Brick Lane Bikes Hobo Bar - have I finally found my perfect bar?

[thenorthwind]

I'm currently using an Alpkit Confucius bar (760mm, 9º sweep) on my Longitude, which I thought was the final chapter in my long-running quest for the perfect bar. But some recent wrist discomfort, and shoulder pain after longer rides, has made me think I might be better with a bit more sweep - but not too much. I've tried a Jones Loop and a Surly Moloko and didn't get on with them. I'm very reluctant to sacrifice the loop, as it just makes attaching a bag so much easier and more stable. So in looking for something in the 15-25º range to try out, I came across the BLB Hobo bar: 760mm, 15º sweep, AND... a loop! https://www.bricklanebikes.co.uk/hobo-loop-bar-black

I'm not really sure what the question is here... maybe "can anyone dissuade me from spending yet another £50 (could be a lot worse, admittedly) on bars?"

[slarge]

500 grams. That's a good reason not to......

Yours

Weight weenie

[redefined_cycles]

I agree with Steven (btw Steven, what was the name of the road/shortcuts to miss Fosse Way from my Dewsbury to London route... don't fancy that again since I'm gonna be riding the route every Dec), don't add 500g in bars Besides, I can only imagine they'd be quite harsh...

[thenorthwind]

Fair point, but the Confucius is about the same. They're not the most shock-absorbing either, which may be part of the problem, but I have similar problems with a carbon bar on another bike.

[benp1]

The Jones Loops are the same weight in ally. Only Carbon ones are lighter

edit - the Ti ones might be similar weight too...

[sean_iow]

Ti Jones are heavier than the ally ones

Ti 570g
Ally 525g
Carbon 275g

Having a loop is always going to attract a weight penalty as thin wall tube isn't very good with torsional loads part way along and the wall also needs to be thick enough for successful welding.

As for the original question, at that price they would be worth trying? Probably get most of that back if you decide they're not right and sell them on.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Disappointed - I was expecting this

[thenorthwind]

Having a loop is always going to attract a weight penalty as thin wall tube isn't very good with torsional loads part way along and the wall also needs to be thick enough for successful welding.

As for the original question, at that price they would be worth trying? Probably get most of that back if you decide they're not right and sell them on.

Yeah, you don't choose a loop bar for weight saving (though some of it you could offset against a harness if you're bothered).

I always think that, and end up with expensive niche parts that it turns out no-one else wants cluttering up the place!

[thenorthwind]

Disappointed - I was expecting this

Don't let us hope you back Stu!

[Bearbonesnorm]

Don't let us hope you back Stu!

You can't tell it's me with the mask on can you?

[thenorthwind]

I don't think that's how you're supposed to wear it. They'd not let you in Sainsbury's like that!

[Bearlegged]

Bit disappointing that despite previous discussions on diversity, and claims that (as a community) we're accepting of all walks of life, there's still supposed humour to be found in homosexuality.
For anyone who's recently asked why certain riders make a thing out of being gay, here's your answer; it's to provide visibility and positive role models within a world of cycling that all too often and easily slips into exclusionary micro-aggressions.

[thenorthwind]

I think there's humour to be found in any activity that diverges from the "norm", including many that I choose myself, such as occasionally sleeping in a ditch with my bike. The gentlemen pictured above are clearly engaging in some pretty divergent activity (nothing wrong with that), but it genuinely hadn't occurred to me that that's because they're homosexual. Maybe I'm just naïve. I mean if you'd asked me, I guess I might have thought they were.

TL;DR I laughed at some people dressed funny. Sometimes people laugh at me because I dress funny

[Bearbonesnorm]

I'm very doubtful that any of my gay friends would be offended but apologies to anyone who is.

[Lazarus]

what they said [ not the one with the non existent gaydar but bearlegged]
I know the defence will be we take the piss out of everything equally but minorities do get persecuted and one presons laugh is yet another example of bigotry and the barriers minorities face.

[Bearbonesnorm]

gaydar

Are you allowed to say that?

