Ever seen a bike that appears to have horns on either side? Well, that’s exactly what bar ends are. They promise to provide you with all the comfort and functionality you need, in order to have an experience free of trials and tribulations; irrespective of your age.
Although bar ends have faced a lot of mixed emotions from bikers in the past, they are essential for those passionate about mountain biking.
At a nominal cost, you can avail of a wide range of benefits that come with installing bar ends on your mountain bike. You’d be surprised by the advantages two simple bar ends have in store for you.
Let’s gain some more information on bar ends and their functions.
Putting it simply, bar ends are basically accessories for the handlebar of your mountain bike. Bar ends are what seals the deal and helped you get maximum usage, performance, and comfort out of your mountain bike.
Thought no external factor could enhance your riding experience and give your grip and an improved posture? Well, that’s what bar ends do, apart from a plethora of its other functions.
With bar ends, you get to choose the position you want your hands to be in while you take the roughest terrain with ease and low vibration.
You can also make your way uphill with minimum effort and pedal while seated with the help of bar ends. With these accessories, you can also gain control over your speed on steep slopes and well, it’s yet another way in which you can customize your bike and take it to another level.
Throughout this article, you will be able to gain information about bar ends and learn more about their functions. You will also gain insight into the various bar ends available in the market.
Through this, you will be well-equipped to make an informed decision.
Why Use Bar Ends on Mountain Bike
Bar ends, attached to handlebars of bikes have gained popularity in recent times. Believe it or not, bar ends can help you increase leverage when riding your mountain bike and also aids in finding the perfect position for your hands for a hassle-free experience.
It also helps mountain riders gain momentum when on flat surfaces and also gives your bike protection from damage in case of a fall. Lastly, bar ends also add a pinch of style to your mountain bike and are sure to give you an enjoyable experience.
It Gives You More Hand Position to Choose From
Although this may seem like a rather trivial function of bar ends, it is an important one. If you are a regular biker, you know that cycling along extensive paths for a long period of time can lead to sore and numb wrists and hands. This is due to the pressure applied on handlebars while pedaling.
What if you could be freed of this pain? With bar ends, there is not much pressure applied while riding as you can change the position of your hands and find what suits you best.
Many riders prefer handlebar grips on flat bars for the same reason instead of bar ends, but these grips do not minimize the pressure applied as efficiently as bar ends do.
Gives You Better Power & Leverage
As we all know, cycling up slopes has always proven to be a difficult task; but that’s where the bar ends come into the picture.
They increase your bike’s leverage and give you more power to make it up slopes with as much ease as possible. All you need to do is hold on to the bar ends and tilt your body slightly forward.
This motion will make sure your weight falls on your feet and you exert more pressure on the pedals and gain mechanical advantage. Imagine cycling up a slope not being an uphill task anymore.
Sounds absurd, doesn’t it? Get yourself a pair of bar ends and experience how they have the ability to change your riding experience.
Helps Reduce Vibration
Where there are engines, there are vibrations. Although the vibration varies from one to another, it always exists. The reason these vibrations differ is because of the differing number of cylinders present that reduce the amount of vibration felt and making the engine work smoothly.
This engine is mounted on the frame of the mountain bike, on which the fork is attached. The handlebars of the bike are then attached to the fork.
To be put simply, vibrations travel through the frame of the bike and reach the handlebars and make your riding experience an unpleasant one. However, if you opt for bar ends, they will isolate and minimize the vibrations felt while riding your mountain bike.
Makes it Easy to Ride Uphill Even Seated
If you’re an experienced rider, you’ve definitely stood and pedaled up a slope to apply maximum pressure on the pedals and move up powerfully.
If you’re just starting out as a biker and you’re never done this, you must have seen people do the same. Riding a mountain bike up a steep hill can pose a challenge, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced professional. This is because the bike’s wheels often don’t grip the ground well.
With the help of bar ends, your job is made easier. When riding up a slope, you can apply added pressure on the front wheel of your bike by leaning forward while dealing. Once you do this, the center of gravity reduced and moved forward, thus making the uphill ride a piece of cake.
