bar ends?

[GrassyRidge]

I think this is what they are called. I'm looking for the things that fit in the end of your handle bars to give you extra places to grip while riding. I don't want to replace my handlebars, but on my trek 7.6 I find that the Bontrager grips I have rotate. So the extra flare on the grip for my palm is great for the first mile or two, but then rotates down after 2-3 miles and I'm left with round grips. I've seen other bikes with these things sticking out of the end of the handle bars. Looking online I think bar ends are what they are called, but none of the pictures actually show them on a bike..... so I don't want to order the wrong thing.

Anybody use these? Do you like them? Do you have some you recommend?

[softthings]

i put them on my sirrus. it is on ebay right now. just go on ebay and look up sirrus, it should be at the top of the list, it is about to end. i had flared grips on there too, hated them. my boyfriend replaced the grips and put the bar ends on to make climbing easier. hope that helps!

[Zen]

Look around on this site

[sarahspins]

Another vote for Ergons I used them with "some" success before I did finally replace my bars... the problem I was having wasn't just the shape of the grip, but the angle my wrist was being forced into while on the bike because of the flat bar.. it was super uncomfortable after just a few miles on the road. If the angle isn't your main problem, the ergons are a great help, and having the grip area at the ends on something like the GC-2 is nice, since it also offers you an alternate hand position... but again, if the angle on your bars is just not working for you, it may only move the problem, not eliminate it. The Ergon grips will stay in place because they're basically clamped on, it's not a friction fit.

I have to say though, replacing the bars wasn't much more hassle/expense than the Ergons were. I put a Soma Sparrow bar on my 7.2fx and I've been really happy with it that way - I could have used the original grips (or even the ergons), but I opted to tape the bars. It's a fairly simple DIY project since you don't need to mess with cables or anything, everything you need to do just involves clamp screws (even removing the bar).

I was looking into all sorts fo exotic solutions (moustache bars w/ bar-end shifters, which would have been more involved and much more expensive) before I found the sparrow bars

You can also use hairspray to "lock" the original grips in place but I personally would be wary of doing that

[Zen]

I put a Soma Sparrow bar on my 7.2fx and I've been really happy with it that way

I'm gonna do that on the 7.6. Right now it has the Ergon grips but my hands have still been going numb.

[e.e.cummings]

I bought some for my Kona Dew last year. My husband bought them for his Dew and he really like them, so I followed suit (we are like twins - we both have Giants, and we both have Dews). The only strike against the Dew when I bought it was that I thought it looked a bit boring - not much of a design - but the handles that I found at Mountain Equipment Co-op (bronze) really jazzed it up, gave it a contrast. I have included a link, although I don't see the bronze right now.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_l...=1263594984303

I purchased them in preparation for a 100 km ride on partially gravel trail, I was glad that I had them.

Good luck!

[Cataboo]

I'm gonna do that on the 7.6. Right now it has the Ergon grips but my hands have still been going numb.

I've finished putting the soma sparrows on my surly & rode it to the library today. I think I like them.

Is your 7.6 the one with the carbon fork? (white one?)

[Catrin]

Another vote for Ergons I used them with "some" success before I did finally replace my bar

I had my bike fitting today, and one of the many changes was to replace my stock 7.6 FX grips to Ergon grips. My hands started feeling better immediately When he suggested them, I couldn't help but to remember the various positive comments on this forum about them, so it made the decision easy to make.

[GrassyRidge]

Thanks for all the great ideas! I may have to take a trip to my LBS, have them fix my pedals (take the floppy plastic foot things off) and play touch and feel with their handlebar/grip/bar end options. The configuration of my 7.6 is wonderful, I no longer have the back/leg issues that I had riding my 20 yo mountain bike, it's down to hand issues now, which i'm hoping will be an easy fix trying out some of these great suggestions