Handlebars

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Jnow

Regular
Location
Ontario Canada
I have lurked this forum with pleasure for a couple years but am now hoping to get informed opinions as I prepare my bike build for my first tour. (I am a roadie who rides a lot but I have never toured. None the less, I am planning a cross-Canada tour with pals).

my question is about handlebars.have discounted a number for one reason or another but I hope the forum can offer its opinion about touring-usefulness of the Trek elite isozone sf ($130 Canadian). Among the things I don’t know:
  • 1. does a typical touring cockpit require rounded bars for affixing gear?
  • 2. Would gel inserts or other bar scultping aspects (flat/aero features) make bar surface off-puttingly irregular over time?
  • 3. Is drop depth a factor for some reason beyond my body’s comfort/familiarity etc
  • 4. Is there a narrowness of bars at which a loaded bike is likely too difficult to steer comfortably, or which is too narrow to host a “typical” array of stuff?

  • Thanks forum
Thanks forum
 
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mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
1. Depends on the gear.
2. Depends what puts you off.
3. Only if the drop ends end up exactly at top tube height and you're in the habit of making tight turns while scooting.
4. No. If anything, loading a bike usually calms it down a bit. You can work around lack of gadget affixing with by moving gadgets (light to fork crown, computer to stem and so on) or simply cutting down on them!

Do you mean https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/...-elite-isozone-vr-sf-road-handlebars/p/32191/ or what exactly? Product names may be different here and those look round to me.
 
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Jnow

Regular
Location
Ontario Canada
1. Depends on the gear.
2. Depends what puts you off.
3. Only if the drop ends end up exactly at top tube height and you're in the habit of making tight turns while scooting.
4. No. If anything, loading a bike usually calms it down a bit. You can work around lack of gadget affixing with by moving gadgets (light to fork crown, computer to stem and so on) or simply cutting down on them!

Do you mean https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/...-elite-isozone-vr-sf-road-handlebars/p/32191/ or what exactly? Product names may be different here and those look round to me.
Yes but there’s a scalloped spot for the gel pads and I’m not sure if, once they’re on, the net result is rounded (haven’t seen them “in the flesh”).
And yes, I realize that lots of the answers depend on me but sometimes groups come to general understandings and I am trying to play those odds- I’m not in a position to learn through trial and error (or at least, I may learn, but then have to deal with the error for many thousands more km).
 
Location
España
my question is about handlebars.have discounted a number for one reason or another but I hope the forum can offer its opinion about touring-usefulness of the Trek elite isozone sf ($130 Canadian). Among the things I don’t know:
  • 1. does a typical touring cockpit require rounded bars for affixing gear?
  • 2. Would gel inserts or other bar scultping aspects (flat/aero features) make bar surface off-puttingly irregular over time?
  • 3. Is drop depth a factor for some reason beyond my body’s comfort/familiarity etc
  • 4. Is there a narrowness of bars at which a loaded bike is likely too difficult to steer comfortably, or which is too narrow to host a “typical” array of stuff?

  • Thanks forum
Thanks forum
Hi @Jnow Welcome aboard!

1. I've no idea what a typical touring cockpit is. There are T-bars that attach to handlebars or even the stem (in place of a spacer) that can be used for attaching things.
2. Entirely personal & subjective
3. Again, subjective
4. Depends on loads and surfaces. I'd rather wider with front panniers and doubly so if going off road. Can you not get whatever your "handlebar gear" is together and see if it will fit?

Is there a reason you're not using your existing bars? After all you're used to them and can test out whatever gadgets you want?

I don't think you're getting too many replies because the answers are very subjective and we're operating in a vacuum of information.

sometimes groups come to general understandings and I am trying to play those odds-
Fair enough, but we know nothing other than a handlebar and a country^_^ While CC is friendly & welcoming to us foreigners, it is a UK based site - our groupthink may be quite different to yours;)
Without more info I really can't see what useful information you'll receive. Personally speaking, touring is probably one of the most diverse areas on these fora.

I’m not in a position to learn through trial and error (or at least, I may learn, but then have to deal with the error for many thousands more km).
This made me sit up!

