Bar Ends, attaching a pump, and bars for racks

[Tuckervill]

Okay, I have 3 questions:

I bought some bar ends, because I think I need to be able to move my hands around a bit because of my carpal tunnel syndrome. Although, on my last trip on the trails (I ride on the road mostly because the trails are far away), I didn't notice any hand numbness--they were moving around too much. It's on the road where I need to move my hands, mostly.

Q #1: Is installing bar ends something I should leave for the bike shop?

Bike Pump: I noticed some folks put it on the down tube and some on the top tube. I think I'd knock it off of the down tube, but my bike rack requires use of the top tube.

Q #2: Where do you like your pump?

Speaking of racks, my top tube is really too short for my rack. My bike will only fit in the outside position on the rack (Yakima King Pin), which is okay, but it's still a booger to get on.

Q #3: So those extension tubes that attach to the stem and seatpost...how trustworthy are they? Think one could handle a 700-mile trip?

Thanks,
Karen

[sarahkonamojo]

Q #1 Bar ends. You can do these yourself. Things (grips, shifter, brakes levers) might have to move towards the center or you'll need to make your grips shorter. I don't have bar ends, but I have in the past. I liked the hand position, but do not like the exposure (hand injury or hooking bar ends.)

Q #2 Bike pump. Mine is on downtube. I haven't lost it yet. You can secure with a little velcro strap. (Some pumps come with the strap.)

Q #3: Have the same problem. I hope you get an answer because I'd like to know, too. Sorry to hear the Kingpin doesn't work...

SKM

[divingbiker]

So those extension tubes that attach to the stem and seatpost...how trustworthy are they? Think one could handle a 700-mile trip?

I use a Yakima tube to convert my "women's" commuting bike into one that can hang on my Yakima King Joe rack. When I attach the tube around the stem up by the handlebars, it makes the front tire hang down too low (maybe 6 inches off the ground) so lately I've been hooking it under the top slanty tube and it hangs much more square. My bike is pretty tall, so you might not have the hanging-down-too-low problem.

I wouldn't worry about the sturdiness of it...the little rubber covered ends that flip up to hook it around the seat post and stem seem to be pretty secure when they're in the locked position, and the tube itself is solid. I just make sure that the word "Yakima" on the tube is right side up so that even if the little locking levers come undone, they can't open up and let the bike fall out. You can use my extension tube if you live near Washington DC.

PUMP: My pump is on the down tube.

BAR ENDS: I had my bar ends removed (LBS installed them and removed them) because I felt like my arms were too wide apart when I used them and I was unstable.

Janice

[Tuckervill]

I wouldn't worry about the sturdiness of it...the little rubber covered ends that flip up to hook it around the seat post and stem seem to be pretty secure when they're in the locked position, and the tube itself is solid. I just make sure that the word "Yakima" on the tube is right side up so that even if the little locking levers come undone, they can't open up and let the bike fall out. You can use my extension tube if you live near Washington DC.

I'll look into that one. I saw one a the bike shop but I didn't study it.

Does it make it harder to secure the bike (as in LOCK) the bike on to the rack with a cable lock? Since we travel all over the place, I'm afraid of my bike being stolen right off the rack. I always lock them (mine and my son's) through the wheel and frame onto the rack.

Thanks for the answers!
Karen

[Tuckervill]

Wait, I just realized that the way I do the lock (put the lock hasp through the extra hole in the steel of the bike rack, no one would be able to get the bike off even if they took the extension tube off the rack.

Karen

[griffsmom]

Just for a frame of reference: I ride mostly off-road although I do like to hit the road every so often to get in some spinning and bigger mileage.

1. Bar ends: If you're needing to move your hands while riding on the road, bar ends aren't going to help you. They're for mt. bikes. But in that regard, I couldn't ride without mine on the trails--they come in particularly handy when I'm climibing hills. What about aero bars for your road bike?

2. I use a mini-pump and keep it in my camelbak pack.


3. Can't help you on the Yakima questions. I ride non-WSD frames and they fit fine on my Swagman hitch rack and Thule roof rack. Hope you're able to find a good answer to your question though.

[Tuckervill]

Thanks for the advice.

Yes, bar ends are for mountain bikes, which I have. I don't have a road bike. I would definitely like to turn my wrists for a half mile or so when I'm riding on the road. This morning I did 4 miles around my in-law's neighborhood (staying here during a family emergency) and my hands just go to sleep on the road. (More so if the CTS was keeping me up the night before, I've noticed.) There was plenty of time when I didn't really need to have immediate access to the brake levers--just riding along. On a mountain bike I don't have to worry about bumps in the road or rough riding, so unless I'm going downhill, turning or stopping, I don't use the brakes much. So bar ends would help by giving me a chance to change positions of my wrist. I have been actually riding with my hands on the ends of the bars to see what it would be like, and I think it will work.

I imagine I would use them mostly for climbing when I am riding trails, but so far I haven't missed them.

I'll probably put the pump in my Camelbak, too, for this trip to New Mexico. After that, I'll be looking for another way to have it with me all the time.

Thanks!
Karen