegie. It was the most comfortable bar I've ever owned. I'd get this updated version but it's too narrow for my needs/tastes now. I wish it was available in 750 mm.
I already run a pair of On One Og bars on my touring hardtail (there's a contradiction). I love them, and as they're currently only a tenner, I've just bought two more in case I can convert anyone else in the future. I have also opted for a raised stem - I use the Ergotec Charisma 45 degree stem. It just looks a bit less clunky than the stems that are adjustable. I also recommend the Lifeline ergo grips. The bars reduce my elbow pain (tennis elbow), the stem reduces my back pain, and the grips reduce numb hands. I hate getting old.
Yeah you sound like you have got it all sorted 👍 I don't understand why so many bikes now have handlebars that are so uncomfortable and usually unable to adjust. Years ago you could adjust handlebars to the right height but they seem to be set now on most bikes
You're right on all accounts. I've just bought a specialized bike. The handlebars are crap, too low and too wide the ride isn't comfortable because I'm slouched so much. This is a Large frame, and I'm only 5' 7", I pity anyone taller than me riding this bike in its, ' off the shelf' state. So, I went to Halfords, bought the adjustable bar riser off the shelf, fitted it, and set it to max, then, l cut an inch off each side of the handlebars with a hacksaw, and already, the whole experience is better. Back sweeping angled bars appear to be the final part I need, to make the ride excellent.
Yeah it seems these days this is often the norm now 🤔 and I have seen it and experienced it and many other have to like yourself. This was the main reason I made the video just to let people know there are options out there to help. Nothing worse than having a really uncomfortable bike. Since doing mine its been a god-send and made it so much better
I have old On-one fleegle on MTB and SQlabs 302 on ebike. Personally I find road handlebar hood position more comfortable, but M style bars are certainly a vast improvement over straight MTB bars, and I have toured 1000s of kms on mtb without issues. Another thing that I find helps wrist comfort is cutting the bars as short as possible, the further out your hands are from body the more extreme the wrist angle
Yeah we are all different and different bars work better for different people but those ones I had on my MTB were awful. I find my riding much more comfortable now I changed them
Hi John, thanks for the excellent video mate. Good to hear a pleasant fellow Geordie who dose not try to talk posh. Keep up the great content. regards from Chris in Gateshead.
When you get to be our age it’s all about comfort. Not being hunched over all the time makes a big difference. I’m thinking about shortening my cranks from 165 mm to 155 mm. Bad knees. I think that might help too.
I've been riding bicycles for over 40 years. As a youth I never had a problem getting my bike comfortable to ride. Maybe I was just more flexible so I didn't get the same problems, but why are bikes no longer providing ANY way to adjust the handlebar height without additional purchases? In 2010 I moved to the USA from the UK and bought a Specialized Sirrus with the intention of daily commuting, as I'd been doing in London for years. It didn't work out but I still have the bike for leisure use.... with both a stem adjuster and new handlebars to make it more comfortable. In late 2023 I bought an eBike (Magnum Peak T5), having tried half a dozen or so different ones from my local eBike shop, so this was the one that felt the best to ride, yet there's still no way to adjust the handlebar height (so I added a stem riser). We can still all adjust our saddle height easily, yet bikes no longer provide a way to adjust the handlebar height at all, it seems. Are we buying the wrong bikes, are manufacturers making the wrong bikes, or are dealers selling us the wrong bikes? Where is the disconnect between that the customer needs what the manufacturer makes?
You are very right - there was a time when you could adjust handlebars although not a lot it was often enough to make the bike fit you right. But I think now its all about how things look not how well they work. Look at internal cables 🤔 - Why ? When did cables on the outside of the frame become such a bad thing ? Who was it that thought "Oh those cables are ugly there lets put them inside so they look pretty. Yes they will be a NIGHTMARE to change but they will look pretty" - its madness and a lot of things are like that now.
People neglect oldschool commuting bikes and industry became TOO MUCH sporty. This is exactly oldschool handlebar just a little lower and with so little less sweep... Only Dutch have some really practical bikes and some are in Germany as long as I seen. For giggles I made for myself bicycle on automotive belt and cogs, single speed from old road bicycle with adequate geometry... It is much more fun than my MTB hardtail with derailers even if it is cheap one and on belt driven bike ratio little bit low on 2:1(crank:wheel cogs). This is bright example of "better not sportier". Hope Your wrists be good with that!
