Butterfly bars

[Rickshaw Phil]

As I've been called: Yes, I have got a butterfly bar on the knockabout bike and bought it as an experiment as I'd long had issues finding a comfortable riding position with the original flat bar due to an overly long top-tube. It's sorted out that problem and gives a choice of other hand positions. I like them a lot on this bike and they do the job nicely. My own Galaxy will be sticking with the drop bar though as I like that better.

@Iainj837 if you're happy setting up gear and brake cables then yes, it should be a fairly straightforward swap. As well as different shifters, brake levers and brake cables you'll also need to make sure that the clamp area of the bar is correct for your stem as there are several different sizes available.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

bought it as an experiment as I'd long had issues finding a comfortable riding position with the original flat bar due to an overly long top-tube. It's sorted out that problem and gives a choice of other hand positions. I like them a lot on this bike and they do the job nicely. My own Galaxy will be sticking with the drop bar though as I like that better.

I know exactly where @Rickshaw Phil is coming from with regards to the reach on the later welded Raleigh Pioneer frames. I acquired a 23" sized one as an "accidental purchase" a while back, and the top tube is noticeably longer than my same size lugged & brazed Pioneer, which is fairly short for a large frame. Both frames ride well, but the lugged one is a more comfortable fit.
I've never tried butterfly bars, but I can recommend bar ends on MTB style flat bars, as an Appollo hack MTB I knock about on came with these and they are nice to have for fatigue relief and also give a marginally more streamlined position for headwinds or cruising along clear stretches of road with no need for braking..
I've never been tempted to mess around changing the drop bars on my Raleigh Royal tourer though. The frame is well-proportioned, with a sensible top tube length. Initially I did play around with the orientation of the bars and the position of the brakes on the curve of the drops, but once I had found the optimum comfort set up with a 20mm shorter stem fitted, I left it alone. I don't really like riding drop bar bikes on the drops, it makes my neck ache craning my head to see where I'm going, and I only ever do it in headwinds and only ever for short distances. TBH, the most useful feature I find with drops is they allow a bike to be leaned against walls with less chance of the front wheel turning and the bike falling over! I use the tops, the corners or the hoods as the mood takes me for 99.9% of my mileage.

 

[Aravis]

How much would you sell for and the current shifters would be be compatible with the gears I all ready have which is a nine speed cassette

The shifters I have fitted are 8-speed, so no luck there. That means all I can really offer is ready-padded bars, and you'd probably prefer to do that to your own taste anyway!

However, I think it may be worth spreading them out and posting photographs in the appropriate thread. They could save someone who wants to give them a try quite a lot of work.

 

[postman]

I have butterfly bars on the mountain bike.Not that i do rough stuff.I changed because i could not get on with the flat bars.Bought them off e-bay.Luckily everything just slid back on,so no extra expenditure.I love them ,can change hand positions multiple times while out.

 

[TomB]

Had them on a tourer I used to own - a Dawes OneDown
- preferred them to drops for the same reasons as Alex H above
- very much liked the ‘cruise’ position on the upper part of each ‘wing’. This was comfortable for quiet road touring on the flat and felt more efficient when climbing
- disliked having to reach inwards to brake: uncomfortable on long descents and less good when riding around town
- they certainly look good and were a talking point with other cyclists

Summary: preferable to drops. Less good than my present set-up of riser bars and Ergon curvy GP5 grips

 

[plustwos]

I fitted some butterflies to a Dawes about twenty years ago following neck pains on drops. Found them great, but sad to lose my real bike. Have just gone down a peg to an electric bike following a heart problem and am about to change the straight bars to BBB trekking bars. Checking what was available threw up a strange discrepancy between the USA and Britain. Almost all the photos of USA uses have the bars with the "wings" sloping away from the rider while in Britain they mostly slope towards the rider. So instead of three or four positions they can really offer six or eight. Do those using them here have any experience of the alternative ways of fitting? In my case the USA preference would ease the fitting of the drive controller. TIA

Ken

 

[Alex H]

Checking what was available threw up a strange discrepancy between the USA and Britain. Almost all the photos of USA uses have the bars with the "wings" sloping away from the rider while in Britain they mostly slope towards the rider. So instead of three or four positions they can really offer six or eight. Do those using them here have any experience of the alternative ways of fitting? In my case the USA preference would ease the fitting of the drive controller. TIA

Ken

Pictures would help - i can't understand exactly what you mean and the first USA pic I come across is this



which is the same way I have the bars on my Dawes

 

[plustwos]

Well here are four sites I've just found:
1)Trekking Bars - What They are and Why you Need Them - I Love Bicycling
2)Windy Run: Butterfly Handlebars
3)Trekking Handlebars and Other Comforts - CampfireCycling.com
4)Handlebars for Touring and Commuting
The first mentions in the text that the bars can be inverted as the one you shew, but nowhere else have I found any suggestion of using them the other way up. There are also pictures of the bars being fitted so that the stem fitting is nearest the rider and the open ends furthest away, which I suppose saves buying a stem with a longer reach.
Seems odd to me.

Ken

 

[taximan]

I use butterfly's on one of my touring bikes & find them ideal. I have a back problem (the result of an old injury) which means that I require a very relaxed riding position and the butterfly bars are ideal for this. I have to admit though they do flex while climbing and I once had a pair fail as a result.

 

[Oldhippy]

Just fitted butterfly bars to my beloved Rayleigh Royal, had them on an old bike and thought they were great.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I have them on a Univega Supra Sport, they work out well once you get the angle dialed in.
I would show it, but all of a sudden, my files are too large for this site, although they have not been previously.

 

[Blaugrana]

- disliked having to reach inwards to brake: uncomfortable on long descents and less good when riding around town
...
Summary: preferable to drops. Less good than my present set-up of riser bars and Ergon curvy GP5 grips

I'm in the same position - thinking of swapping from drops to a butterfly bar on a new-to-me Super Galaxy. I haven't ridden on drops since the last century and also need a more upright position. So all thes replies have been interesting.

@TomB - as most of my riding is urban, your point about the brake positioning is very interesting. Also, I'm intrigued by your present set-up. I'd love to know more. With apologies to @Iainj837 for slightly hijacking...

Jeff

 

[Oldhippy]

I have found butterfly bars by far the best.

 

[Blaugrana]

I have found butterfly bars by far the best.

Thanks.
Was the conversion much faff?

 

[Oldhippy]

Not massively.