Dave's post title put me in mind of a scene from a film. I apologise for sharing that thought. However, doing so doesn't mean or imply that I am homophobic. I do also appreciate that simply trying to explain that I'm not homophobic (and we might as well add racist, sexist, fattist, shortest, tallest, spectacle wearing, etc) will undoubtedly make some people assume I am. I promise to now STFU because I'm getting very tired of treading on egg shells.

[psling]

I promise to now STFU because I'm getting very tired of treading on egg shells

EGG-SHELLIST!!

[lune ranger]

Let’s leave the Blue Oyster behind and get back on point:

Give em a try and let us know.
I too tried Jones (copy) bars and didn’t really get on with them. Having gone back to Confucius bars I’m finding the section distal to the loop a bit short by comparison.
I wonder how much grip space there is on the Hobo’s.

[fatbikephil]

Pipe bender on you Alpkit bars?
I keep thinking about trying something with a bit less sweep than the Jones bars on the err Jones. I've finally decided that it will just result in more dosh and another big pile of handlebars in my shed. I find wrist ache is more a function of bar height than angle as I don't suffer any worse on the Ice cream Truck (Stooge motos) than on the Jones.

[thenorthwind]

I do also appreciate that simply trying to explain that I'm not homophobic (and we might as well add racist, sexist, fattist, shortest, tallest, spectacle wearing, etc) will undoubtedly make some people assume I am. I promise to now STFU because I'm getting very tired of treading on egg shells.

I am mindful of the same. I actually refrained from mentioning my gay friends because I thought that was a trap. I shall now follow your advice too. Happy to debate these things face to face, but I think there's too much risk of misinterpretation on the internet, and no good will come of it.

Back on topic...
Interesting point about grip space. I'd wondered about shortening the Confucius, but if you want to use the loop joints as a hand position, it puts the levers about as far out as they can go. A slightly narrower loop would probably be better.

There's this: https://www.bikester.co.uk/humpert-ergo ... 63646.html
Smaller loop, but narrower overall. And more extreme sweep, though not as much as the Jones, and flat, so depends how you angle it how much is in the horizontal plane. Also not rated for MTB, apparently.

[thenorthwind]

Pipe bender on you Alpkit bars?
I keep thinking about trying something with a bit less sweep than the Jones bars on the err Jones. I've finally decided that it will just result in more dosh and another big pile of handlebars in my shed. I find wrist ache is more a function of bar height than angle as I don't suffer any worse on the Ice cream Truck (Stooge motos) than on the Jones.

If they were steel, yes. Have wondered if getting the right geometry with a straight guage steel bar, then welding on a loop is the way forward. Would be heavy though, not to mention effort.

[Cheeky Monkey]

Some see "micro-aggression" others see folks lacking perspective.

Hey ho

[Linkpin]

Bit disappointing that despite previous discussions on diversity, and claims that (as a community) we're accepting of all walks of life, there's still supposed humour to be found in homosexuality.
For anyone who's recently asked why certain riders make a thing out of being gay, here's your answer; it's to provide visibility and positive role models within a world of cycling that all too often and easily slips into exclusionary micro-aggressions.

Sorry if I'm being stupid here but I don't think the joke is on gay people here. The laugh comes from the fact that Stu has apparently misunderstood what was meant by someone's favourite bar, doesn't it?

Obviously there's nothing more ruinous to a joke than trying to work out if and why it's funny, but this one hinges on the double meaning of the word 'bar', not the fact that the men might be gay, surely?

It would work if it had been a picture of some hipsters in a bar, too, without knowing their sexualities. It's just that a photo with leather and masks is more visually arresting.

[substandard]

500 grams. That's a good reason not to......

Yours

Weight weenie

Says it’s made of lightweight aluminium though… just a lot of it!

[thenorthwind]

Gave in and bought some of these. Fitted them yesterday, but not ridden yet. Couple of pics:





Direct comparison with the old Confucius in case it helps anyone:



Hoping that few extra degrees of sweep will be worth the hassle. What you can't see is that there's no rise as on the Confucius, which I feel might be a backwards step in terms of comfort, so I might need to try and find a steeper stem.

The bend being slightly inside the loop junction provides quite a nice place for your thumb to sit in that position.

Need to get them wrapped up.