Really dont want to import one from stateside so has anyone come across a fred bar or similar in the uk ?

i have a long effective TT and low bars which are comfy when on the grips(because back sweep) but extended periods on my TT bars for road sections my lower back narks and bringing them up and back a bit leads me to a fred bar.

other than aesthetics any reason not to ?

There is no one in the UK bringing them in. I made such enquiries last year. The import cost on one...is uneconomical.

Depending on the TT bars you use, it can be easy to have the pads rest on the ends of the extensions, rather than on the bars themselves. Thus, you get a shorter position for when you're tucked up. Profile, Oval, and a few others do extensions like this.

Obviously if you've got bars already this may not be what you want to hear.

BarYak stuff looks nice but again, it's coming from the US.
http://www.baryak.com/new-products/

I took a look / tried a Fred bar a few years ago and couldn't help thinking that while it worked, it wouldn't take much to make something similar that worked better.

i must admit that making something in the garage of dreams features highly on my to do list before i import one from the us due to as you put it high costs.....

while that baryak stuff does look good i cant help but think it makes importing a fred bar look economical :D

I asked someone to make me a Fred Bar copy in the UK...it was quite expensive. But I didn't go searching for cheaper alternatives.

Could you make something similar with a short stem an the central section cut from some old bars? At least to try it out. PX have a 35mm stem for £29.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/STEGOUT/e ... utlaw-stem

i have an azonic hammer stem and some old bars to hack up to try the concept but that will be an ugly as hell test bicycle rather than a workable solution.

This any good? https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/accessories ... -mm-0-deg/

I have one I am wiling to part with, had it on my Fargo when it had Jones bars, it has since gone back to drops. PM if any use.

chris , while it looks similar if its been designed with mounting computers and stuff on im skeptical it will be over designed enough to be any good with leverage afforded by some aero bars.

And i dont want to end up being the gravel equivalent of that lad in the video doing the rounds this week when his TT risers snap and he eats road.

Brothersmith - although this wasnt intended to be a pseudo wanted ad i have Pm'd you.

Trail-rat wrote:Brothersmith - although this wasnt intended to be a pseudo wanted ad i have Pm'd you.

Thats OK, wasn't meant to be a pseudo classifieds either

Well got the Fred bar fitted.

Good bit of kit has let me lower my bars back down and fit the longer stem back on instead of compromising position to get my Tri bars on.

Much nicer position on both the extensions with a nice hunched back instead of stretched and with a horrible hip/leg angle and the end of the jones are much comfier as instead of being pulled back to mimic a good tri bar position they are where I want them. Also can position my revo higher over my bar roll. Mounted on from of the Jones bar meant the bottom half o the beam was cut off.

Got out for a ride today.

Bars mostly sat there being un instrusive to the riding of the bike.

Previously when I've tried this the extra weight hanging out over the front has made the front end floppy.

There is no knee- arm rest interface -even when I try to make them hit. - this I must admit was a big concern when I saw them fitted on Saturday.

Most of all that short hunch position. Really takes a load off your back and hands after you been going for a while it's a proper change of position. One of my biggest issues in Canada was bruised and blistered Palms. And for all the positions drop bars offered there wasn't one that my hands got a rest in.

Trail-rat wrote:Got out for a ride today.

Bars mostly sat there being un instrusive to the riding of the bike.

Previously when I've tried this the extra weight hanging out over the front has made the front end floppy.

There is no knee- arm rest interface -even when I try to make them hit. - this I must admit was a big concern when I saw them fitted on Saturday.

Most of all that short hunch position. Really takes a load off your back and hands after you been going for a while it's a proper change of position. One of my biggest issues in Canada was bruised and blistered Palms. And for all the positions drop bars offered there wasn't one that my hands got a rest in.

This is maybe a stupid. But can you not pad your Jones bars and drape yourself a la TT position using your fore arms?

Justchris wrote:

Trail-rat wrote: This is maybe a stupid. But can you not pad your Jones bars and drape yourself a la TT position using your fore arms?

Just my opinion, but the long low design of modern bikes makes this not really feasible. What's needed is a bike with a much shorter top tube and taller head tube, Jones, Fargo that sort of thing.

Justchris wrote:
This is maybe a stupid. But can you not pad your Jones bars and drape yourself a la TT position using your fore arms?

You can, but experience and sore forearms suggest better options are available.

I tried it for a few months during TDR training, it was ok, but comfort was not as good as extensions. Discovered during TDR that I can bunnyhop while on the extensions. I can't do that while arms are draped over the front while travelling approx. 60kph.

FWIW, I'd not ride a bike with extensions except for something like the TDR, or a big tour, where you know you're going to spend days riding into a headwind.

Looking at trailrat's picture above, I would be interested in how you have mounted your Revo. I have looked around, but limited options found for a fork crown mount.
Thanks

Terry, I used the Fred bar to clamp some arm rests too then mounted some sawn down extensions to the front of my jones loops, it saved a ton of weight and gave access to fit a Tom cat in the loop. Been looking for a pic but cant find one. However took inspiration from the English Black Rainbow bike.

Revos on a home made bracket.

It's dead easy it's basically an l shaped piece of metal with a couple of tabs that go under the bottom of crown - stop it turning into wheel if it came loose.

Don't recommend it though as it puts the light at too shallow an angle for the beam pattern.

As for riding it outwith an itt.

The valley I live in means that any meaningful ride has a headwind either to or from the trails. There's also very little point in adding a position to your bike for an event if your not used to it. Surefire way to self inflicted pain

Could pad the Jones infact I've been doing the drape thing till now but ideally you need the pads higher and further back. Tried to compensate with a shorter sten but that left all the positions wrong.

Thanks, thats handy to know about the beam position, will save me hunting down a mount now.
Keith