New handlebar

[Old-tool-guy]

I would like to replace the stock handlebar on my bike, what is a good on-line source?

It’s for my velotric folding bike. The stock bar is a little narrow, which i can deal with, but it’s almost straight across which causes me to reach a little more than i want. I tried to swap the bar from my Ride1Up, but that one is a cruiser style and the backsweep is too much, my body would get in the way for all but gentle turns. I didn’t get the Fold because of the folding feature, so if the new bar interferes with that it doesn’t matter.

 

[RunForTheHills]

Amazon is a good on-line source. I have the Jones H-Bar 2.5 and like it a lot. Rivendell also has a big selection of handlebars that sweep back.

 

[spokewrench]

I bought this for one bike

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09C4JFPJY

and this for another.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VB28P3P

I wanted to move bars forward, and these let me fine tune my adjustments. By clamping it "backwards" to the stem, it looks as if one would let you move your bars back.

 

[Old-tool-guy]

That’s actually not a bad idea, but the velotric has a non-round stem so i don’t know if it would work. I looked on-line at my local bike shop, they claim to have several in stock for decent prices, it would probably be worth a trip. Or … i could just cut about 4” off the longer bar, but that would be non-reversible.

 

[spokewrench]

That’s actually not a bad idea, but the velotric has a non-round stem so i don’t know if it would work. I looked on-line at my local bike shop, they claim to have several in stock for decent prices, it would probably be worth a trip. Or … i could just cut about 4” off the longer bar, but that would be non-reversible.

I don't understand. When you said your bars were a little narrow, I thought that meant short.

Saddle rails can be slid an inch or two forward or back in a saddle clamp. Maybe you can move your saddle forward to reduce the distance to the bars.

My Abound has a long stem with a hinge, clamped to the steerer tube. Some Abound owners have installed aftermarket stems because they didn't like the hinge. They might fit your Velotric so you could use an adjustable riser. I think I've seen them on Amazon, but now I don't. Modernbike.com has a lot of bike stuff, but I don't see stems like that.

 

[Old-tool-guy]

Spoke … here’s 2 pictures. I think it’s because of the folding feature, the handlebar is a little narrow and doesn’t have much backsweep. And the first picture shows the concave part of the stem.

 

[spokewrench]

I have the same stem! It works fine. The sides of the stem are round, and when I tighten the riser clamp, it presses against the sides. I removed the handlebars and raised the adjustable part of the stem out so that I could slide the riser on from the bottom.

The original handlebar clamp on the stem is no longer needed. I use mine to mount my air horn. It could also clamp a bar such as a broomstick to mount additional handlebar accessories.

 

[Old-tool-guy]

Here are sketches of both of my bars, the straighter one with the 4” makes me reach too far, I would like something around 7”. The width isn’t a problem.

 

[RunForTheHills]

The rise also affects your position on the bike and the reach. You want the sweep angle to be comfortable to your wrists. The Jones bar that I use has a 2.5" rise and a 45 degree sweep:

The Rivendell website has a lot of different styles with good descriptions on how they affect the fit of the bike:
https://www.rivbike.com/collections...U5Dn3zm8t86GYYC3-wLCuUXObPYwQOf2C3fCSoXQZm1wc

 

[spokewrench]

Risers like mine are commonly made in 90, 110, and 145mm sizes. Mine is 110. The adjustment point, with white degree marks, is 40mm in front of the center of the stem. If the arm were out horizontally, it would give me another 70mm, for a total of 110. Mine goes up at 60 degrees, so the whole riser moves my bars forward 75mm, or 3". If you put a 145mm unit on facing backward, you could move the bars back as much as 5.7". I don't know if they make these risers with longer arms.

Rotating the bars will change my wrist angle. With the adjustable riser, I can get the combination of wrist angle and reach that I want.

 

[Old-tool-guy]

I like that. Thanks.

