Why and How to Install Bar Ends On A Mountain Bike

If you wish to give your mountain bike a facelift and hit the trail like a pro, bar ends make for a perfect bargain. We will explain why in this blog. But first, you want to ask, why do you need them? Since the early 1990s, bike customization has always epitomized the love of mountain biking. 

Cyclists worldwide are always hooked on new and trendy bike accessories, and it is not about to end. Not in the foreseeable future! Sometimes you must appreciate manufacturers creating something simple yet immensely useful like MTB bar end. 

Why and How to Install Bar Ends On A Mountain Bike.

Bar ends will extend your handlebar and allow you to move your hands more forward, this lowers the center of gravity at the same time. Bar ends will make it a little bit easier when you go uphill and increase leverage.

Before we dig deeper into this subject, it is noteworthy that some cyclists are reading about bar ends for the first time or have probably heard about it in the streets. In this post, I will explain how to install bar ends and why you need them. So, here is our kick-starter question…

What are bars ends?

Bikers know almost every bike accessory by name, and from our blog, your knowledge of mountain biking will improve immensely. From handlebars, saddles, chain sprockets, drive trains, tires, rims, and speedometers to braking levers and pads, mountain bikes are not always simple. It may depend on the manufacturer, though, that a bike looks like pieces of metal frames welded together. 

Definitively, bar ends are like antlers jutting upwards from a bike’s handlebars. Some call them horn-like handlebar extensions. They can be bolt-on or permanently fixed extensions curving inwards, outwards, frontwards, or in any other direction preferable to a cyclist. You should also note that bar ends can be predominantly aluminum, carbon steel, or titanium, depending on the manufacturer. For those who love customized bikes, having these add-ons crusted with any metal of your choice is always great customization.

Here you can find Mountain Bike Bar Ends and check their prices.

Bar ends are a bit foreign to mountain bike manufacturers. It is because they often come as separate entities. Most of the time, bikers buy these accessories separately and then fix them onto the handlebars. We will explore this in great detail in a short while. We say foreign because while bikes have been here for decades, bar ends only became popular add-ons in the early 1990s. They are the type of accessories that are both trendy and unnecessary simultaneously. It depends on a biker’s perception of bar ends and needs. 

A good online search for bar-end images will pull up impressive results, some of which will direct you to the best bike accessories stores. But that aside, among other questions we will help you answer in this blog are:

• How to install bar ends
• Why install bar ends on your mountain bikes-what are their functions, and do you need them?
• Tips on choosing the best bar ends.
• How popular are the bar ends?
• Are there safety considerations about the bar ends?

Why install bar ends on your mountain bikes – what are their functions, and do you need them?

Mountain bike bar ends are generally accepted accessories all over the world. Now that you know how to install them quickly, more questions come to mind. If you are a bike addict, for example-often visiting and reading comments on bike forums-you have probably come across these questions:

• Why should I install the bar ends on my mountain bike? 
• What value do they add?
• Are they necessary, after all?

To answer these questions, let’s use some facts to refresh your memory. It is noteworthy that every bicycle component has some history attached to it. In a nutshell, the modern bike is a product of several modifications over time. You may want to attribute everything to technology, and that’s okay. Talk about wheels, steering/seating, axle, brakes, spokes, cog set, dynamo, fork, handlebar, helmet, or wheels, there is a story behind their invention and consequent development into indispensable bike accessories. 

Here you can find Mountain Bike Bar Ends and check their prices.

Often fixed on straight handlebars, bar ends are typical extensions that have gained traction over the years. Some bikers call them climbing horns. In our installation guide above, we emphasized bar ends that you can clump onto your bike. However, some as permanent fixes on the handlebars. 

In the early 1990s, bar ends were very popular until riser bars again resumed their place, driving the latter’s existence to near-oblivion. You should also note that despite their significance in cycling, regulatory authorities restrict the use of bar ends in some countries due to safety concerns. We will explore safety concerns regarding their use later on in this post.

