I was thinking that. apart from some different grips I need a less stiff bar to help fight fatigue/ hand pain…but according to this article I need a stiffer bar…

http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/best-mountain-bike-handlebars

or just run your fork a little softer.

had a quick look, couldnt be bothered to read it.

Angles will affect hand fatigue, as will the damping.

Rigid front HT here, & after plenty of different approaches I use a non-oversize carbon bar with Race Face North Shore grips. Takes some of the sting out, but going 29+ up front soon, as the Krampus I tried was ace.

If you tap a bar into a cement ground, you can feel the resonance of the bar. An aluminum bar rings like a tuning fork. The ENVE carbon bars, on the other hand, are basically 1/2 carbon and 1/2 resin in construction, so when you tap the bar in to the ground, it tends to clunk rather than ring. The iodine 11 bars have more resonance than the ENVE bars, and therefore give more feedback into your hands.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTR7V-HhjOc[/video]

Tyres are the first point of contact and that initial ‘give’ is the most important factor in trail buzz. Try fatter softer tyres and see if that helps.

I am a firm believer that the stiffness of a bar is directly related to its perceived smoothness. More stiff = less hand pump. In other words, the stiffer the handlebar, the less it moves under an impact; the less the bar moves, the less it rebounds into your hand, and therefore the less beating your hands take, meaning a stiffer bar will by definition give you less hand pump.

Well I’m convinced. Just off to pump up my tyres to improve my ride comfort.

Grips
Less psi?

I’ll stick my 2 pence in and suggest that either the geo isn’t right for you (too much weight on hands) or you are holding on too tight. Staying loose makes a massive difference.

Are you getting full travel from your fork?

Medium Enduro 29, I’m 5’10, 200lbs with gear. pikes at 55psi to try and lessen the harshness ( not looking forward to hitting anything big at that pressure) Front tyre a 2.4 Ardent at 25 psi…

I’ve posted in another thread about hand fatigue and wanted to get a higher rise bar than my 10mm rise currently on the bike so was researching bars etc and came across the above article. I was considering the On One knuckle-bar in’ chewy’ guise but after reading the article I’m no longer sure a fleet bar is the answer..

General consensus seems to be that carbon bars are better for vibration/ trail-buzz damping

I’ll stick my 2 pence in and suggest that either the geo isn’t right for you (too much weight on hands) or you are holding on too tight. Staying loose makes a massive difference.

^+1

I don’t think there is really any disputing that composite bars are better than aluminium.

You only have a look at sledge hammer handles and modern raquets to see that aluminium is a bad choice for vibration damping. On a bike the effects are not so serious due to tyres and suspension and you not having to hold on so tight so it’s acceptable but it’s still there. You also won’t get a wide aluminium bar anywhere near the weight of composite.

General consensus seems to be that carbon bars are better for vibration/ trail-buzz damping

I’d recommend Easton Havoc carbon or Race Face Sixc for stiffness and vibration damping. Dunno what rises they come in, have you cut your fork steerer short?

Fork steerer is still standard with 2x5mm spacers underneath the stem and 1x5mm above,
I’ve ridden with the forks locked out at full extension ( as opposed to 20- 25% sag ) to give me an idea of what a higher rise would feel like and it does feels better for me so I reckon 35mm rise to be about right. I’ve read good things about both the Enve bar & the Sixc 35/ 35mm rise bar although with my spacers being where they are a 40mm rise would give me more adjustment. 40mm/ carbon is only available in Renthal AFAIK which aren’t that forgiving..

Hand cramps are caused by vibration, you get the same when using power tools. Motorcross guys tend to fill there bars with material to try and deaden vibrations.

My advice would be to go with carbon bars and slip on soft renthal grips. Who said the Renthal Carbon bars weren’t that forgiving? By all accounts I’ve read, they strike a good balance.

https://www.syntace.com/index.cfm?pid=3&pk=3223

Anyway, my Syntace Vector Carbons were excellent at getting rid of trail buzz and they erred more on the side of comfort. However they were plenty stiff enough. You can now get them in 35mm rise.

You only have a look at sledge hammer handles and modern raquets to see that aluminium is a bad choice for vibration damping. On a bike the effects are not so serious due to tyres and suspension and you not having to hold on so tight so it’s acceptable but it’s still there. You also won’t get a wide aluminium bar anywhere near the weight of composite.

Except Aluminium bars tend to give you a warning before they go, whilst carbon goes bang. I don’t mind carbon frames but the amount of scratches that bars develop puts me off them a bit.

Your not holding on to the bars too much are you?

I’m not holding on too much but I am leaning forward too much hence the need for wanting to change to a taller bar.

I just bought a new bike & it had super skinny lock on grips, & I was getting hand cramps, so I’ve swapped for some ODI longneck BMX grips & I’m back to being super comfy – given they’re about £8.00 a set, surely worth a shout before spunking $$$ on a new shiny handlebar.

Yup, locks ons are bollocks and a lazy alternative to decently fitted and wired slip on grips.

I’m currently using these
Oury grips, they’re soft and approx 35mm in Diameter which suit my large hands..and at 6.50 a bargain.

I am going to give these esi silicone grips, extra chunky a go next..

Try buying a cheap alloy bar in the size/height you think you need first, and once you find a good position (maybe experiment with stem too); buy a carbon bar that fits.

I use the Oury grips on a RF Sixc bar – on a bike with a Marz 66RC3 ti fork.

I don’t even notice if I ride over anything smaller than my head.

😀