handle bar

[mtbN00b]

Which give you the best handling (mtb) - a shorter handle bar or a longer handle bar?

 

 

 

[AndreZA]

hah, it's not that simple. What about stem length? BTW, bars are narrow or wide.

[mtbN00b]

 

hah' date=' it's not that simple. What about stem length? BTW, bars are narrow or wide.[/quote']

 

well if you put the one end of the handle bar on the floor and let it stand up straight then it long vs short  but thanks i will remember it  

 

ok but can you maybe explain to me how it works to get the best handling out of your bike ? would appreciate it.

 

[techguy]

Best handling= Wide bars and short stem, Very upright!  when did you see an MX bike with a 120mm stem with a 480mm wide bars?

 

I ride with a 100mm stem and 680mm wide riser bars on both bikes...

[TNT1]

 

hah' date=' it's not that simple. What about stem length?[/quote']

 

... what about suspension settings?

 

[mtbN00b]

How can i improve my bike to take sharp corners faster and not run of the track or brake almost dead  - or is it just something you must learn to do?

[TNT1]

yes, it is.

[TNT1]

oh, wait, and you can also tweak the suspension to increase handling, and the tyres and pressure you run.

[mtbN00b]

ok what kind of tires must i look at for good handling - saying it is normal dry day?

 

[AndreZA]

ok what kind of tires must i look at for good handling - saying it is normal dry day?

 

 

 

 

what type of trail? Hardpack, loose gravel, loose soft sand. And then you need to play with widths and tyre pressure aswell. It's trial and error and alot of people don't want to spend the money or time playing with tyres and setup. I'm only realised this weekend how nice it is to have a fork that is setup (almost) correctly to my weight and riding style. It's taken about 4 x 3hr rides playing with this and that and I'm sure there is still room for improvement.

[Aquatic]

Mampara put it nicely..another thing you should consider ,is your bike a hardtail /ds?are you willing to sacrifice a more responsive position for comfort..and a guy with very narrow shoulders shouldnt be riding a long bar just because it may work for some one else..

[Scoe]

It also depends what type of handling you like... I like very twitchy handling, so its very responsive, so I cut my bars narrow, but DH guys use really wide bars so it's slower, but much more precise.

 

 

 

Generally s shorter stem gives better handling

[mtbN00b]

so basically i must test and see what works for me?

it just feels sometimes when i take a sharp corner that i cannot turn sharp enough without losing to much speed - or maybe i am just to scared to turn sharp enough

 

i have a hardtail.

 

[Aquatic]

I changed from a riser to a straight bar on my hard tail,no regrets,feels much more responsive,it may not be your set up,body positioning could be a factor too..the best would be to experiment and see what works for you

[AndreZA]

the traction/grip determines how sharp or fast you can turn. You will never get the same speed as on a berm or on a road bike (on tar that is).

[Bos]

 

How can i improve my bike to take sharp corners faster and not run of the track or brake almost dead  - or is it just something you must learn to do?

 

You need to Improve your abilities like you said in the end..

Brake before you enter the turn so that your braking doesnt upset your centre of gravity..  If you brake while trying to turn, this happens...

 

your bike pitches forward and along with momentum wants to high side you (over the front), so we sit further back to compensate for the braking force right? Now try corner like that?? 

 

so finish your braking,  stand centered over your bike( but rather forward than back) and as you start turning you can tilt your bike into the corner slightly, this further lowers your centre of gravity and allows your side knobs on your tires to do their work. hold your arms stiff(not strait) and push your wheel into the line you want to ride. In a little while you can look out for ruts and ride on the inside of them like a little burm.

 

Turning is a skill, and not so much to do with tire couice as a lot of people want to beleve.

 

A Riserbar would probably be the biggest help for you. If you change your stem your bike might be to short (unless you want to go downhill only)

 

The extra lenth as you call it and the sweep makes it more agressive.

Have fun! try stuff..