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Plenty have bought into it. I'm not a fan.
I’m waiting for D-shaped steerer tubes to come to MTB.
It would put an end to my stem alignment faffing.
done 2 good offroad rides now on the 35mm stuff.
it all seems fine.
bars a bit to flat, i.e low rise. gonna swap em for some 40mm rise nukeproof bars.
It would put an end to my stem alignment faffing.
Even just a keyway would do! Why is that not a thing?
why have bars and stems gone to 35mm
Because we’re suckers.
Because we demand it (and then complain about it)
Because more is better. But too much more is too much. There isn't anything I can think of (I'm typing this whilst mid-week drunk so haven't actually thought) in mountain biking that has been improved by attaching a smaller number to it the name of progress (except maybe the number of cogs attached to your crank)
In an era of finite element analysis you'd think that the optimal diameter of anything (or number of cogs attached to anything) could be established. Perhaps it has been. But the bike buying public always wants things to be different so theres an excuse to buy it, and are also annoyed that things have changes because it devalues the choices they've previously made and the things they've already bought that they thought put them ahead of the curve. So we get change for the sake of it, but not too much change.
Why didn't we jump straight from 7 speed to 14 speed? (I've stopped paying attention - are there 14 speed cassettes yet? - there will be). We creep towards optimal, millimetre by millimetre, cog by cog, because we're both too conservative to accept change and also too hungry for novelty to accept what we have as adequate.
You bought the bars that you wanted 20 years ago. You've not changed shape, the world around you that you ride your bike in hasn't changed, the physics of riding a bike are the same - but you want different bars. Even though you want different bars you're annoyed that bars are different. 🙂
that makes sense mate. well written.
I should get drunk on a Thursday more often, Its been 30 years since 'giro day happy hours' 🙂
There isn’t anything I can think of (I’m typing this whilst mid-week drunk so haven’t actually thought) in mountain biking that has been improved by attaching a smaller number to it the name of progress (except maybe the number of cogs attached to your crank)
Head angle
You’ve not changed shape
Sucks stomach in 😀
And fork offset and stem length. I’m on a roll and only halfway through my first drink
Funny thing is when they first came out, CRC had nukeproof 35mm bars and stems going at huge discounts. Probably not enough bikes took than size or it was unpopular and they were selling off the stock.
I also seem to remember(though this is probably the same as every new component ever released) talk of the bars vibrating(no idea).
Pretty much had the same low take up of tapered steerers and CRC and others were selling top forks at 70% off, just because there was at the time few bikes running tapered headtubes.
I felt at the time I should have picked something up but never did 🙁
you want different bars. Even though you want different bars you’re annoyed that bars are different.
Sorry to be a stick-in-the-mud, but I've sussed out that bars and stems are among the few non-consumable items on my bikes. I can see me keeping my current (31.8mm) ones for many, many more years.
It seems to be a failed standard
Aren't they all? I mean, you could say that about 135mm rear hubs or 26" wheels. I *think* I've got 35mm on my Spesh, but honestly I couldn't say without looking at them. Certainly not harsher than any other bars I've used in the past.
I'm collecting parts for a new build.
I stuck with 31.8 (Hope stem, RF bars) mostly because I have an old Hope Vision 4 light which still works very well as wouldn't fit on a 35mm bar.
Speaking to a guy in my LBS and he assures me that the 31.8mm standard isn't going to disappear.
25.4mm bars - 1"
31.8mm bars - 1 1/4"
35mm bars - erm....godammit! Why not make them 38.1mm & kept it consistent!!?
maccruiskeen
why have bars and stems gone to 35mm
Because we’re suckers.
Because we demand
But the bike buying public always wants things to be different so theres an excuse to buy it, and are also annoyed that things have changes because it devalues the choices they’ve previously made and the things they’ve already bought that they thought put them ahead of the curve. So we get change for the sake of it, but not too much change.
We creep towards optimal, millimetre by millimetre, cog by cog, because we’re both too conservative to accept change and also too hungry for novelty to accept what we have as adequate.
but you want different bars. Even though you want different bars you’re annoyed that bars are different.
Erm. Nope.
Road bike - 2x9 - no disc brakes, no shock absorbing headsets or other flim flam.
Hardtail - 26" rigid, 3x9, no dropper
Full Sus - 26", 3x9, no dropper, no snifter of 35mm bars, no LLS
Dinosaur? Maybe.
wouldn’t fit on a 35mm bar.
Hope makes a 35mm mount, if needs be.
Road bike – 2×9 – no disc brakes, no shock absorbing headsets or other flim flam.
Hardtail – 26″ rigid, 3×9, no dropper
Full Sus – 26″, 3×9, no dropper, no snifter of 35mm bars, no LLSDinosaur? Maybe.
You sound like a Klunkersaurus.
sharkattack
You sound like a Klunkersaurus.
HA HA! Tightarseosaur, more like.
That sounds wrong.
I was going to swap the full-sus over to 1x but got cold sweats & changed my mind.
35mm outsells 31.8mm now. Almost all mid-high end bikes now come with 35, and people swapping stock bars might not want to replace the stem just to get 31.8mm.
This was absolutely my experience recently. Loads of 35mm supply about. Not loads of 31.8mm. Luckily I got what I wanted in 31.8mm (I like Spank vibrocore) to fit my existing stem.
You sound like a Klunkersaurus.
Oi!
31.8mm bars – 1 1/4″
35mm bars – erm….godammit! Why not make them 38.1mm & kept it consistent!!?
Can you imagine the confusion....
"I'm sure it said 31.8 not 38.1 on the order"
stumpy01
HA HA! Tightarseosaur, more like.
That sounds wrong.
Tightersorarse???
I was going to swap the full-sus over to 1x but got cold sweats & changed my mind.
That was a good choice, you've left it way too long. A new 29er will feel like an absolute flying machine and you get to enjoy 'new bike day'.
maccruiskeen
Full MemberBecause we demand it (and then complain about it)
That's the idea, in practice the biggest customers for parts aren't individuals, they're bike company procurement people. So something like this, or an axle standard, customers tend to follow the OEMs. If you buy new bars you usually fit what's on it
25.4mm bars – 1″
31.8mm bars – 1 1/4″
35mm bars – erm….godammit! Why not make them 38.1mm & kept it consistent!!?
They're actually 34.9mm = 1 3/8"
35 sounds cooler than 34.9 that's all.
Hope makes a 35mm mount, if needs be.
But I already have the 31.8mm mount and can see no real benefit in using 35mm.
Thanks though, I wasn't aware they did.
sillyoldman
Full Member25.4mm bars – 1″
31.8mm bars – 1 1/4″
35mm bars – erm….godammit! Why not make them 38.1mm & kept it consistent!!?They’re actually 34.9mm = 1 3/8″
I'm guessing most of these standards originate in the U.S. where they still prefer imperial measurements.
I mean, you could say that about 135mm rear hubs or 26″ wheels.
No, you really couldn't.
So that you will think you need it and buy more things.
Don't you know Ton? He doesn't need an excuse, he spends money on bikes & stuff like a man with 10 arms who owns a money factory! 🙂