Author Topic: Bar height  (Read 5698 times)

Offline aliasdck

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Bar height
« on: April 07, 2019, 04:42:37 AM »
ive been thinking about trying a taller handlebar, curious if anyone has any input. I've been using the same pair of bars for many many years, they have a 7.9 inch height. I'm thinking a trying something with a 9-10 inch height.


The reason I want to try a taller bar is because I am a fairly tall guy, about 6'2". I shot a video of myself and noticed I tend to hunch over quite a bit when I ride, so maybe taller bars will feel more comfortable? I don't know, I normally hunch over while walking around anyways... my posture is pretty bad. So maybe I won't benefit from taller bars, I really don't know...


I'm also  torn on the idea because I HATE making changes to my setup because it always feels so awkward until I get used to the changes.


Have any of you switched to taller bars? What was it like for you? Any advantages/disadvantages or any advice?


Thanks

Offline metalbmxer

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2019, 07:34:52 AM »
When u switch to a 9” bar like the intrikats you’ll wonder how you ever rode anything shorter. Tricks will feel easier and your riding position more comfortable.
Dax (now in LAS VEGAS as of July 2022)

Offline FlatSociety

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2019, 01:20:35 PM »
What Dax said!

Offline nosubsteve

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2019, 03:44:59 PM »
I always find threads like this a bit misleading when people search for them.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure more rise will be great in your case, but when I've searched for answers to these kind of questions in the past I've struggled with the lack of other information like: what's your stem rise, number of spacers, what frame size/geo etc.

I'm just a pedant but if some 5'6" kid looks for basic info on bar height they'll end up with 10" rise bars on an 18" frame with 12" chainstay and always be wondering why their bike always wants to do backflips.

Offline aliasdck

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2019, 06:20:15 PM »
Good point, I should have included more info and some photos:


Frame is 2004 WTP Div. TT is 19.3 and CS are set around 13.25.
I dont remember fork steertube length but from photo it appears to probably be around 180-190mm, so already pretty tall. I am running three spacers.


Bike is old, stuff is beatup and some rust, lol. I will be getting a new frame soon, probably a utopia with a TT of 20", Im trying to give myself more room around the bike since I am 6'2", hence why im thinking of trying taller bars.






Offline nosubsteve

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2019, 08:25:34 PM »
Oh wow @aliasdck that's really cool of you to add the extra info, future generations will thank you!

I reckon the low bars will be even more noticeable with the longer tt on a utopia too, so yeah good time to give them a try.

If you were in Europe I'd get you to try my s&m atf with a 20" tt and 13.4 Cs, but I'll bet a utopia will do you great :)

Offline aliasdck

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2019, 09:34:32 PM »
Quote
if some 5'6" kid looks for basic info on bar height they'll end up with 10" rise bars on an 18" frame with 12" chainstay and always be wondering why their bike always wants to do backflips.

This made me laugh. If this poor kid even sneezed just too hard while riding around then he would probably end up on his butt, lol

The specs on the S&M ATF are intriguing. Do you ride flat on it?

Offline nosubsteve

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2019, 10:45:25 PM »
I do yeah! I try to ride everything though, so a longer back end feels more natural to me even though I'm a shortarse. (I will freely admit that loads of stuff feels like less of a stretch on a 19 though)

A lot of street/park kids are running shorter back ends, but 75.5+ head angles would take some getting used to with a zero fork!

Offline aliasdck

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #8 on: April 08, 2019, 04:10:50 AM »
I bumped into a teenager with a BMX bike while flatlanding today. His bike had 10" rise bars (forget which brand) and he let me try his bike. Some tricks felt really nice with those high bars, like steam rollers, but I suspect they are a little too tall.

I'm glad I got to see a pair of 10" ride bars in person. I think I'll go right in the middle and get some With 9" rise.. Maybe the intrickats like metalbmxer suggested.

Offline Timmer74

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #9 on: April 09, 2019, 07:28:38 AM »
I love my 9" Intrikat bars. I'm close to your height as well. A little shorter but have long arms.