Now, on installing bar ends, which should explain their functions and necessity, we compiled the following after extensive research:

● Bike customization

For some bikers, fitting bar ends onto the handlebars is all about customization. While they may have become less popular, you should note that trends do change. At some point, riser bars lost their popularity, only to regain it later. It is also true for bar ends. They make mountain bikes look unique, trendy, or stylish, which could inform your reasons for having them on your ride.

● Bar ends increase leverage 

Cycling uphill will always be a difficult challenge, and without something to leverage the pull-up, it feels like the uphill task it is. That’s where the bar ends come into play. They make it easy to ride bikes uphill by increasing leverage. With your hands clutching the bar ends, slightly pulling your weight up, and increasing pressure in the pedals, the mechanical advantage becomes great.

The catch here is that when cycling uphill, speed drops, and the heart rate increases. It means without handlebars to leverage pedaling, cyclists find it difficult to maintain a steady speed uphill.  

● Bar ends and hand position

While it could have been evident from the start that bar ends are primarily for positioning your hands in whichever way you please, there is more to it. After long cycling sessions, especially during competitions, cyclists report soreness or numbness in their hands. You could say it is because of pressure from the handlebars. You should note that bar grips only minimize the pressure, but not entirely, hence the need for bar ends.

There is little pressure on your hand when you have bar ends installed on your mountain bike. They enable you to vary hand positioning. Whether you want to turn your hands by 90 degrees, push your torso frontwards, stretch your spine or move your hands diagonally, they give you all the freedom to do so.

● Boosts body weight for uphill cycling

Riding a bike uphill is not an easy task, even if it is something you do routinely. Increasing heart rate and reduced speed will make you want to give up and walk the way up. However, with bar ends, things get easier. When you hold onto the bar ends, you can easily lurch your torso forward, adding more weight to the front wheel. 

Thus, the center of gravity becomes low and shifts forward, making riding uphill less strenuous. Without shifting body weight to the front, wheels will have a weak grip on the ground. You can imagine how difficult cycling uphill on a light bicycle would be, only having handlebars to steer your way through to the top.

● High speed on level grounds

Another noteworthy reason for installing bar ends is to improve a mountain biker’s aerodynamics. You could call it a faster getaway, which is more pronounced on flat trails. It happens when you lift your weight by holding the bar ends, a bit off the saddle, and pedaling fast. The resulting sprint is not close to being a lead actor in fast and furious, but good enough to propel you over long distances. When you assume a relaxed cycling posture, it begins to feel like cruising on a high-speed roadster.

● A lift for the bike during maintenance and repair

Who would have guessed that sometimes you hang your mountain bike using bar ends? If you are considering using them as hooks when repairing your bike, go for durable ones. But that is not the only role they will play. While at it, bar ends will keep delicate components of your bike off the ground or from getting scratched on surfaces. It is especially practical in bikes with carbon handles. 

Tips on choosing the best bar ends

Thus far, you may want to go straight away into buying the best bar ends. But before doing so, it is important to ask this question: How do I choose the best ones for the money? We did some homework for you on this, too, and came up with the following handy tips:

Presumably, you have set your eyes on a bar end before. But you got a little apprehensive about putting money on it. It could be because you wanted to learn more about these handy mountain bike accessories, or you were not sure whether you need one in the first place. Now that you know why mountain bikers like to install bar ends on their bikes, forget about the rumor mills. For example, you may have heard bar ends are no longer useful, which is a big fat lie. 

Here you can find Mountain Bike Bar Ends and check their prices.

Bar ends, we would say, are a great investment, especially for bikers looking for extra comfort on the trail. But when it comes to choosing the best one, the following tips should help you make the right decision:

● Brand

The best brand will always carry the day, so bear it in mind when you go out shopping. Now, on finding a befitting bar end brand for your bike, there are plenty in the market for both experienced bikers and a novice. After making a comparison, titec micros, profile design boxer, XLC, RavX Lite, and Pyramid Carbon Fiber emerged as some of the market’s best brands. You can also check out more brands in leading bike stores.

● Design

Whether appealing or not, design plays a significance when choosing an ideal bar end. We have seen and even tested several of these. The most important design feature we always look out for is curving. Are you need a slightly curved bar end, a straight one, or one with extreme curving? Remember that regardless of the curving, you can always twist to face any direction. 

