• Fitting Jones Loops

Posted: **Tue Jul 02, 2019 11:07 pm**

Considering some Loops for my Krampus.
If switching from a low riser bar will I need to/benefit from changing the length or rise of my stem.
It looks like the Loops would put the primary hand position further back than ‘normal’ but that’s desirable - right?

Posted: **Tue Jul 02, 2019 11:33 pm**

Yup... from my understanding because you'll be able to get your butt further back off the back of the saddle when hanging back on extreme DH...

Don't forget that its only when you're on yhe actual grips that your primary hand P would be further back. When on the central sections you'd be fore/aft depending on where your hands is placed. Hence makes sense to leave stem same size for the mo and then (like bob was explaining on the Stooge bar thread) after realizing the difference the Jones have made, work on stem length after... ie, lots of minor adjustments: do one change, ride hard, realise what other minor change needed etc etc

Sorry for just saying most of what you already know

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 12:08 am**

No change in stem length on either of my bikes when fitting loops, but that's probably because I have my controls (and therefore primary hand position) quite near the weld. You really need to work that bit out first.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 6:53 am**

I set mine (660mm versions) up so that the rear section, the shortest reach, widest part of the bar puts my hands just ahead of the steerer. That's the descending grip. The forward sections are then for cruising and climbing, I do ride with my hands up against the cross-piece welds a fair bit on the flat as Scotroutes says. A 90-100mm stem works well. I have them angled down a bit also, so the bar points toward the upper area of the rear wheel in side view.
I found the 710s had more grip length than I wanted (use is limited by brake lever length really) and the rear to cross-piece positions range was a bit more 'out' for my preferences, but most prefer the wider bars it seems.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:12 am**

I fitted some 660mm loops to my fatbike a few weeks ago. Stem is only 60mm, so I expected to have to change it, but have found it ok. As others have said, bars are angled down and they feel very comfortable. I would expect if using the 710's you possibly would want a longer stem.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:32 am**

I checked the bars (710/720mm) on my bike - 80mm stem means the centre of the bar ends is ~50mm behind the steerer.

Jones recommend angling the bars downwards by between 10 & 15 degrees. A bit of trial and error to find what works for you.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:44 am**

When I fitted mine I swapped from a 70mm stem to a 100mm one. On my first ride I was on a slippery track in a land-rover wheel rut and I kept catching the front wheel on the sides, came off about 3 times, I found the bike un-rideable

wondered why I spent o much money on bars that were just not working for me.

I messaged a friend who had some and he had left his stem the same length when swapping from flat bars so I put the 70mm back on. This did help but I still wasn't really getting on with them, I stuck with it and after a few days (about 6 to 8 hours of riding time) I suddenly realised they felt natural and I no longer noticed the weirdness. I'd had other alt bars before but only with 25 deg sweep.

When I got home I uploaded my ride and I had PB's on all the descents, in winter on a rigid bike when I'd set my previous records in the dry with sus forks on the bike

This trend continued and also on the ups. I think I had to un-learn my muscle memory from the flat bars.

My advice would be to leave the stem as it is to start with and see how you get on, but give it time to adjust to the new position. I'm so used to them now that if I jump on a friends bike with flat bars it feels like I'm riding with my elbows sticking out and my wrists pointed in and I wonder how I ever managed to ride a bike with bars so at odds to the shape of the human arm

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:56 am**

Once you go Jones you don’t go back.
I have a tiny stem on mine and have more of an up angle than most people. It’s all personal preference. As Sean says get used to them for a while, then start tweeting the setup.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:10 am**

What Sean said above... I've wondered that for almost 7 years now (or whenever Privateer -think Rouleur but in mtb version- was in print). Jones did an interview explaining how he was faster DH than he'd ever been with suspension. I always wondered whether it was in his head as at that time he had no stats to back it up (jusy how he'd felt)...

Thanks to Sean for clarifying... now Sean, you need to try with them wierd (is it Truss) forks of his to see if you're even faster...

Luke... Looking forward to some DH PBs shortly. Hopefully you will report back soon right

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:11 am**

dlovett wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:56 am Once you go Jones you don’t go back.
I have a tiny stem on mine and have more of an up angle than most people. It’s all personal preference. As Sean says get used to them for a while, then start tweeting the setup.

Whats the stats (in your guesstimate) before one goes from straight Gauge Jones (the £100 version) to the carbon £600 version

would be interesting little research mission

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:31 am**

I think the £600 version is the titanium model, the CF is only(

) £350 or so.

I've the straight gauge bars on the fat bike and the carbon fibre bars (got them second hand) on the Spearfish. The SG bars are definitely harsher, I had the carbon bars on the fat bike at first, but there's not a lot in it unless you are one of those people who reckon they can tell the difference in stiffness between an XT and XTR crankset or whatever. I think there'd be even less difference between the double butted and the CF bars.