Yeah I think a lot of it is down to what people 'think' looks good rather than what works good. I love the sound of your bike you made I bet its a blast. Not sure if you have seen any other videos on my channel but we have folding bikes to and people might think they look a bit weird but boy are they great fun to ride and very confutable . My writs are great now thanks for asking and the Ganglion (Lump) has not returned 😁
Good video, your new setup is I think how pedal bikes used to be back in the 40,s and 50,s for comfort and distance riding. Hardtails and full sus bikes have wide bars with a small backsweep for the attack position on downhill or technical trails where your up out of the saddle arms bent out wide to absorb hits and steer . Now I,m older I get shoulder muscle aches after 2 hours of riding with my head forward and leaning on the bars to much maybe. So far I have simple turned the stems upside down to raise the bars, think I will try your setup cheers. 😀
Thank you 🙂 I like your way of thinking 🤔😁 maybe create the most comfortable bike in the world I like the sound of that. But joking aside you are right bikes have been developed for certain riding disciplines which is all good but maybe at the cost of comfort which is also VERY important. Great idea on turning the stem upside down that little extra will make a huge difference 👍
For mtb I find 12* back sweep is perfect and prefer no up sweep. Also use a bar with more give/flex, too stiff is too harsh on the wrist. 31.8 has more give compared to 35. Also lighter bars have more give. And flat bars tend to be stiffer too for a given weight compared to riser bars. Grips make a difference too, I like Ergon grips, tried ESI and they felt good but just not durable. Other thing to pay attention to is saddle height to grip height, the lower the grip the more weight on the wrist. Shorter stem put less weight on the wrist too.
That is really interesting information thanks for sharing 😊 Getting yourself comfortable on a bike is very important and it's something a lot of people don't take seriously
That is really interesting information thanks for sharing 😊 Getting yourself comfortable on a bike is very important and it's something a lot of people don't take seriously
I also did what you did with swept back bars and the riding position is much like my old motorbike days. Swept back bars on a mountain bike are more natural , I do river and gravel trails at a leisurely pace now that I. am retired. Great video and so true. My wrists also ached before, now I do not have that issue.
Its much better isn't it and for me it has to be one of the best things I have done to the bike. Like you I find it so much more comfortable with a lot less pressure on my wrists. Also why are bike handlebars height so hard to adjust now ? Years ago you could do some adjustment in height but now you get a set height that the makers decide on and that's it 🤔
@@JohnonaBike It’s all to do with current bike style fashion. Dropping seat posts? What all that about!. I use a step through city bike now for off road , all alloy frame , comfort saddle with sprung saddle “ post “ sprung front forks, and adjustable angle stem. They call it a hybrid. . The biggest selling style of bike currently. The bike community have to pigeon hole you in a group . When I saw your video I could not believe some one else had the same idea as me with the bars. I sold my Carlton large frame retro racing bike this week as my back cannot take that curved riding position any more.
Yes you are right but some of these fashion styles are just stupid. It seems to be more about looks than it is about comfort. I have a dropper post on my bike and I have never used it. I think its so you can go down technical downhill trails and keep the seat out the way but I am not totally sure. Mine is probably seized by now 😮🤣 Your bike sounds very comfortable and just what you need for a good riding experience. With a bike like that you can go for miles and be on the bike much longer as its more comfortable and isn't been on the bike more and longer the main goal not trying to look cool and trendy
John I saw your video this morning and I placed an order tonight. Shipping to the USA was $64! I still went through with the order. I want to ride my 1994 Specialized Rockhopper and be comfortable. I’m 61 years old and I still want to ride but and be comfortable. You sold me on these bars!
I certainly hope it helps you. It was the best thing I did on my bike and makes it so much better to ride. I am soon going to do a follow up video on the bars as its been a while now since I changed them
I was just diagnosed today with osteoarthritis in the thumb and a small cyst too. I’m looking for a way to change my bars that are more comfortable than the flat bars. Thanks for sharing!