● Cost of a bar end

You should expect that bar ends do not have the same price tags. There is something for everyone from different manufacturers, brands, and low-end, mid-range to high-end crafts. On our part, we always advise mountain bikers to go for the best, usually high-end, even if it costs a little more. Mountain biking is a strenuous cycling experience, and you will not want to install a bar end that breaks shortly after installation. That is not our wish for MTB lovers.

● Material

Another factor that plays a significance when buying a bar end is the material. Are you looking for carbon fiber, titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, or brass alloy? This is a question every mountain biker should ask before checking available options. It is because, depending on the craft material, the bar’s end would last longer or break after a few weeks of use. Remember that material has a direct impact on pricing. Weak materials are cheap and don’t last long.

● Width

We also want to mention that the width of a bar end is another feature that determines a biker’s preference. Some are narrow/thin, while others are wide/thick. Choosing either depends on whether you will have a good-strong grip or not.

Installing bar ends-A detailed guide for mountain bikers

Now that you know about bar ends, especially how they look, let’s move on to the next question. Do you know how to install them on a mountain bike? The truth is that having a bar end mounted on your MTB is not always easy. You should make sure they fit tightly. Our experience with mountain bikes means you will never go wrong with these accessories after reading this post. 

For someone who has just acquired a new pair of bar ends, the following installation guide should help you get started:

● Step 1: Position the bike

Start by positioning your bike to make the installation process easy.

● Step 2: Expose a portion of the handlebars

Step two involves exposing a portion of the handlebars. To do so, slide the grip, brake lever, and shift the level inwards in that order. You should measure the width of the bar end, especially on the clamping point. If it is 0.75 inches, it is imperative that you slide-shift the above components by about 0.8 inches for the best fit. Here you can find different Bar Ends.

● Step 3: Remove the grip

Now, remove the grip, in which case, the end plug comes out first. Push a screwdriver push under the grip to make the task easy. With it inside, slowly twist the grip until it comes off. 

● Step 4: Move the shift lever

Next, using a wrench, move the shift lever inwards. Do not tighten it once it is half an inch from the brake lever. It is because you will need to adjust it later.

● Step 5: Move the brake levers

Now, loosen your brake levers and move them over 0.5 inches between them and the shift lever. Also, do not tighten it. 

● Step 6: Put back the handle grip

At this stage, you should put back the handle grip by cleaning the bar with a spray, ensuring to wipe it dry using a rag. Slide it until it comes into contact with the brake lever. This should leave enough space for the bar end, the same as the 0.75 measurements you had measured or slightly more.

● Step 7: Add the bar end

Get the bar end and slip in through, then using a screw wrench, tighten it. 

● Step 8: Adjust the bar ends

It is time to adjust everything; once you get onto your bike and start riding, your hands assume a natural position. You don’t want to end up with very high bar ends. To do this, put your MTB on the ground, then sit on it if that will make your work easier. 

● Step 9: Incline the bar ends

Most cyclists like it when the bar ends are a bit inclined frontwards because it makes the grip easier and natural. Thus, you should loosen and slide it to the preferred position and angle. Tighten the bar ends.

● Step 10: Adjust the brake and shift levers

Now adjust the brake lever and the shift lever while sitting on the bike. Most importantly, make sure to position both in a comfortable position. It is because you don’t want to find it difficult to reach for the shift lever and brake lever when cycling.

● Step 11: Twist grip shifters

There is a slight difference in making the above adjustments for bikers who have twist grip shifters instead of rapid-fire shifters. It is, therefore, imperative that you study your bike and know how to go about the process of installing bar ends. It also helps you choose the best tools for the task.

How popular are bar ends?

For every mountain bike accessory, there are always standardization, legality, and popularity issues. The history of the bar end is long and winding. Some say they came about because of riser handlebars. Others think different types of handlebars inspired varying designs. Take, for example, drop handlebars and drop-in variants. 

However, that’s only a grain of the truth. Most, if not all, bar ends sit on straight handlebars. The fact that you can change their position anyhow you deem suitable makes them bar ends popular. Curved crafts give riders more versatility because they can vary the positioning of their hands. 