There's a definite difference in how you ride with Jones bars to standard flat/riser bars. With the latter you tend to adopt a "chicken wing" posture with elbows out as if you are jostling at the bar and when using your arms and upper body to absorb shock you are sort of doing a press-up action. With the Jones bars your elbows are closer to the side of your body and you absorb shocks by bending your arms at the elbows in a sort of reverse barbell curl action.

They do take some getting used to as Sean says. They definitely aren't an instant conversion.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:32 am**

Once you go Jones you don’t go back.

I did. I don't get on with them and I'm fairly sure I'm not the only one

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:51 am**

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:32 am
Once you go Jones you don’t go back.
I did. I don't get on with them and I'm fairly sure I'm not the only one

I found them horrible on anything other than a Jones.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 12:20 pm**

I have Loops on two MTBs and normal bars on another two. I also have Woodchippers on my Gradventourer and compact drops on my road bike. Swapping between bikes isn't an issue.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 12:44 pm**

I've ridden jones loops for two years now and when I got a new bike with straight bars i gave it a quick ride and couldn't believe how uncomfortable the straight bars felt. Interesting points about stem length, must check what i've got fitted.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 1:05 pm**

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 12:20 pm I have Loops on two MTBs and normal bars on another two. I also have Woodchippers on my Gradventourer and compact drops on my road bike. Swapping between bikes isn't an issue.

I think I find normal bars strange because I ride them so rarely, e.g. maybe 5 minutes a year. I have flared drops on my 'gravel' bike and I can jump on that and it feels fine. If I rode flat bars regularly I'd probably be able to swap between them with no issues.

My old next door neighbour had a collection of classic motorbikes plus some modern jap stuff, about 8 to 10 crammed in his garage. In the summer on a sunday morning he'd take 3 or 4 out for an hour each and he could swap between left/right gearchange/rear brake without having to think about, so I guess it's what you are used to.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 1:27 pm**

Pirahna wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:51 am
Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:32 am
Once you go Jones you don’t go back.
I did. I don't get on with them and I'm fairly sure I'm not the only one
I found them horrible on anything other than a Jones.

i found the geoff bars had too much sweep, and actually brought back the numbness that OG bars had alleviated.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 4:45 pm**

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:11 am
dlovett wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:56 am Once you go Jones you don’t go back.
I have a tiny stem on mine and have more of an up angle than most people. It’s all personal preference. As Sean says get used to them for a while, then start tweeting the setup.
Whats the stats (in your guesstimate) before one goes from straight Gauge Jones (the £100 version) to the carbon £600 version would be interesting little research mission

I'd be interested in finding out if Mr Jones was to Sponser me with a pair. Otherwise the Ally ones seem fine.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 4:47 pm**

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:32 am
Once you go Jones you don’t go back.
I did. I don't get on with them and I'm fairly sure I'm not the only one

I'm talking about if you get on with them, like tyres, it's a personal thing. What right for one person is wrong for another.

I can ride DH trails pretty dam quick on them, yet 'apparently you can't use them for DH' I am constantly told.

Apart from my flares drops which have some similar hand positions to the jones, normal straight bars feel horrible to me these days.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 6:57 pm**

Hi, I'm running the CF loops. Were 710mm but i cut them down to 660mm to match the Ti loops i had. The CF are better at shock absorbing but the Ti's feel bombproof.
I run a 90mm stem whereas with straight bars i'd be running 60-70mm on the same bike ( Salsa El Mariachi )
I tried the Ergon Grips but in the end just settled for the ESI Chunky grips
I run them with the tips of the bars about 30mm below the front loop ( if that makes sense ). Very happy overall with the bonus of making attaching a front bag an absolute doddle

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 7:15 pm**

I'm talking about if you get on with them

With you. Bit like cottage cheese then, once you've tried it you'll never want to eat anything else ................... unless of course you don't like it, in which case you'll never go near the disgusting stuff

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 7:26 pm**

mtbmarkymark wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 6:57 pm I run a 90mm stem whereas with straight bars i'd be running 60-70mm on the same bike ( Salsa El Mariachi )

So can you use the front loop section or is it too far away to be comfortable?

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 7:43 pm**

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:32 am
Once you go Jones you don’t go back.
Yep

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 8:59 pm**

I now have added tribars to mine and it’s really helped with speed on road sections and actually off road climbing. I also have the Eli long chunky grips, a couple of bits of old grip to fill gaps and then dropper/brakes/shifters right up to the loop. The main loop is taped with a gap left either side of the stem and at the front of the lop for attaching things.

Posted: **Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:09 pm**

Has anyone tried the gnarwhal?

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