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Flat bars on DJ bikes, why!?

Jervis.G

Jervis.G

Chimp
Sep 18, 2007
29
0
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
I've noticed the trends are different here is Australia than to those overseas. A major one is the difference between rise in handle bars on dirt jump bikes here and to those is the US and Canada.

Most dirt jump/park/street riders in Australia seems to run high rise bars such as Blk Mrkt Bada Bings/Booms 3" or similar.

for example, my mates bike (he's sponsored my x-fusion btw) - http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb118/manikman_2007/BrodieMahersBike.jpg

Where as in the US and Canada the theme is super flat wide bars on DJ HT's, I'm not saying this applies to all but majority of bikes I've seen are like this.

eg. jack fogelquist's - http://is.pinkbike.com/photo/4024/pbpic4024551.jpg

Sometimes they are with 120mm or more forks so this makes up for lost height in bars with longer travel. But what about DJ bikes with lowered forks and flat bars? I've ridden bikes like this and it felt soo sh*t! My mates Blk Mrkt Riot had flat bars and 70mm forks, his bike felt horrible but when he got Bada Bing's, there was quite a noticeable improvement in the feel of the bike-

before- http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/3142941659_174f4758b8_b.jpg
after- http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3567/3420909732_ccc5e8edfe_b.jpg

So what's the deal? is it just personal preference, seems like a large coincidence that a lot of people from certain areas have the same personal preference. This points towards simple trend following...
 
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Bikael Molton

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,029
1,168
El Lay
i think most HT riders in the US have 2" rise bars too.

But yeah, the flat bar trend that is big in US Downhill has carried over to some of the younger MTB groms and sponsored DJers from the 26 scene. Seems silly to me too, but I am 6' and old, so high bars work well for me on my 26" and 20".
 
manhattanprjkt83

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,646
1,217
Nilbog
i think it is just trend, the tonic guys are big on that stuff...

I run 1.5" and am thinking about going back to 2.5"...but then again i suck...

its usually just the super trendsters at whistler that drive that...Every kid i saw at whistler this year had super low rise.
 
sittingduck

sittingduck

Turbo Monkey
Jun 22, 2007
1,958
2
Oregon
Everyone I know has riser bars on their dirt jumpers.... about half of them fairly high rise too, like 3" or so. I'm in the NW.
 
S

Salty4X

Monkey
Jun 17, 2006
222
0
The height of your bars has nothing to do w/ how big your boosticles are. Risers are old, slammed is the the new rizzy fool. 1.5" bars, no spacers, upside down stem, and a 50mm Velvet fork. No trend, kids here in Austin been running it similar for a while. I definitely believe it gets you in a WAY more aggressive position to shralp the dirt mounds.
 
S

sixgun_sound

Monkey
Sep 24, 2007
215
1
Yakima, WA
Haha, yeah... I was just thinking you could argue that pretty much any part that people are running is trendy. All I know is, when I put tall and wide bars on, my bike felt unbelievably better. And besides that, I'm way too tall to ride flat bars. People tell me my 3" rise bars are "huge."

How about the awesome hipster trend of mounting bmx bars with the crossbar in the stem and the rest of the bars hanging down in front of the headtube?
 
P

Pete..

Monkey
Feb 11, 2009
450
0
Santa Cruz
Believe it or not, there is a thing called personal preference. Most dudes around here prefer low bars and low front ends in general. Personally I like a low end too.
 
DamienD

DamienD

Monkey
Nov 6, 2007
200
0
Bothell
sixgun_sound said:
Haha, yeah... I was just thinking you could argue that pretty much any part that people are running is trendy. All I know is, when I put tall and wide bars on, my bike felt unbelievably better. And besides that, I'm way too tall to ride flat bars. People tell me my 3" rise bars are "huge."

How about the awesome hipster trend of mounting bmx bars with the crossbar in the stem and the rest of the bars hanging down in front of the headtube?
Click to expand...
your 3 inch rise bars are "huge"
 
M

Minden

Chimp
Jun 1, 2008
8
0
To anyone saying wide, low bars are for "groms" who are trying to be trendy, you may want to realize that just because you ride tall gangly bars doesn't mean anyone who doesn't is a trend whore. That's like MTB racism. :shakefist:

Lower, wider bars are more stable, it's just a personal preference for many riders. And to whoever said people ride high forks to counteract the low bars, that wouldn't help much because a longer A2C on your fork will also raise your bottom bracket, meaning the relative distance to the bars will be the same and you'll have a higher (therefore less stable) center of gravity (which partially negates the effects of the low bars).

That said, to anyone riding low and wide bars with a high fork to even it out, I no longer respect you, and you are a trend whore. :)

-Minden
 
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