First of all, and this is entirely personal, "error" is a word that can be left behind at the start of a tour!
Every day on tour I make decisions, big and small, some better than others. If I was to class the less good ones as errors I'd drive myself demented. On a trans continental ride, what's going on between the ears is far more important than what's under your hands. Especially so if part of a group.
(Some of my biggest "errors" have turned out to be my most favourite moments!)

If I'm understanding correctly, you're building a bike and then setting off cross country with no time to test it out, get familiar with it?
I'm all for encouraging the spirit of adventure but I'd urge you to get some shakedown rides in before you leave.

Sorry, I'm sure that's not what you were looking for.

Best of luck!
 

andrew_s

Legendary Member
Location
Gloucester
Handlebars are for hands.
Any accessories fitted should be on the central 31.8 mm section of the bar that is round, and unaffected by the isozone pads. This looks to be of a reasonable width, so there shouldn't be a problem. The only other thing you may wish to fit would be a mirror in the bar end (which is also round).
It would be best not to try to clamp on top of the pads anyway - it's unlikely to give a secure fitting.

If you want more accessory space (e.g. you are using crosstop levers), it's better to use an extension bar than to encroach on hand space. You can also fit stuff to the stem extension, or via the stem faceplate bolts.

Gel pads: you can get replacements, so they don't last forever. Unlike replacement bar tape (I use thick or double tape), you can't be sure of finding them in stock at the next town you visit.

Bar shape, width, stem length is all a matter of personal preference. I've found that I can pretty much do anything to change them, and it feels normal after a couple of days
 
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Jnow

Regular
Location
Ontario Canada
Thank you for your replies, especially in light of the information deficits. I will try to provide answers to some of the questions.
I am a reasonably serious cyclist who rides most days of the summer and trains most of the winter (I make excuses in fall and spring). Just recently, our friends said they were going to ride across Canada May 2022 and my wife surprised me by saying she’d do it.( She knows I’ve dreamed of it for ages). To get time riding this summer, we needed to order bikes a few weeks ago, but can still modify. Once we have the bikes, we’ll learn to adapt, but I’m hoping to minimize the number of “unknowns”. Handlebars under load is one of those. Thanks to the forum I think I’ll get drops with which I’m already familiar.
 
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Jnow

Regular
Location
Ontario Canada
We assume it will take 4-5 months because it’s taken others that long :smile:
We ride centuries often but aren’t sure what our touring mindset will be. One day at a time I reckon.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
We assume it will take 4-5 months because it’s taken others that long :smile:
We ride centuries often but aren’t sure what our touring mindset will be. One day at a time I reckon.
There are many, many far more experienced tourers on here than me. If you're riding in kms then I suggest 100km day is a nice comfortable pace with plenty of time for stops. I tend to tide 120km/day but realise some feel this is too much. My riding day would typically start at 8.00/9.00am finishing around 6.00pm possibly later.

In the 20+ years I've been able to get away on a tour I've only twice ridden an imperial century (160km) - most folks I ride with talk in miles. We regularly ride centuries.

The first time in the UK was simply daft. I wanted to stay in a particular city, underestimated the severity of the first 40 miles and hadn't even bothered to check the overall distance!!!!! The last 20 miles were very hard.

The other occasion in France I was running behind schedule. I wasn't wedded to schedule but had to meet my wife on a certain date. I'd had one day when I'd only ridden 40 or miles as I was over tired. Knowing I had the least interesting section of the route ahead of me I decided to ride that in a day rather than the expected one and half days. This worked well, got the boring bit done and me back on time.
 
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Location
España
Hi again @Jnow
I guess the info that would be helpful would be things like on/off road - I believe the TransCanada Trail can be a bit rough in parts^_^
What kind of accommodation - hotels/camping etc. , the loads on the bikes. Even the bikes^_^
Your poor wife gets barely a mention in terms of her experience!;)

Anyways, @andrew_s has done a good job of answering the handlebar question.

You do say this however..
We ride centuries often but aren’t sure what our touring mindset will be. One day at a time I reckon.
Mindset is vital for enjoyment and changes from person to person. Especially so in a group. This is the kind of thing to be well hashed out within the group before departure. A solo or a couple dynamic can be very different from a group as are the methods of conflict resolution.