Hi - Oh I am sorry to hear that but as you probably know and from what you are saying it won't stop you enjoying your bike. Especially if you change your bars to something more comfortable. I was getting really sore wrists and hands from my old bars that came with the bike and since then its bee SO MUCH BETTER. I hope you find some that suit you and I hope you continue to enjoy your cycling - Take care 😁
they look great, John, shame you had issues with your wrist tho, sounds nasty! they remind me of the american cruiser bike handlebars which seem to be a nice relaxing ride...tho, i do prefer the wider style of handlebars compared to the narrow ones I've used back in the day (personal preference :) ), but I'd love to try those curved ones! when on my bike (especially when going downhill and riding tricky terrain) - i drop the seatpost down so the handlebars feel a lot higher (and much safer when going downhill), and having a dropper post is a god send... one downside of what I've seen with gravel bikes - the handlebars do seem very low and quite aggressive (geometry wise) and uncomfy, these days I like to almost cruise along and enjoy the views.. :)
Yeah the lump looks worse than it is really. It causes no pain at all and gets in the way more than anything else with my cycling gloves and can cause numbness sometimes. Yes I know what you mean about the cruiser bikes and they also remind me a little of 'shopper' type bikes with the basket on the front. By old mountain bike had good handlebars on which were more relaxed like these ones but they were also to low and I used the adjustable stem on that bike to. Maybe its just my age but I do like to be comfortable on my bikes 😁
Go for it I don't think you will regret it plus they are not a fortune if you don't like them. I LOVE mine and it makes the bike so much better to ride 👍 - Let me know how you get on with them 😁
Yes its a bit of a minefield trying to decide what to buy I was trying to find some in local shops to actually lay my hands on and try but there was non suitable where I live so I had to take the plunge. But thankfully it worked out well. You can see at the beginning of the video when I unboxed them how I was feeling them in the hands as I ws nervous until then if they would work for me
First ride today with the new OG bars. So much better than straight bars, particularly for longer rides. Really comfortable. No more wrist and neck ache! Cheers!
Sorry just saw this reply - That is great, happy its working for you. It was a revelation for me when I got my new bars as you say so much better on longer rides
It's ridiculous that 95% of even the cheapest mountain bikes that you can't even ride on the roughest trails have those insanely wide handlebars, which are just killing your wrists for no reason. The same goes for gravel bike handlebars. Majority of people will ride them only on double tracks and roads. Again there's no need for a wide handlebar then. If you are however one of the few that needs a wider handlebar after buying the bike, you can easily buy one.
Yeah I agree I think its the manufacturers just following trend rather than what the public actually wants. Swapping my handlebars was the best thing I did for my bike but of course some people will not agree and prefer the really wide ones.
IDK if you saw the Ergonomics Guide to cycling but it talks about the wrist position you had and how swept back bars help alleviate and weird angels @@JohnonaBike
John I have put more comfortable handle bars on all of my bikes and am enjoying riding so much more with no back strain now and no wrist pain due to the ergonomically better angle.
@@JohnonaBike I've been looking for an alternative to flat bars so videos like this help and I know the effort it takes to put it all together much love👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Great post! Strangely, I had just been looking for new bars for exactly the same reason as yourself. And coincidentally have just been looking at exactly the same bars that you've chosen. I remembered I'd watched your post before, so looked it up again. You've inspired me to try those bars out. I'm keen to know how you've gotten on with them, and if your wrists have recovered? Have you thought of a follow up post to this gem? Again, great post buddy, really enjoyed it (for the 2nd time).😂
Thank you for the kind words and I am happy its inspired you to give it a go. It was the best thing I did on my mountain bike and made it so much more comfortable and nicer to ride. The wide bars were awful for me and made the whole riding experience bad. Since changing the bars its been a LOT better for my wrist and my ganglion that I named Gary 😁 has now gone BUT it did not go quickly so I cannot say 100% if it was down to the new bars or if it went on its own. Great idea on the follow up video I think I will do that as a lot of people have messaged me saying how useful that video was which is brilliant. Thanks again for the kind comments and taking the time to watch the video and reply here 😁👍
Hey John just installed similar bars on my new straight bar electric bike, what a difference, no more forward stretch as I'm only a 5' midget, these feel amazingly comfortable. Enjoy !!
That is good to hear 😁 and you are right it makes it much better to ride your bike when you are comfortable and not bending right over and hurting your back and wrists. Some don't like it as it doesn't look 'cool' but I don't care about that 🤣
Yes the old styles are sometimes the best 😀 I know the bars that were on the Fury were for technical type mountain biking but they were horrible to use and so uncomfortable
A man after my own heart. Your stem and handlebar combo is the solution I've been trying to find. I love my mtb but like you I ride trails. Muchas grasias.
