I noticed that for Worlds, Kolb dropped the bar ends and was running Goldstone grips instead. He was running the ends for a few races earlier.
Goldstone grips have a pretty large flange on them. I haven’t used them but I imagine it’s pretty similar feeling to the bar end in practice though less extreme. Never have ridden one though.
My meatypaws have a small flange. Other than having to move the grips inward to attach the bar ends. My hands sit on my grips the same with my actual outside bone sitting on the flange. I really am only feeling the bar ends in a few situations.
A) when my hands press into the grips hard enough that my skin expands to what would normally be slightly off the edge of the bar. This is what gives that “locked in” feeling. But for me it’s not really something I’m noticing except in situations my front wheel is deflecting and I’m holding it on line or my hands are pushing off the bars and only my grip strength is holding me on.
b) any actual mtb climbing where you need to drive the front wheel and pick it up over things. And are putting regular pressure pulling on the on the bars to increase efficiency. I can see why these would be much less popular with enduro racers despite longer days and some insanely long stages. And have no place in xc except to make your hands hurt more.
c) in situations where the bars are turning. This is probably where the most learning curve is. You can kind of catch them if say your front wheel is deflecting or you are really driving the front of your bike thru a corner. Some pros and cons but mostly just a learning curve where for me otherwise they have been pretty much a seamless transition.
I imagine if you were to set your bone more aggressively into the bar end then both the “clipped in” feeling as well as any discomfort become far more intense. Essentially a large increase in both the pros and the cons. I imagine for most riders there will be a preference in both where they ultimately hold their hand on their grip in regards to the bar end as well as how that grip Transitions into the bar end. The flange on the meaty paws makes a pretty nice transition to the grip end. However I imagine some people are experiencing their skin binding where the grip, their hand, and the bar end meet.
Goldstone grips have a pretty large flange on them. I haven’t used them but I imagine it’s pretty similar feeling to the bar end in practice...
Goldstone grips have a pretty large flange on them. I haven’t used them but I imagine it’s pretty similar feeling to the bar end in practice though less extreme. Never have ridden one though.
My meatypaws have a small flange. Other than having to move the grips inward to attach the bar ends. My hands sit on my grips the same with my actual outside bone sitting on the flange. I really am only feeling the bar ends in a few situations.
A) when my hands press into the grips hard enough that my skin expands to what would normally be slightly off the edge of the bar. This is what gives that “locked in” feeling. But for me it’s not really something I’m noticing except in situations my front wheel is deflecting and I’m holding it on line or my hands are pushing off the bars and only my grip strength is holding me on.
b) any actual mtb climbing where you need to drive the front wheel and pick it up over things. And are putting regular pressure pulling on the on the bars to increase efficiency. I can see why these would be much less popular with enduro racers despite longer days and some insanely long stages. And have no place in xc except to make your hands hurt more.
c) in situations where the bars are turning. This is probably where the most learning curve is. You can kind of catch them if say your front wheel is deflecting or you are really driving the front of your bike thru a corner. Some pros and cons but mostly just a learning curve where for me otherwise they have been pretty much a seamless transition.
I imagine if you were to set your bone more aggressively into the bar end then both the “clipped in” feeling as well as any discomfort become far more intense. Essentially a large increase in both the pros and the cons. I imagine for most riders there will be a preference in both where they ultimately hold their hand on their grip in regards to the bar end as well as how that grip Transitions into the bar end. The flange on the meaty paws makes a pretty nice transition to the grip end. However I imagine some people are experiencing their skin binding where the grip, their hand, and the bar end meet.
Yeah, I've ridden both Goldstones and the Wolf Tooth, and the big flange on the end of the Goldstone does as you said feel like a similar effect, just less extreme. Ergon GDH has a smaller, softer flange yet.
I've been doodling around with my own design for a few months now...I quite like the surface to be harder*, flatter, smoother so it has less...
I've been doodling around with my own design for a few months now...
I quite like the surface to be harder*, flatter, smoother so it has less friction and doesn't grip the glove/hand, as long as the flange is at the same angle as the edge of the hand... I can then push my hand against it without pinching or friction
All selfishly optimised around my hand, my bars, my grips (sensus EMJ). It's a work in progress, but thought I'd share the variant currently on my bike if anyone else wants a try/meddle:
*that in turn leads to problems with hard/brittle materials, but don't want to thread derail into 3d printing nerdery... (Although I would thoroughly enjoy it!)
Just printed a set in ASA. Got a trip next weekend to snowshoe. Gonna try them on the downhill bike, seems the best place for bar ends.
I noticed that for Worlds, Kolb dropped the bar ends and was running Goldstone grips instead. He was running the ends for a few races earlier.
Goldstone grips have a pretty large flange on them. I haven’t used them but I imagine it’s pretty similar feeling to the bar end in practice though less extreme. Never have ridden one though.
My meatypaws have a small flange. Other than having to move the grips inward to attach the bar ends. My hands sit on my grips the same with my actual outside bone sitting on the flange. I really am only feeling the bar ends in a few situations.
A) when my hands press into the grips hard enough that my skin expands to what would normally be slightly off the edge of the bar. This is what gives that “locked in” feeling. But for me it’s not really something I’m noticing except in situations my front wheel is deflecting and I’m holding it on line or my hands are pushing off the bars and only my grip strength is holding me on.
b) any actual mtb climbing where you need to drive the front wheel and pick it up over things. And are putting regular pressure pulling on the on the bars to increase efficiency. I can see why these would be much less popular with enduro racers despite longer days and some insanely long stages. And have no place in xc except to make your hands hurt more.
c) in situations where the bars are turning. This is probably where the most learning curve is. You can kind of catch them if say your front wheel is deflecting or you are really driving the front of your bike thru a corner. Some pros and cons but mostly just a learning curve where for me otherwise they have been pretty much a seamless transition.
I imagine if you were to set your bone more aggressively into the bar end then both the “clipped in” feeling as well as any discomfort become far more intense. Essentially a large increase in both the pros and the cons. I imagine for most riders there will be a preference in both where they ultimately hold their hand on their grip in regards to the bar end as well as how that grip Transitions into the bar end. The flange on the meaty paws makes a pretty nice transition to the grip end. However I imagine some people are experiencing their skin binding where the grip, their hand, and the bar end meet.
Yeah, I've ridden both Goldstones and the Wolf Tooth, and the big flange on the end of the Goldstone does as you said feel like a similar effect, just less extreme. Ergon GDH has a smaller, softer flange yet.
Just printed a set in ASA. Got a trip next weekend to snowshoe. Gonna try them on the downhill bike, seems the best place for bar ends.
I've had a set of the wolftooth ones on my dh bike for a few months now.
Did absolutely nothing for hand fatigue, but did save my pinky finger from getting squashed by a tree at sunpeaks.
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