Tweener Bars on Softrider

[thwaters]

I recently promised Charles that I would try "tweener" bars on a Softrider. Using my recently acquired V3 as a testbed, I installed them and kept adjusting bar and seat angles - over and over. Too closed in and confining. Finally, I turned the bars backwards, readjusted about 5 more times, and it works, sort of. I like it, because my 70 year old shoulders hurt after 20 miles, and this lets me drop my arms to my side. The downside: long bars induce more flex, feel looser; not like the tight feeling with standard bars. Works acceptably on V3 with no front suspension. Handling: less upper body; more like riding with hands off, sort of a unicycle with trailing wheel feel. Haven't tried it yet on suspended front V2. Very closed in; most riders would probably not like it. It will be "an acquired taste."

Tight turns are now impossible when riding. Must stop, put feet on ground, and drag around to do a 180 on a narrow road.

 

[Jeremy S]

Interesting, looks almost like an under seat steering position.

 

[super slim]

What is the spacing CL to CL at the bar ends?
Lots of flex!
How much did the bars weigh?
Would a shorter bar, just before the last bend be better, so a straight line between shoulders, hands and BB could be achieved?

 

[thwaters]

Centerline to centerline, the bars measure 50.5cm. The bars are pretty light weight; I assume they are aluminum - they were given to me by a bike shop, supposedly taken off a trike (Cattrike, maybe?). I have thought about just cutting them off before the last bend so they would just point straight down; I found myself putting my hands there after a few minutes, or when I needed more control, on the top. I could just put a pair of split grips up there for hand rests and retain the shifters/brakes where they are now. I only have a few minutes riding with them like this. I'll get some more miles on them and see how I adjust if it will ever stop raining! In east Texas, we're having some flooding due to daily rains. We have been in a drought the last five years, but the current "El Nino" warm sea current off your Australia changes air currents/jetstreams to divert rain away from the Seattle area and down to New Mexico/Texas. However, I love the rainy weather compared to drought!

 

[super slim]

I would ride it for at least 10 hours, to see where you end up putting your hands most, before cutting anything!
At least the bars did not cost you anything!
Could you lower the bars a bit ?

 

[super slim]

In Australia we have 10 to 15 year droughts followed by 200 year level floods that destroyed a mile each side of the river in the Queensland capital city and 5 major Qld towns and 3 Northern NSW towns!!!
If you are going to do something you might as well do it right!!!

 

[1happyreader]

Just curious,
how did your shoulders feel with the stem pointed towards your body and the stock bars ?

 

[thwaters]

In Australia we have 10 to 15 year droughts followed by 200 year level floods that destroyed a mile each side of the river in the Queensland capital city and 5 major Qld towns and 3 Northern NSW towns!!!
If you are going to do something you might as well do it right!!!

Wow! Never argue with an Aussie!

 

[thwaters]

I would ride it for at least 10 hours, to see where you end up putting your hands most, before cutting anything!
At least the bars did not cost you anything!
Could you lower the bars a bit ?

You're right, I only have about 30 minutes of riding with it yet. Will spend some more hours with it before changing anything. Already though, starting or climbing works best by putting hands on the "straight up" portion -- which works quite well, still leaving the bottom for more relaxed cruising. Something else I've noticed -- I've added so much "stuff" to my V2 for touring that it weighs and handles very differently than this bare Softrider. The unadorned V3 feels like it flies because there's such little mass holding you back. I can only imagine what a Silvio or a Vendetta must feel like!

 

[thwaters]

Just curious,
how did your shoulders feel with the stem pointed towards your body and the stock bars ?

Interesting - I did not try turning the stem around to point towards me with the stock bars on my V2. Hmmmmmm.

 

[thwaters]

Just curious,
how did your shoulders feel with the stem pointed towards your body and the stock bars ?

Got to love this forum! Turning the stem around to point towards me was just too obvious, I guess. It did not occur to me! Thanks, 1happyreader! Put stock bars back on V3, and turned stem around. I like it better than stock bars with stem in stock position. A little too close for me, but I could get used to the more relaxed arms bent position. I will continue experimenting with the tweener bars on my old trusty modified V2. For now, I configured the stock bars back on the V3, but with stem pointing towards rider for my 5ft 2in wife. I put her on the V3, adjusted the boom, and had her just sit on it and pedal while I stabilized the bike running along beside her. She is not too excited about learning Cruzbike, but complains that the DF cruzer I bought for her last year tires her out on even short rides. I hope I can get her "Cruzbroke" -- like a wild horse! Will take it one step at a time, gentle downhill slope, not pedaling, etc. and slowly and gradually advance -- hopefully!

 

[Cruzbike Chris]

Got to love this forum!.....I hope I can get her "Cruzbroke" -- like a wild horse! Will take it one step at a time, gentle downhill slope, not pedaling, etc. and slowly and gradually advance -- hopefully!

Yea, good luck with that. Got my (short) wife to try on my conversion and she wouldn't have nothing to do with it. Finally got her riding, thanks to a trike, on occasion anyways, so she is riding at least.

 

[1happyreader]

The forum just wants to see if we can keep you busy all summer. LOL

Don't forget the seat bracket to frame has positions AND the seat to seat bracket has positions.

They might enhance the spacing you desire without changing the seatback angle.

 

[thwaters]

You're so right about the seat bracket possibilities -- I've tried at least 14 different combinations, and gained both space and upward tilt for the front of the seat bottom. I got the used V3 from a guy who bought it on craigslist and decided to keep a Trek "upwrong" instead. No wonder! When I picked it up, it was set up all wrong -- seat bracket was reversed to tilt down in front, moved as far forward as possible, seatback was as straight up as possible, and a mountain bike handlebar was turned straight up -- I guess a bike shop had tried to make it into a DF-type riding experience! I could barely ride it that way! Now it rides like a Softrider!