In the early 1990s, as we already indicated, the popularity of bar ends grew by leaps and bounds. By the late 1990s, it seemed not many bikers fancied them as much as most did. It coincided with a time in history when rise bars became popular again after being relegated to near forgetfulness. Most notably, a bike rarely features the two accessories combined unless you love some weirdo. 

For some, the popularity of bar ends has declined over the years despite their handiness. In any case, I would say these accessories are still useful even today. Whether you would want to open your chest when riding uphill for a more relaxed pedaling, they are the go-to components for a biker looking for extra fun. Moreover, we don’t always want to limit our choice to what people say. 

There is also a case of modern mountain bikes being more user-friendly. We have since gone past an era where getting off saddles for more rigorous pedaling was the norm during competitions. Today, bikes that have full fork suspension are handier than old versions. All you need to do is sit and cycle uphill with little effort. 

The popularity of bar ends, then and now-is also because of their non-cycling roles. Take, for example, a situation where you want to take off bike tires. After flipping your bicycle, you notice that these accessories help protect other components, like the speedometer, from being knocked off. 

Safety Concerns regarding the use of bar ends

In one of our previous posts, we looked at the dangers of mountain biking. We further explored how to stay safe. However, you would recall bar ends did not feature in that blog because our main focus was the MTB. Well, you should note that, like vaulting over handlebars after hitting an obstacle or accidentally ramming your legs on the chain box, every part of a mountain bike poses a degree of risk to a cyclist. Thus, we ask the question, how risky are the bar ends? 

The truth is that since their advent, there have been lots of discussions on safety. A case in point is falling over your bike and getting caught by the hook of a bar end. That would be disastrous, even by the thought of it. In reality, bar ends pose even bigger risks to a rider. Forget about their handiness and the high possibility of returning to the market, given recent modifications on a modern bike. 

● Getting hooked to a competitor’s bar ends

A ban on the bar ends, especially in cycling competitions, also speaks volumes about an issue many have brushed aside. The likelihood that another rider with whom you compete will get hooked onto the bar ends fuels such discussions. Generally, mountain bikes have flat handlebars, minimizing the risk of getting hooked, but such a possibility becomes potent when you add bar ends or drop bars.  

From our end of the bargain, we say getting hooked to bar ends is only a cause for alarm when riding close to competitors in a tight race. However, it should not be the case when biking alongside a few cyclists, say two or three, unless the trail is very narrow.  

● The risk of hooking to a tree is real

The technical aspects of the bar end, especially positioning, also make them prone to being hooked to a tree. Think about a situation where you cycle along a narrow trail surrounded by trees and thick bushes. You realize there is also a real chance of getting hooked to a tree. The worst thing about it is that such a sudden occurrence would be catastrophic when cycling at high speed.  

Thus, bikers should think about the usefulness of these accessories. Ask this question: Do I need to install bar ends on my bike, and why? What are the pros and cons? 

● They risk hand movement

Some cyclists, especially mountain bikers, like to move their hands on the handlebars. It makes them feel more agile and in control. However, that freedom comes to an end the moment you install the bar ends. A restriction in hand movements equals potential risks, such as losing control on the trail. With your hands more on the bar ends than the handlebars, reaching for brake levers gets delayed, especially in emergencies. The rest would be a story for another day. 

Final Words 

Cycling mishaps do happen. Accident situations are endless, from sliding across the road because of old tires in the rain to ramming into a tree when taking sharp bends to poor control. However, there are lots of lessons that mountain bikers should learn. For someone with experience with bar ends, having a mixed reaction toward them is normal. They are good, and then they are bad. 

Thus far, we hope you have picked a lesson on two. Installing bar ends should, therefore, be the least of your worries henceforth. Moreover, having learned their usefulness on mountain bikes, it goes that bar ends are here to stay. In the foreseeable future, their demand is likely to rise, especially on the premise of realizing more comfort. Here you can find a large selection of bar ends.

It is not easy winning a discussion that often shifts to why bar ends are necessary. Indeed, they are if you read between the lines!