Author Topic: Bar end shifters on a 'bent  (Read 1848 times)

andytheflyer

  • Andytheex-flyer.....
Bar end shifters on a 'bent
« on: 01 May, 2019, 06:38:54 am »
Advice pls?  I have developed a dodgy joint at the base of my right thumb, which I suspect is related to a less than ideal grip on my saxophones - and I am working on changing that.  It gives me a pain when I operate the rh trigger shifters on my recumbents (both 9 spd).  I've changed the shifter on my 20/26 Performer back to the SRAM twistgrip it came with (although I hate twist grips) and that's fine as long as I keep my thumb out of the way when shifting.

I don't want a twist grip on my SAKI 700c 'bent, but maybe a bar end shifter?  I've not seen one on a recumbent.  How do you operate them?  With the palm of the hand?  I have hamster bars so the end of the bar points down and outwards so not sure how the ergonomics work. Maybe someone can advise pls?

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Bar end shifters on a 'bent
« Reply #1 on: 01 May, 2019, 07:53:52 am »
Have/had them on my S40 before the accident, and will re-install. That has moe conventional drop bars though.

On the hamster bars, as per M5, is the ID large enough and are they wide enough that you'll be able to use them without spearing yourself in the thighs under certain conditions?
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Bar end shifters on a 'bent
« Reply #2 on: 01 May, 2019, 08:03:38 am »
Hand/shifting positioning on a recumbent is such an individually important part of the fit process.
I wanted bar end shifters on my homebuild before PBP 2015 so actually made some bars to accommodate the hand position I wanted.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNbUZVYC-LdXolNmDZC-V9Lx-UuxDEhWUVbKq47

It is possible, but you'll probably have to hunt around to find some bars that will suit you're desired ergonomics.
Garry Broad

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Bar end shifters on a 'bent
« Reply #3 on: 01 May, 2019, 11:53:39 am »
Bar ends are a natural match for under-seat steering.  They go on the end of the bar, and you just reach up and tweak them when needed.  There appears to be fierce big-endian/little-endian debate as to whether the lever should point forwards (HPVelotechnik and others) or backwards (ICE), with forwards making for more natural ergonomics of the grip with a cable routed under it, and backwards providing a little more protection from rain entering the cable.  Obviously the right answer is whatever you find comfortable.

They also work well on open-cockpit bars, in a manner akin to the drop bars they're designed for.

With hamster bars, my first thought would be thumbie converters, but that sounds a bit too thumb-y.  End of the bars ought to work, though (much like the brake levers) you'll probably need them to rotate in the plane parallel to your thigh to avoid awkward knobbling.  This will also make them relatively vulnerable to being bashed, but not as severely as they are on an USS bicycle (which tends to land with the weight of the bike on the pedal and bar-end shifter when it falls over).  Alternatively, maybe you could mount them on a short bar end extension pointing upwards, or something?


Alternatively, this sounds like a legitimate application for electronic shifting.


FWIW, I've found the Microshift 9-speed bar end shifter to be more robust than the Dura-Ace one (which is vulnerable to cracking its friction ring when the lever is subject to excessive force from the bike falling over or bouncing against the bulkhead on a moving train, etc).

Phil W

Re: Bar end shifters on a 'bent
« Reply #4 on: 15 July, 2019, 03:22:22 pm »
I wonder if replacing hamster bars with bull horn bars pointing down would work for bar end shifters?