Also
but I’m hoping to minimize the number of “unknowns”.
is a perfectly normal attitude. However, on such a long tour, I think it's better to develop a flexible, positive attitude rather than try to get a handle on every single thing.
New bikes, a first tour (transcontinental at that!) it's not possible to make 100% correct decisions be they handlebars, route, or anything in between.
The last thing you want is to be beating yourself up for half a continent for an "error".

I'm sure you already know of CrazyGuyOnABike - a fantastic trove of journals. There's a very nifty search function that will allow you to quickly find info on your route but could also be used to read up on groups. A great way to spend long winter nights!^_^

Good luck!
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
There are many, many far more experienced tourers on here than me. If you're riding in kms then I suggest 100km day is a nice comfortable pace with plenty of time for stops. I tend to tide 120km/day but realise some feel this is too much. My riding day would typically start at 8.00/9.00am finishing around 6.00pm possibly later.
Yes, I feel that's far too much. I've done it sometimes as a first or last leg to get away from the area I know well, or because I know I've no check-in deadline, or because we got lost, but 80km a day is a much more comfortable target carrying a full set of luggage: 2h then coffee, 1h then lunch, 2h then check-in and late afternoon to visit the area. Plenty of slack to deal with anything life throws up.

100km max as a stretch. I don't think I'd be visiting anything much or going out in the evenings if I was doing 120+. When you get to 150+km days, that's a multiday bike ride more than a tour IMO, as there's little time for much besides riding unless you're very fast and very efficient.
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
Depends on how you intend to tour and what you can fix to your bike.

If you will be staying in accommodation then a rear rack and two panniers will be able to carry more than enough for a comfortable tour. It can even do fine for camping if you don’t bring the proverbial kitchen sink.

If you are going to fit a bar bag then klickfix fixings will expect a round handle bar. If bike packing luggage then it just loosely straps to bar and the shape won’t matter that much. You just need to check the luggage isn’t too wide to interfere with braking / gear changes. If you fit a traditional bar bag you can get one with a clear map holder window on the top lid. So good if you intend to navigate that way.

If you intend to navigate by GPS only then the type and shape of bar won’t matter that much. You’ll have GPS / lights on bars and likely nothing more.

For bars as a starting point you want them roughly shoulder width. If you have shallow drop then you are likely to use the drops more often. Changing hand positions more often on a long tour means they’ll be less likely to develop numbness. You can also consider a slightly flared bar if going off road. A wider grip provides more stability off road.

If considering gel on your bars then I’d consider whether you need to fit wider tyres at lower pressures. That’ll be the greatest improvement for reducing vibration through the hands when on tour day after day. If you have a lot of weight on your hands also look at saddle setup and reach to shift more weight to your backside / feet.

Your trans Canada 🇨🇦 tour sounds fantastic
 
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PaulSB

Legendary Member
Yes, I feel that's far too much. I've done it sometimes as a first or last leg to get away from the area I know well, or because I know I've no check-in deadline, or because we got lost, but 80km a day is a much more comfortable target carrying a full set of luggage: 2h then coffee, 1h then lunch, 2h then check-in and late afternoon to visit the area. Plenty of slack to deal with anything life throws up.

100km max as a stretch. I don't think I'd be visiting anything much or going out in the evenings if I was doing 120+. When you get to 150+km days, that's a multiday bike ride more than a tour IMO, as there's little time for much besides riding unless you're very fast and very efficient.
Yes, I fully see where you are coming from. I think it's very much each to his own. My idea of touring is what some would consider a multi-day bike ride. I just love riding my bike all day in areas which are new to me. Generally I average 20kmh and I'll take 9-11 hours between the morning start and the evening finish but it's only around 6 hours in the saddle. I find this gives me plenty of time to stop, admire views etc. but I rarely do any sightseeing. In the evening I'm after nothing more than a good meal, quiet drink in the, hopefully, sunshine and perhaps a wander round. I'd be in bed by 11.00 and up at 6.00 and raring to go.
 
If you have a comfortable road bar that should work for touring as well. Touring specific bars for non racers generally have a shallow drop and elliptical style ergo dtop shape. The cable dimples in the bar add comfort.
Width is really no difference to road riding but is size specific for fit.
 
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