Where do you all position your handlebar and why?
I'm 5' 11", slender (160 lbs.) and my main long travel rig is a 2004 Norco Shore (7.1 inch rear, 7 inch front by way of a 888 fork). The frame is a large (and I probably would do better with a medium) which I selected on purpose - from my past long travel rigs I've always liked how the large frame handled the big hits even though it requires more effort on my part to muscle it around.
Anyway, because I also climb with this bike and the front is actually a bit heavy I found myself positioning the handlebars forward. This provides me some additional leverage when I need to get the front up and it also helps with the climbs.
Here are some pics which (sort of) shows the position of my bars (the first picture is current, the other two are slightly older - the only difference is the lower crown):
The handlebar is an Azonic PDW 1.5 inch rise and 28 inches wide. I like the amount of sweep it has; it feels comfortable.
Not too long ago another rider commented and was wondering why I run the bars forward the way I do and that I should perhaps run them "neutral" (straight up) or rolled back more. He said that if I rolled them back I would get better leverage when jumping and such.
Somehow that doesn't seem right to me.
Anyway, since then I've been starting to take notice on bar position on other FR/AM/DH bikes and I've seen a lot of them rolled back but I've also seen a few that were rolled forward like mine.
I know I should experiment - and will - I just was curious as to what you all do and why.
Keep in mind that my bike is somewhat nose heavy.
Thanks...
I'm 5' 11", slender (160 lbs.) and my main long travel rig is a 2004 Norco Shore (7.1 inch rear, 7 inch front by way of a 888 fork). The frame is a large (and I probably would do better with a medium) which I selected on purpose - from my past long travel rigs I've always liked how the large frame handled the big hits even though it requires more effort on my part to muscle it around.
Anyway, because I also climb with this bike and the front is actually a bit heavy I found myself positioning the handlebars forward. This provides me some additional leverage when I need to get the front up and it also helps with the climbs.
Here are some pics which (sort of) shows the position of my bars (the first picture is current, the other two are slightly older - the only difference is the lower crown):
The handlebar is an Azonic PDW 1.5 inch rise and 28 inches wide. I like the amount of sweep it has; it feels comfortable.
Not too long ago another rider commented and was wondering why I run the bars forward the way I do and that I should perhaps run them "neutral" (straight up) or rolled back more. He said that if I rolled them back I would get better leverage when jumping and such.
Somehow that doesn't seem right to me.
Anyway, since then I've been starting to take notice on bar position on other FR/AM/DH bikes and I've seen a lot of them rolled back but I've also seen a few that were rolled forward like mine.
I know I should experiment - and will - I just was curious as to what you all do and why.
Keep in mind that my bike is somewhat nose heavy.
Thanks...