Re: anybody have VO crazy bar?

[Ron Mc]

Up front, don't have one, but from a distance, people's wrists aren't quite shaped like either hand position.  Jones cut H-bar, yes - this one, no.  

On Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at 8:12:47 PM UTC-5, Matt Beecher wrote:

I'm thinking of buying the VO crazy handlebar, but I am looking for reviews.  Has anyone here tried them?  If so, would you share your opinions?

Does anyone have one they want to part with?

Thanks,

Matt B

Oswego, IL

[Ron Mc]

also think you could do better sliding MTB bar ends up to the bends of either a Jitensha Touring or Ahearne Map bar - the MTB bar ends turn in to a more natural wrist position.  

[Jacob]

Matt-

I have used them in the past and really liked them - especially the junction position, where the sweep, straight portion, and horns meet.  They have the same 45 degree sweep as the Jones, which are popular.  Only real drawbacks I encountered: build quality (felt cheap, welds didn't inspire confidence), the width (I commute in high traffic small spaces, creates a twitchy input with so much leverage), and the need for an open-faced stem (hard to find a stubby quill version with the necessary height).  They were comfortable and got a lot of looks/questions, but ultimately it felt like I was solving comfort issues by introducing more problems with compatibility.

I switched to Bosco's on that bike and it was worth it.  Just as many positions, accepts bar-ends, high-quality...

-Jacob

Brooklyn

[Jon BALER]

I have had one on my touring bike for a few years, and like it.  My touring bike is currently a Salsa Marrakesh with flat bar geometry. 

In the last year, I trimmed down the forward extensions at the bend.  I found I wasn't using the upper portion very often, and now I can rotate my wrists over the end to achieve another hand position.

A couple of differences from the Jones Bar:
-There is no forward sweep in the middle section, so a Jones bar would need a shorter stem to achieve the same position.
-The no forward center sweep also results in a straight center section, which provides a central hand position similar to drop bars.
-The straight ahead extensions keep the area in front of the bar open, which is a benefit if you have a tall rando style bag.

[Bob Lovejoy]

I do not have direct experience but I will throw in that Alee from CycingAbout is using VO Crazy Bars on a Koga touring bike for a current and big adventure.  He mentions the bars at times but the information is more about the trip.  Still, maybe useful...

https://www.cyclingabout.com/video-koga-worldtraveller-touring-bike/

Bob Lovejoy

Galesburg, IL

[Jon Schultz]

He has a dedicated review too

www.cyclingabout.com/velo-orange-crazy-bar-review/

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/QZLdhjAf8FI/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[Ron Mc]

About the length.  I've mentioned on a couple of other threads the mod I made to my Map bar cockpit over the winter - using Nitto 2-70 lamp holder and MTB bar ends -  while I had it on indoor trainer duty.  The goal then was just to get another body position and use different muscles.  

After I got this on the road last month, fell in love with it, and don't know how I ever lived without it.  

  

Hooking thumbs on the MTB bar ends or grabbing the leather wrap to stand and climb solves the twitchiness on the wide-bar grips.  

I though about using mini-MTB-bar-ends to just have the thumb hook position.  

But after I got it on the road, discovered the very best aero tuck facing a beating headwind was grabbing the full bar ends, so I left it as is.  

[Tom Norton]

I installed them on my LHT last spring and we rode across Canada last Summer. I really enjoy them as I had a trekking bar before.

[Meade Anderson]

I've done a ton of miles on the Crazies and they are great...love the Jones too...

Meade...watching for the temp drops from 70 to 35 and rain and snow...