by Mark V on Aug 06, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Here’s another handlebar set-up, combining a shallow rise, moderate-sweep bar with extensions mounted inboard of the the levers to provide an almost aerobar position. Of course, there are no elbow rests, so one couldn’t lean down on them. I didn’t have a chance to ride the bike, a Breezer Finesse. Aside from speculation, has anyone actually ridden this set-up?
There are a few bars like it, or offering those positions, at least:
Jones H-bar (Titec is making it now?)
Bontrager Satellite
Scott AT-4
Butterfly bars
The first three bars were not in production or even available on eBay when I considered such a setup, but I came by a ragged-looking Scott AT-3 that I found at a bike swap meet, and never explored a butterfly.
In my experience with that similar-ish setup, it is fine, but only if you really need wide bars for control in dirt/snow/ice. It’s great in the winter, but I’ve since made the switch to slightly-wider drops with flattened tops and cross levers. The position and control is almost invariably better.
Yep. I rode a setup very much like that for the Ski-to-Sea relay race, on the MTB stage.
See: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmythefly/3573856235/in/set-72157618933962608/
I couldn’t get regular bar-ends to go around the bend of the Origin-8 space bar. I ended up using shortened extensions from a set of clamp-on aerobars. Not having an elbow rest was OK for where the nubbins ended up putting me body-position wise, I was hammering on the pedals so there wasn’t a ton of weight on my arms. For touring or more relaxed pedaling I’d probably want more tape or an elbow rest -but for that type of riding I’d be using drop bars in the first place.
It turned out to be an awesome set up, lots of control for the MTBikey bits of the course, but on the pavement and gravel roads I flew (relatively).
Also see the [Novara Safari](http://www.rei.com/product/775749).
Share this story: