Re. the inner bar ends:
I don’t think they are an ‘acquired taste’, I think they are just an unknown taste. I can’t think of many people who tried them and did not like them.
Now, since you only use them on fairly easy flat or climbing trails, there are plenty of people who have no need for them: if all your riding is engaging singletrack, you won’t get much use out of them.
But if you ride the road to your trails? Or climb a fire road? Of have sections of smooth, climbing singletrack? And you do some longer days? Definitely worth it.
Humans don’t do well in a single position, so being able to mix it up helps immensely.
Secondly, modern bars are wide, and set up for technical bike handling is keeping the cockpit short enough to ensure good range of motion. This is hardly the most comfortable position for sustained pedaling power. Bar-ins allow you to have your cake and eat it too, with the only price to pay the unusual looks.
I have tried the Ergon ones with customers a few times, and not found great succes. They are too shaped, so there really is only one way to hold them, and that way often doesn’t work for people. Mounting them on the opposite side of their intended side helps.
Better results, and fitting with the theme of this series, are had with an old pair of bar ends. If you don’t have your own, check out old Huffies being thrown away somewhere in your town.
June 3, 2022, 7:30 a.m. - Tjaard Breeuwer
Re. the inner bar ends: I don’t think they are an ‘acquired taste’, I think they are just an unknown taste. I can’t think of many people who tried them and did not like them. Now, since you only use them on fairly easy flat or climbing trails, there are plenty of people who have no need for them: if all your riding is engaging singletrack, you won’t get much use out of them. But if you ride the road to your trails? Or climb a fire road? Of have sections of smooth, climbing singletrack? And you do some longer days? Definitely worth it. Humans don’t do well in a single position, so being able to mix it up helps immensely. Secondly, modern bars are wide, and set up for technical bike handling is keeping the cockpit short enough to ensure good range of motion. This is hardly the most comfortable position for sustained pedaling power. Bar-ins allow you to have your cake and eat it too, with the only price to pay the unusual looks. I have tried the Ergon ones with customers a few times, and not found great succes. They are too shaped, so there really is only one way to hold them, and that way often doesn’t work for people. Mounting them on the opposite side of their intended side helps. Better results, and fitting with the theme of this series, are had with an old pair of bar ends. If you don’t have your own, check out old Huffies being thrown away somewhere in your town.