Jeremy S

Over the years I’ve had several cyclocomputers and shifters get very scratched up when my bike has landed upside-down on the handle bars during a crash and I’m wondering if anybody knows of a product that would prevent the components on the handlebars from taking so much damage.

Thanks, Jeremy

LowCel 

If you are running Shimano shifters remove the shift indicators and cover the hole with lizard skins carbon fiber. Also slightly loosen the screws for the brake levers and the shifters that way in the event of a crash they can rotate rather than break.

For the computer do you run riser bars? If so put the computer close to the stem so that it is lower than the highest point of your riser bar so it will not make contact with the ground when you crash.

Drunken Chicken

Good idea. As for the shifters, I'd just deal with it since to me it's useful to see what gear I'm in.

LowCel 

Well, the indicator thing comes in a little more handy after you actually crack one. However to prevent that from happening I just started removing them as soon as I bought the shifters. I never look at the indicators though. I do have them on my SRAM X.9 shifters but I never think to look at them, I was actually looking back at my gears while doing my night laps this past weekend, would have made a lot more sense to just look at the indicators but oh well, what can I say, I'm an idiot.

telenick

Use your body to protect the bike at all costs. Then and only then will you learn the priceless value of not wrecking.

telenick

Just kiddin'

In all seriousness ...it's the price you pay when you are fully engaged in this sport.

Besides, my bike always comes out much better than my body after a wreck. It might be a better question to ask how to protect the body.

phantomcow2

bar ends protect these things in a crash

Jeremy S

Thanks for all the help. Bar ends would probably give me the most protection but I’ve never liked the look of them. I might go with some very small ones like the SingleTrack Solutions Revolutions.



Thanks again, Jeremy

va_cyclist

How often do you crash? Is this like a once a week occurrence?

I don't know how much bar ends cost, but won't that just transfer the damage from one expensive component to another?

I don't think I agree with the suggestion to loosen the levers, only because I rely on mine a lot for leverage when I climb, and having them loose seems like an unsafe condition.

Jeremy S

I rarely crash but almost every time I do my Cyclocomputer takes most of the damage since it is the highest component on the handlebars. Also since I just got a new Giant Rainier that has SRAM X.7 shifters on it I’d like to try and keep them as new as possible.

LowCel 

You rely on your brake levers for leverage when climbing? That doesn't sound all that safe. Most people I know have their brake levers and shifters slightly loose. Not loose enough that they move when you shift or apply the brakes though. Just loose enough that they will slightly rotate when they take a direct hit. Most bike shops tend to leave them like this as well. It just makes sense to try to protect your component as much as possible.

Allowing the brake lever to slightly rotate really saved me this weekend. I had a crash when preriding the course for 24 Hours of Black Bear. When I finally made it back to my feet I checked my bike and both of my brake levers had rotated. It only took a second to get them back in the correct position. Had they not been loose I could have been out of the race for the weekend since I didn't take my back up brakes with me and I didn't have $600 with me to buy new brakes.

Raiyn

With one of the patches?

LowCel 

Yeah, just trim it a little.

va_cyclist

Not the levers themselves, the hoods. Isn't that what we're talking about? I've never heard of anyone intentionally leaving them loose, and no bike I've owned has ever come that way.

phantomcow2

I always loosen my brake levers clamp on the handlebar. Enough so that with more force than you think you would apply during normal braking, it can move.
And i think those St. Lite bar ends would provide good crash protection, and they are under 20 bucks

Raiyn

That's what I thought. I generally leave mine on - I'm no weight weenie, but I've seen everything from packing tape to aluminum tape on them and thought it all looked terrible. The carbon idea sounds like it would look decent

LowCel 

We are talking about mountain bikes, not roadies. I wouldn't leave them loose on my roadie either, need them as tight as possible for the climbs.

anthonaut

Just keep your levers and shifters hand loose (ie you can rotate them on the bar by hand) but not so loose so that they move when you use them.

LowCel 

Here is a picture of a couple that I have laying around. Keep in mind that the brake lever will cover part of it so it won't be as obvious when mounted on a bike.

Brian

I mount the computer as close to the stem clamp as possible, and tucked in next to the stem. It's on my side of the bar, not out front. Keeps it safe and out of harm's way. Crashing is less of a concern than trees and heavy brush. My bar ends are used more like push bars on a 4WD, but they've also got grips on them for when I need some serious leverage. Climbing rough stuff on the tandem, it suddenly all makes sense. Oh, wireless computers are the only way to go on a mountain bike.

LowCel 

I couldn't agree more. I just recently switched to wireless, no longer have to worry about the wire getting caught in the tire when the fork compresses.

I still can't believe I am even running a computer. I always swore I would never have one on my mtb then I blew up in a race. Every time I asked someone how much further they said 6 miles. Towards the beginning of the race they said 6 miles. Half an hour later I asked someone how much further, they said 6 miles. Another half hour later I asked someone else, any idea what they said? You guessed it, 6 miles. At that point I decided that a computer was a good idea. After losing a couple of them in crashes I decided that I should move the computer closer to the stem. It is a little harder to reach but at least I haven't lost it yet.

Raiyn

Not bad. Certainly less ghetto than I've seen. I may have to try that.