Can Protect Against Minor Hand Injuries
More often than not, bikers get injured due to improper positioning and posture. End bars help riders obtain the right posture while cycling and prevent themselves from getting injured.
With these accessories, you can ensure that your wrists are positioned well, your shoulders are bent correctly, and your back is in a neutral posture.
Additionally, as mentioned above, those who ride mountain bikes regularly, often complain about numb wrists, twitching palms, and other minor injuries like nerve damage.
You may have also needed to shake your hands or massage your wrists due to the pressure applied on the handle of the bars.
However, with the help of bar ends, you can wave all these issues and hand injuries goodbye.
Once you use bar ends, you do not need to apply as much pressure through your hands, thus avoiding hand injuries and aches.
Helps with Control at High Speed
One more great reason to get bar ends is that will take your bike’s aerodynamics to new heights. Installing them on your bike is sure to help you increase the speed you can get out of your bike.
Let me tell you why. With bike ends, riders lift their weight off the saddle while pedaling quickly and this helps execrate the speed of the bike.
Additionally, bar ends also ensure you stay in control of your movements when taking sharp turns and navigating your way through narrow winding lanes.
This not only gives you control while riding at high speeds but also ensures your safety on these paths. The bar ends being wide apart from each other enable riders to gain more leverage, and thus more control.
Another way to Customize Your Bike
Regardless of our age, we all desire bikes that look aesthetic. Bar ends are just another accessory you can add to your mountain bike.
Bar ends are sure to enhance your riding experience, so, why not ensure it looks the way you please?
Mountain bikes offer you the freedom to customize it as you like and what better way to do so than with something that improves the aesthetic of the bike while increasing its functionality as well?
You can choose the color, style, and pattern and take the look of your bike to the next level. With the help of bar ends, you can make sure your bike looks trendy and unique.
7 Easy Steps to Install Bar Ends on MTB
If you’re worried about installing bar ends on your mountain bike, don’t fear. Here is a detailed guide on how you can get on the DIY bandwagon and do this yourself with ease.
Step 1: Place your mountain bike in a position conducive to fixing the bar ends well and expose a small section of the handlebars based on the measurement of your bar ends. Always expose 0.5 inches more of your handlebar for the best results.
Step 2: In this step, you must take out the grip. Remove the end plug and shove a screwdriver below the grip to take it off.
Step 3: Move the lever inside, loosen the levers of the break.
Step 4: Put back the grip of the handle.
Step 5: Slip in the bar end and use a wrench to tighten it, to ensure your safety.
Step 6: Adjust the bar ends in such a way that your hands return to their natural positions once you begin your mountain biking adventures. If the bar ends are too high or too low, it may pose an issue to you while riding. Hence, adjustment is key. Another tip you, tilting the bar ends towards the front is bound to enhance your grip. Don’t forget to tighten the bar ends once you have finished adjusting them.
Step 7: Adjust the shift and brake levers so they are in a comfortable position.
History of Bar Ends: Its Rise, Fall and Come back
Throughout the 80s and the 90s, bar ends were a standard accessory of mountain bikes.
However, with the dawn of modernity, riders began to do away with it, and it was treated as a mere ‘spare’ accessory; rather than a necessity.
Towards the end of the 1990s, technology came into being, and like every aspect of life began to change so did the mountain bike industry. It is during this time that companies began to work tirelessly on revolutionizing mountain bikes and riser bars were invented.
It is with the rise of riser bars that bar ends saw their fall and were used sparingly by riders across the globe.
However, they are now making a come-back, as people are noticing how they impact and change the course of riding. Riders now understand that bar ends give them supreme control over their movements, even at a fast pace; which riser bars fail to give.
They are also witnessing that getting multiple positions for your hands, an improved posture, and better grip with end bars is a great deal.
Additionally, riders aren’t worried about how the end bars look on their bikes anymore, as customizable and trendy ones are not available in the market.
Safety Concerns Associated with Bar Ends
Speaking of the safety of your mountain bike, bar ends act as the perfect armor. In case of an unfortunate fall, if your bar ends are wide enough, they will take the beating.
Why is this a blessing in disguise? Well, as you know, the bar ends cost much lesser than the other parts and accessories your bike possesses. If the bike falls and the wide bar ends hit the ground, they will prevent the rest of your bike from facing any damage.