Thank you very much for the comment 😁 and I'm so happy it has helped you 👍. That is the reason I did the video as I know how uncomfortable some bike set-ups can be - Happy riding 🚲
Yes I hear you - I know a lot of people don't like the look of the risers but to me being comfortable on the bike is way more important that how it looks
That lump is a 'Ganglion'. I used to have one. Hurt like hell. The old fashioned 'cure' was to bash it with a Bible (yes, that old fashioned). Mine dispersed itself too.
Yeah I know I call it Gary the Ganglion 🤣 I also heard about the bible treatment from a my sister in law and she is a doctor 😮 but at the moment its gone... nothing there at all. Not sure if it was because of the handlebar change or just coincidence but I will take it 👍
Jones H bar will change your life for the better, next step in my book, make sure to match the stem length, probably get a longer one to keep the character of the steer geometry
I have been looking at doing what John has done. I have considered the Jones bars but they cost as much as my old bike is probably worth. Hopefully, there is a cheap clone with the same relative dimensions as the Jones bar. I also do not need the extra cross bar of the Jones bar. It seems like there should be a cheaper version for sale.
@@JohnonaBike I am following your example. I ordered a pair of "Seagull" handlebars that will be shipped on a slow boat from China. Thanks for the video.
It can be a real pain trying to get the right ones to fit your bike but stick at it and it will be worth it in the end when your cycling is much more comfortable
Yes I did think about one when I got my current bike (Carrera Fury) but they were all very expensive and out of my budget. Plus I got the fury at a great discount price so I could not refuse it 😁
If Carlsberg made videos.... your best ever video John (probably!). I have the Fury too but I ride it less than my old Boardman 26" MTB, much preferring my gravel bike instead. A lot of this is down to the handlebar width for me; I don't have the Boardman now, but I'm pretty sure it was a 680mm flat. The Fury just feels too wide for me - I am 62 so maybe these wide bars don't suit me, I just feel uncomfortable. I don't get the lump on the wrist (thankfully) but I do get a numbing sensation in my left hand on the Fury. I don't know if I will buy the stem, but at £15, I'm going to try that bar. I just need to find a delivery discount code (as I'm an old skinflint!) Thanks very much, John 🙏☺ Update - having thought about it - I'm going to cut the bar down first, maybe to 700 from original 760. I'll let you know how this goes! If it fails, I know what to do next!
Thanks Phil for the compliment - best ever eh (probably) 😄 Yes when I was out on the Fury apart from that lump which may or may not be connected I also got pins & needles and that seems to have improved already I still get it a bit on the wrist with the lump but its a LOT better and that lump will need to go back down to get rid of them all together. You can cut your bars but if I was you I would try the bars I have. For £15 its worth a punt. I got the delivery off a site online but I don't know if it still works but this is the code I used - PXFREECSPOST - I hope it works for you 👍🚴
@@JohnonaBike advice taken, bar arrived today (had to pay for delivery but a total f £21ish seems OK). Just need too get rid of my first ever Covid infenction (a bad one) so I can get it fitted.
I would like to change my flat bars for something more comfortable but don't know how much of a backsweep I need. If I increase the backsweep angle, the hand position will be relatively further back, should I have a longer stem to compensate?
I had the same dilemma with the back sweep and ideally it would have been good to go into a shop and try some but in the end I took the chance and ordered online. I don't think the back sweep will be that much to need a new stem but to be sure get the bars first and just position them without fitting them or even tape them in place to see how they feel. That way you can see before you go to the hassle and expense of a new stem
Bars today have the most adjustment ever so don't know whare you got that statement of there's your bars and that's it? You get flat to 40mm Rise and so much adjustment options for backsweep if your bars are to low your forks head tube is cut to short! We use the spacers like you have under for hight adjustment bit these old bikes geometry are not the same as bikes after 2015 you'll know if you said you have a canyon if it's newer than 2015 all new headtube angles and seatpost think these older bikes can do more damage than good for the old bones when getting older im 39 I don't feel comfortable on an older bike now I had to go buy a new bike just last week 5k on it aswell in the sales waw just about died haha
Yes you can buy loads of different replacement bars but the ones I had on my bike had very limited options which is why I changed them over to the ones in the video which are a massive improvement and make for a much better riding experience . I suppose its what works for some people but not others. As for the height as well as the new bars I also have an adjustable stem as spaces would not give me the height I needed . Even spaces would not give me the rise I needed so I used the adjustable stem. Not to everyone's taste but it works well for me
No it helped my wrists and is way more comfortable plus why are they stuck in one position 🤔 I can move them around like you can on any bars but the default is mulch better 👍
