The new handlebar setup ...
Almost perfect angle for leaning your ellbows on ...
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Change of handlebar setup
Lately there has been a couple of posts on the CF forum regarding the handlebar setup. Although I was pretty satisfied with the setup I had on my Z Pro, I noticed that for longer rides (meaning +60 mile rides) I was looking for alternate hand positions. I've read about and seen the add on whisker bar solution that Randy Schlitter put ons his handlebar, but I don't like the concept. When it comes to multiple hand positions, nothing beats an trekking or so called butterlfy handlebar. So I put one on my Z Pro. I switched my medium stem riser with the curved riser facing forward, but that was stretching it way too much. Turning the riser backwards was way too close, so off it went. I now use the butterfly handlebar in combination with the long stem riser and that seems to do the trick. The shifter and brake levers are positioned in the beginning of the handlebar, where they are supposed to be. When you ride with your hands near the shifters, the bike's very easy to control. When you're out of town and going for the long road, there's no need to keep your hands there and you've got plenty of options to put your hands. I even managed to rest my ellbows on the curves when riding into strong headwinds, which gives you a little aerodynamic benefit. I have not put many miles with this configuration yet, but if the weather'll be with me, I certainly will !
The new handlebar setup ...
The new handlebar setup ...
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7 comments:
Very nice Zenetik setup. It looks clean and functional. Where did you get your butterfly handlebars and what type handlebar bag are you using? Thanks! --jim artis
I too would like to know about those handlebars. What brand are they and where did you get them? How do you like them? - nick
The butterfly handlebars are from the German brand HUMPERT (the type is X-ACT). HUMPERT has different kinds of butterfly handlebars, but I wanted those with a little difference in height between the front and the back. I really like this setup, but my experience so far is that resting your hands on the foam for a longer period is not as comfortable as on regular grips. I am considering putting back the regular handlebar with the bar ends ....
The handlebar bag is actually a digital camera bag, the brand is VANGUARD. They have weather-proof bags in all sizes.
Thanks for your reply. --jim
Thanks for the idea-I've tried this set-up on my Zenetik using the trekking bar from Nashbar. I'm running it upside down from how you did, so the flats closest to the seat are higher, not lower, than the top of the riser. I used standard MTB grips for that portion of the bar, and wrapped the rest in cork tape. Haven't tried this yet for a long ride...
Hello, your blog is very interesting to me as I am a RANS fan! the only one in Grenoble (France):-)
Had a V-Rex that was stolen and still miss it two years later.. :-(
I bought a City to replace it and it is now a single speed commuter bike (Grenoble is flat). I am now moving out of the city to a more remote place and I would love to be back to real recumbent. I tried the Stratus once and fell for it.. try the V2 as well, more aerodynamic but less convinced. Did you tried them all (V2, V3) and why did you go for the Stratus which is not the more modern..?
I would like to by a frameset but from the US it is sometimes difficult (I bought my V-Rex second hand from the states and the City from Bipbip in Geneva), do you have an adress in Europe?
I love my City for city cruising, wouldn't change it! but i never really felt the up the hill supposingly impressive efficiency (maybe my chopper bar is not adapted?) did you feel it? I might try the butterfly handlebar to find the good position as it offers many..
I also never fully managed to get rid of the slack in the headset, even with the new system..
I love RANS products for their quality and creative design and I still put in competition the Stratus with a Ti-Rex frameset!
I stop bothering you now!! but I am happy to find somebody with a feel for cycling close to mine.
my mail: marc.buisson@gmail.com
I see you no longer have the butterfly bars on your Zen Pro and have went back to the straight bars. What was your reason for going back to the straight bars? Thanks, John W.
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