On the other hand, you’ve surely heard of terrible injuries people have suffered from due to bar ends.
However, the suspension, control, and center of gravity offered by the bar end reduced the probability of your having a fall in the first place. Additionally, you must also ensure the bar ends are firmly secured on the handlebars; so as to avoid injuries.
5 Best Bar Ends For Mountain Bikes
1. GP5 Ergonomic Handlebar Grips with Extended Bar End Support
This brand offers bars with all-new innovation in the mountain bikes industry. Users often say that they look like the horns of an animal, but when it comes to functionality, they are supremely comfortable.
The extended bar end is long, which aids in giving an amazing grasp while riding. It also provides two or three additional hand positions, which are essential, especially for long rides through rocky trails, and also help avoid any nerve or wrist pain and fatigue.
The feel and grip the bars offer to add to the experience and is preferred by most mountain bikers. These end bars are of supreme quality that is easy to set up and are effective for mountainous journeys.
It’s a great product that helps with long-distance riding and it allows you to hold on to the grip offered in a relaxed manner, releasing the pressure of your hands.
2. Ergon GP3 Handlebar Grips with Extended Bar End Support
This brand offers exclusive hand grips that offer maximum comfort. They have marvelously served riders and have also lent a helping hand to individuals suffering from arthritis, as it helps with the pressure applied on joints thus avoiding pain and hand numbness.
They also make riding a mountain bike a pleasurable experience and allow for the ability to switch the position of your hands as per your comfort.
These end bars are also a walk in the park when it comes to installing them and offer the best quality available in the market. With these, you also have the freedom to change the angles as per your wish.
These ends only aim to please and ensure you have a comfortable and safe experience. Even for a flat-bar bike or if your hands are large, these ends are sure to be with you every step of the way.
3. BONMIXC Ergonomic Shock Absorption Mountain Bike Grips
These grips are a fantastic investment, whether you are a beginner or a professional level rider. They offer supreme shock absorption properties and can be installed without any professional help.
In addition to this, you can also adjust the position of the ends and have it at a different angle from the grip. These bike grips provide you with support and help you control vibration, which is very important for those particularly facing issues with their hands.
These grips have an extra width at the end to help take the strain away from your wrists. The bonus point with these bike ends is that they possess a slight pressure point right at the base of your fingers.
With these grips, you have the option to place your hands on the handlebar with multiple hands position, while still having control over the steering.
These bar ends of Profile Designs Boxer Mountain Bike Bar Ends will blow your mind with its features and the assistance it has to offer.
They work well even for bikes with flat bars and reduce vibrations tremendously. With these, you can easily switch positions and still maintain great control.
These ends can be installed with ease and within a few minutes. They also offer top-notch quality, and additionally also allow you to ride upright, which is a plus point for those with back issues.
It also reduces the strain that is often placed on the wrists with riding.
This brand of end bars also helps riders tilt their bodies forward and increase grip on the main handlebar, thus making the riding experience a pleasant one.
It’s a fantastic add-on to your mountain bike and has great size and bend.
5. MEETLOCKS Bike Grips Comfort Ergo Handlebar Grip
The grip and the hand rest these bars have in store for riders are beyond compare. They are a game-changer for hand placement while mounting steep slopes and flat land too.
These are comfortable and secure, only if you tighten the second set-screw, which locks and grips them into place offering better control and grip.
The padding of these bars helps to take off the pressure from your wrists, which is really great especially for long-range trail rides.
They have substance to them and can widen out, helping you push the bars, with just the palm of your hand. You can go for long, lengthy rides without having to worry about your hand’s position. These fatter more ergonomic grips can vastly help with downhill control and speed as well.
Now that you have all the information you need about bar ends and their fabulous advantages, why not make the switch and purchase a pair? They not only allow for customization options but also enhance your mountain biking experience like no other accessory.
Once you install a pair, there’s no turning back, and you can embark on your next journey in style.
Kaye is a mother of two boys who is on a mission to improve her physical and mental well-being. With a passion for trying new beauty products and stacking her supplement intake, Kaye is always eager to discover new ways to enhance her lifestyle.
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