Thumbies or Bar ends?

[Mike K.]

Morning, all.

I found a set of On One Midge bars on the local CL. I'm really excited about them.

I have a set of Silver bar ends I put on there for now, but I'm curious about putting thumbies on the bars instead, and was curious if anyone has experience with it. I know it's going to be a matter of personal preference, but does anyone have any first hand experience? I'm nervous about the bar ends getting banged up protruding too much for riding trails?

Thanks,

Mike

[Ron Mc]

I really dig thumbies on my MAP bars - getting the right spacing is everything.  But otherwise, I like bar ends on my moustache bars.  

[Matthew J]

Not a trail rider, but have thumbies on my tour bike.  Much prefer that set up to bar ends which always seemed awkward to me.  Caveat - the thumbies are on an Alba bar.  Midge drops bar end may be a better reach.

On Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 9:32:35 AM UTC-5, Mike K. wrote:

[Jon Dukeman in the foothills of Colorado]

I love my Thumbies on my Albatross bars. Shifting becomes second nature.

[EGNolan]

I use Midge bars on one bike and had put bar ends on, but never switched the cables from the downtube shifters. I took the bar ends off as I always hit them with my knee when mounting/dismounting & what have you. On the trails this would be especially problematic, so I'd put the thumbies & some interruptor levers on if I were in your position.

 

Best,

Eric

On Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 10:52:56 AM UTC-4, Jon Dukeman in the foothills of Colorado wrote:

[Joe Bunik]

I run a Midge on my 1x9 drivetrain'd bike and am loving the single
inverted thumbie, operable from the hooks:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/joe_bunik/16984575193

The bike also doubles as a hat rack here at the office.
=- Joe Bunik
Walnut Creek, CA

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[Dan McNamara]

I have bar-ends on my Midge setup and am pretty happy with it. The bar ends add a little more room for my hands in the drops. I used Shimano bar-ends as they are a little shorter than the Silver ones. 

Never had a problem with the shifters hitting my knees but I have the bars up high dirt drop style. 

It does make for a wide cockpit though. 

- Dan

Marin, CA

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[Kellie]

I never got comfortable with bar end and have put thumbies on both bikes I've built in the last year; drops and albatross bars. If you already have bar ends get the Paul thumbies; that's what on my Saluki.

[dougP]

Mike:

I went to thumbies a year ago when I first started playing with upright bars, and really like 'em a lot.  I find I can move the lever toward me by just nudging it, and away by either thumb push (as intended) or using the plump part of my hand at the base of my thumb, sort of twisting it.  I've used them on On One Mary, Origin 8 spacebar, generic flat straight bar, and Scott ATs. 

dougP

[Montclair BobbyB]

This is the setup I'm planning for an upcoming build... Nitto Noodles with old Suntour thumbies... real simple.  Just walking around the house with these in front of me on my phantom bike (that IS how you all test your ideas... right??), I'd say these feel pretty good... BB

[Ron Mc]

I have to admit I like the idea of interrupters with thumbies on the midge bar

[Garth]

 
    While I absolutely love thumbshifters on Albatross bars as they are to me perfection   ..... with a drop bar like a Midge with such a short bar end compared to a regular drop bar , bar end shifters seem rather fitting as the shape of a Midge doesn't lend itsel to any viable place I'd put a thumbie on.

[velomann]

I rode Midge bars with bar-ends for a year or so. Eventually gave up because I just didn't like the Midge and couldn't get comfortable for long rides with them, but it may have been the frame size as well... I would agree with others though that the length of the drop on the Midge is pretty short and the bar-ends really made a difference when riding in the drops - which you're "supposed to" do most of the time on a dirt drop-style bar. I have smallish hands, I love thumbies, but would have missed that extra real estate on the Midge without the bar-ends.

Mike

On Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 7:32:35 AM UTC-7, Mike K. wrote:

[Joe Bunik]

Again, the trick I've adopted for my offroad dropbar bikes is to run
inverted thumbies and/or "toggle" shifters (e.g. Suntour Command
Shifters) at / near / or, inboard from the brake levers. Getting the
bars up high enough so you are primarily in the hooks, as one might
with "bar ends" of a MTB flat bar, and everything is awesome!

Zoom in on these and you'll see what I mean:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/joe_bunik/16989152472
https://www.flickr.com/photos/joe_bunik/16984575193

=- Joe Bunik
Walnut Creek, CA

[Ryan Fleming]

Ohh..I like that idea too

 

I like barend shifters on my moustache bars but lately...not so much with drop bars...like I would say that for me with drop bars, bar-ends are not a lot more convenient or accessible than downtube shifters, for instance. So...thumbshifters....you and Kellie have me thinking...

 

On Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 9:31:34 AM UTC-5, Montclair BobbyB wrote:

[Bill Lindsay]

If you like the notion of having shifters that can be easily accessed in the top area of drop bars, don't forget about stem shifters:

http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/sh15.htm

Your barend shifters fit right on there.  Your downtube shifters fit right on there.  And you don't have to remove your brake levers to install them.  If you ran your barcon housing outside the bar tape, you won't even have to re-wrap your bars.  

[Ryan Fleming]

Yup....that's a good thought,too

[Michael Kaiser]

I think I'll run with the bar ends for a little bit and then give the stem shifters a try. I need to get a new bottom bracket and seat post for this new build first. Hopefully can buy the stem shifter mount in a few months.

Great ideas everyone. It's always fun to learn the little ways people prefer their bikes.

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