Loop Bars - uncomfortable

[lune ranger]

I’ve had some loop bars on my Krampus for a while now - the PX/onOne Rip offs. Initially I thought I liked them but more recently I’m finding I get uncomfortable hands.
The bars are high, not quite level with my saddle- say 2cm drop and positioned so all the hand positions are available. I have the thickest ESI foam grips.
The problem I think is the degree of sweep.
With my hands in the main positions, by the controls or further out I have noticed that I naturally turn my hands to lessen the sweep. The upshot of that is the grip runs over the heel of my hand and puts pressure on the ulnar area.
I don’t get numbness, it’s just not very comfortable.
Has anyone else found this with very swept bars.
I

[benp1]

Ergon grips can help a little, also, how wide at the bars? I found 660s too narrow but 710s much betterer

I even ran my jones loops with bar ends for a little while

[whitestone]

Do you have them angled down towards the rear? Seen from the side they should be aiming towards the rear axle. I find that a little extreme so have about a 5deg angle.

[In Reverse]

Ergon do some swept-specific grips to mitigate the problem you're describing - https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/handlebar-t ... -standard/

It might just be the case that they're not the right bars for you. I've swapped my carbon Jones onto my new bikepacking hardtail and put a pair of Nukeproof carbon risers on my old bike - I'm actually finding these a much more comfortable bar after 6 years of riding with Jones.

[ScotRoutes]

I used Loops on my 9ZERO7 for about 8 years and had them fitted to my Pact for a while.

However, I've fitted "ordinary" flat bars to my new fatbike. Partly that's because it just handles more like a big mountain bike - front suspension and all - so the Loops just didn't feel right.

Playing around with other bars, I managed to get a set of 12degree Thomsons for the Pact and they feel spot on, fitted with Cane Creek Ergos too.

For me, it wasn't that the Loops were uncomfortable, just that I found something better/more appopriate.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I don't get on with loops but can't say whether it's the sweep or something else. I forget how much sweep the VO Crazy bars have but the sweep suits me well.

[fatbikephil]

Ergon do some swept-specific grips to mitigate the problem you're describing - https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/handlebar-t ... -standard/

I tried them and found they made it worse and on steep downhills your hands slip forwards.
I reckon a pair of loops with a 35 degree sweep would suit me better than the 45's however I do find them pretty comfy; but they are set about 2" above seat height. I have them angled down about 5 degrees too.

[UnderTheRadars]

Had the same issue using ESI grips, hated them and couldn’t understand the love for them, swapped to Ergon bio cork GC1’s and not looked back

[Mariner]

I have the same problem with all bars so swap them around depending on time of year.
Current favourites are Soma Dream Riser the highest sweepiest widest bars I could find/afford after Stooge bars not being in stock.
I found myself riding with hands cupped on the ends of the Loops for long periods so was looking for a change to something that would
take a bar end. As you can see from the overlay there is not a lot in it between the Riser or the Loop yet that small difference makes all the difference.
The Riser looks super wide yet isnt. Feels too wide yet is comfortable. The only down side is riding on narrow paths with bramble and nettles the bar ends
catch everything and guide it onto my hands and legs.
It would be interesting to try the bar ends on the Loops next time I am swapping.


Untitled by michaelwex10, on Flickr

[Al]

I swapped from On one OG bars to loops and found exactly the same thing - couldn’t get comfy (and felt weirdly wheel barrow like) and delft I was trying to reduce the amount of sweep by how I gripped them.

After trying various other things I’ve settled on 16deg of sweep being the sweet spot for me. I’ve got sq lab bars on both mountain bikes and it’s been a while since I’ve had any had any wrist / pain.

[Alpinum]

From my very little experience on loop bars, I too would suggest trying this:

Do you have them angled down towards the rear? Seen from the side they should be aiming towards the rear axle. I find that a little extreme so have about a 5deg angle.

If you've not tried it yet, play around with different angles. Even just a tiny change can make a huge difference.

[Pirahna]

I bought loop bars and tried them on few different bikes, bearable but not what I'd call a good experience. Then I tried a Jones and it all made sense. On the short, tall riding position the Jones gives they're perfect. In my probably useless opinion, to make loop bars work on an MTB that isn't a Jones you need to be built like a baboon, short legs, very long arms and a red backside. I also have a very low opinion of people fitting drop bars to MTBs and declaring it a great idea. Really!! Loop bars do work well on road bikes/hybrids, again short top tubes compared to MTBs.

I do own a Jones as well as other MTB and road bikes. I have swapped the loop bars around to experiment and in my opinion they work best with a short top tube and roughly level or higher than the saddle, go even a little bit too low and they're not nice.

[lune ranger]

Thanks for the replies. I should have said that the bars are angled down, maybe 5deg or so like Bob rather than pointing at the rear axle. I read all of the Jones articles on positioning the bars prior to fitting them.
I’ll try adjusting them but maybe they’re just not for me.
Prior to these I used Ergon grips for many years, the ones with the integrated half bar ends - these were (are) my favourite grips ever. If adjusting the current bars doesn’t work I’ll just dig those back out of the Box of Doom in the shed and carry on as before.

[lune ranger]

I do own a Jones as well as other MTB and road bikes. I have swapped the loop bars around to experiment and in my opinion they work best with a short top tube and roughly level or higher than the saddle, go even a little bit too low and they're not nice.

Maybe that’s the problem

[DickieH]

Mine were just too low. I really wanted to like them and I put up with them for longer than I should really. The usual carpal tunnel syndrome in the left hand, I get it with every single bar/bike but it was noticeably bad with the Geoff bar.

OG bars with stubby end Ergons are least worst for me on the fatbike in bikepacking mode.
I did try a Ritchey Kyote as they are similar to OG but wider but not as good for me. I must move them on sometime.

[lune ranger]

I did a bit of a comparison with some Confucius bars overlaid on the Geoffs. It looks like the main hand position - by the controls - is very similar, just with a whole lot less sweep. The thing I do second most often is rest the heel of my hand inboard of the controls at the junction of the loop. On the Confucius bars this is a little further back towards the saddle - no bad thing - and I will be able to revert to using the most excellent and beloved Ergon grips.
Looks like I have myself a little conversion project on for next week.

[fatbikephil]

I can recommend Surly sunrise bars on a Mondraker on-off stem on a Krampus for that modern day Klunker look

[TheBrownDog]

Luke I have a set of Ritchey Coyote bars you borrow for a test. Lemme know and I'l stick them in the post. They have a nice sweep, not as much as the Loops, very wide too and are reasonably compliant. I rode them with some Egon copies and loved them - only took them off because I wanted a more upright position and replaced them with Surly Sunrisers.

If you're interested in thicker grips have a look at SuperGripz. Ive got the 45mm ones and they felt stupid for a few rides, as I had to relearn where the brakes and gears were. But now they just brilliant. Take so much trail buzz way, loads of control.

https://www.supergripz.com/

[lune ranger]

Thanks Tim, kind offer but I’ll be ok with the Confucius bars. I was happy with them before and should be fine with them now.

[jameso]

As a long-term Loop/H-bar fan I agree with the points above about angle and how loops/highly-swept bars work better on shorter reach, higher front end bikes. I'd add that the metal Loop bars are pretty damn stiff too, something often overlooked in these towel rail bars. They feel quite rigid or harsh on some bikes. I took them off my steel Jones and went back to the old ti H-bars (though I am less tolerant of front end vibration than I was a few years ago - they felt fine in the past). On another bike the loops feel fine as it has a slightly softer fork or front end.

[lune ranger]

Bar swap complete. Passes the riding the garden comfort test

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0kirVjD ... r_-_Huxham