 

[fauconnier]

Bike handlebars | Bikeinn

Shop Handlebars for bike at bikeinn! Save up to 60% on Bike parts. Best deals, fast shipping, and secure payment.

www.tradeinn.com

 

[Nvreloader]

OTG
Here is some info hat may help you, choose the best bars for you.

This app shows different types of Hbars, you can leave your bar on the screen and then superimpose others over your bars. Has the length, widths and reach back scale etc.

WhatBars — The Bicycle Handlebar Database

The internets guide to help you compare comfort / alt bicycle handlebars online.

whatbars.com

HTH
Tia,
Don

 

[Old-tool-guy]

I bought this for one bike

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09C4JFPJY

Spoke … i did it … i ordered one of those brackets and installed it today. Almost worked.
I started by removing the handlebar from the stem, and fitting the extender bracket to the stem. It was supposed to be the correct size, but it was a very snug fit, so i inserted a wedge in the bracket clap and was able to spread the clamp just enough so it would go over the stem. Except for the last inch or so … would not go no matter what i tried. The stem is this shape …
.

and i noticed the points were being deformed. Like little curls were forming where the bracket was scraping the stem. So i took it apart (with difficulty) and filed the points flat a little … being aluminum it filed easily. Then i reassembled and was able to get the bracket to go all the way except the last 1/4” or less. I think the problem is that when they forced they top cap intonplace at the factory, it caused the end of the stem to swell a little.
.

 

[Old-tool-guy]

So now the bracket is fastened to the stem. Looks great! Just what i wanted. Oops.

So then i started on moving the handlebar to the extender bracket. Turns out i had ordered the wrong size, i got a bracket for a 31 mm handlebar but mine was 25 mm (more or less). Crap. And of course i have the bracket attached to the stem, and scratched it in the process so i can’t return it. Time to get creative. The queen wants to ride tomorrow morning so i don’t have time to get a new bracket, and i don’t want to go through the process of taking it apart and starting over. I happen to have some scrap leather, so i cut a strip to use as a bushing. Had to cut a second time to get the number of wraps correct to fill the gap. I also went to my local hardware store (a real hardware store) and bought longer screws. Even before adding the leather i was not happy with the length of the screws, they seemed about 1/4” or so too short and only engaged half of the threads. So with the longer screws and the leathe4 bushing, i was able to get a good tight fit.

Going to ride tomorrow, looking forward to the closer bar.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I wouldn't ride on the leather for too long...
Get yourself one of these bushings.

Amazon.com : handlebar reducer

 

[Old-tool-guy]

I wouldn't ride on the leather for too long...
Get yourself one of these bushings.

View attachment 209090

View attachment 209091

Amazon.com : handlebar reducer

Huh. Well that makes me feel better … not the first person to need a bushing. I ordered one just so i will look professional but I don’t have any doubts about the leather one.

 

[Gionnirocket]

but I don’t have any doubts about the leather one.

ahhh... so you like that leather...

If this is your first time changing out a stem.... watch this as the order in which things are tightened is important.

You want to make sure you have the proper compression on the fork bearings by tightening the cap bolt first.

 

[spokewrench]

The handlebar clamp blocked me from sliding the riser onto the stem from the top, so I released the height-adjustment lever, lifted the top section of the stem out, and slid the riser on from the bottom. I hope spreading the riser clamp didn't weaken it.

The bars on my Radrunner put my hands at an angle that was hard on my wrists. I ordered bars that looked better. I thought they had the same center diameter as the clamp on the bike. I goofed. I used inner tube rubber for a bushing. It worked for a couple of days. Then I made a hard stop, and the inertia of my upper body shoved the bars forward a couple of inches (which was much better than having something break).

I had a roll of aluminum flashing. I measured the thickness. I took half the difference in diameters and divided by the flashing thickness. That told me how many wraps I'd need. I cut a strip long enough to go around the bars that many times. Then came the hard part. That flashing was springy. Getting it wrapped tight and clamped was a tall order. Eventually I succeeded. The original screws were just right, and the bars stayed solidly clamped. Ready-made bushings would have saved some hassle.