I tried the Intrikat 9.5" bars once and thought they were too tall/wide for me. I rode with the Ares A-plus bars for quite a while and really liked them as well. I think that they are just under 9". However, I seem to always migrate back to my 9" Intrikat.

for what it's worth I ride uncut S&M Fastpitch forks with ~1 3/8" of spacers (pretty tall) and an S&M Enduro 2 stem (40mm). From time to time I think about getting the 9.5" Intrikats and cutting the width down and decreasing the spacers by just a few to get somewhere between 9-9.5" of height with the 9" width... But, right now I'm trying really hard to keep my setup as it is and to stop messing with things :).


Offline DaddyCool

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #10 on: April 09, 2019, 07:44:04 PM »
Hi aliasdck,I would say your setup is not low at all. 15 years ago one would have considered this as high. Of course a higher bar might be comfortable for you. I think it depends on your tricks.I rode a 7.1" Graveyard with many spacer on a long steerer tube for years and liked it. Then I switched to 8.5" with less spacers and I like it for most tricks. That's why I keep it but some tricks where you step/jump over the crossbar are more difficult in my opinion, independent of the actual cross bar height by the way. If you do whiplashes for example I can not imagine why a high handlebar would not be good. So just try it out! For this I would suggest to have similar width and sweep so you won't have a total different feeling.

Offline aliasdck

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #11 on: April 13, 2019, 09:45:06 PM »
Update:

Instead of haphazardly buying new bars, I've been playing around with my setup this week by changing the number of spacers on my steerer tube. Adding a few more spacers made my bars a bit higher but it did not give the desired effect. I still felt a bit cramped and things still felt "off".

By accident, my bars got knocked forward a bit today. All of a sudden, the front end of my bike felt much better. More room for my knees, better angle for Karl cruisers, whiplashes felt more natural, etc.. So I took out the extra spacers in order to get my bars back to the height I'm used to and I'm instead playing with the angle of my bars in my stem. I've kept them in the same exact place for so long, I figured it was the perfect angle for me but I guess not. It was too vertical, having them kicked forward a bit seems to be helping. I don't do too many things on the front wheel with the bars reverse yet, so that's not an issue yet.

So I won't be getting higher bars after all. Like already pointed out, my setup is already fairly tall due to long steerer tube + spaces + 7.9" rise bars.

Offline a08

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #12 on: April 20, 2019, 01:40:41 AM »
I feel a million times more comfortable on taller bars. its really preference though in my opinion



i love your set u btw. simple.

Offline aliasdck

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #13 on: April 20, 2019, 06:23:48 AM »
Thank you, I like it too but it is in need of some upgrades. One of the pedals is broken/bent,  the pegs knurling has gotten worn too smooth and the rear brake is horrendous but other than that I like the way things are. Hoping the longer utopia frame I bought will work out once I finally switch over.

Offline metalbmxer

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Re: Bar height
« Reply #14 on: June 23, 2019, 04:41:07 PM »
Update:

Instead of haphazardly buying new bars, I've been playing around with my setup this week by changing the number of spacers on my steerer tube. Adding a few more spacers made my bars a bit higher but it did not give the desired effect. I still felt a bit cramped and things still felt "off".

By accident, my bars got knocked forward a bit today. All of a sudden, the front end of my bike felt much better. More room for my knees, better angle for Karl cruisers, whiplashes felt more natural, etc.. So I took out the extra spacers in order to get my bars back to the height I'm used to and I'm instead playing with the angle of my bars in my stem. I've kept them in the same exact place for so long, I figured it was the perfect angle for me but I guess not. It was too vertical, having them kicked forward a bit seems to be helping. I don't do too many things on the front wheel with the bars reverse yet, so that's not an issue yet.

So I won't be getting higher bars after all. Like already pointed out, my setup is already fairly tall due to long steerer tube + spaces + 7.9" rise bars.

Good deal you found out about moving the bar angle forward a bit to give a better feel. I’ve experimented as well and found i like my bars perpendicular to the ground. What did you end up doing with your handlebar setup?
Dax (now in LAS VEGAS as of July 2022)