adlai

I installed a butterfly handlebar on a hybrid ebike because I just didn’t like the wide handle bar that it was using. I’m not sure if I’m doing it right. Installed in the standard way, you have the brake levers and gear shifter closer to you than with a wide handlebar, closer and nearer together. This creates problems with the ride. Should I be raising the seat or installing a longer stem? Currently 80mm stem but maybe a 110mm would be appropriate for it.

I also could just flip it around on the stem Which makes it further out than before.

delbiker1 

I am guessing you mean you are feeling cramped in the cockpit area, and maybe like your legs do not have enough room at the top of the stroke. In my experience, going to that type of handlebar, I had to lengthen the stem to open up that space. I have now also gone to a riser type stem, along with the longer length. That is due to spinal, particularly the neck, and shoulder issues. If not for that the extra length would be sufficient. I now have Velo-Orange Porteur bars on two bikes, IIRC, both went from a 90mm stem to a 120mm. One has a 30 degree rise, the other being 17 degrees. It makes for a very comfortable ride, yet I can still put my hands to the front curve of the bars and get fairly low when riding into the wind. I could go with less length, but I am most comfortable with a forward lean in the upper body. Too upright hurts my lower back. The other real plus for me, I have badly arthritic hands, this set up takes that mostly out of the equation.
Below is a pic of my Airborne Zeppelin as it is now set up with the Porteur bar. I went to bar end levers and cross type brake levers to keep the handlebar open for my hands, lot of positions. Also, the bar end, just one, is in friction, that allowed me to go to a 1X with a 12 speed cassette by replacing the chain and cassette. I love this ride.

TiHabanero

I tried several times to get that style of handlebar to work for me, but never could adjust to it. Too low, too high, too long, too short, wrong hand position, etc. etc. etc. Absolutely love the look, but in the end they just were not the right bar for my needs.

delbiker1 

This is the reason I went to the Porteur handlebar. Less width, less reach, the amount of rise I was looking for. I have them mounted with the rise instead of the intended drop.

Craptacular8

I ended up putting on some Nitto butterfly bars on a bike I was using for long rides, once upon a time. I liked them, but I guess not enough to have put them on subsequent flat bar bikes. At any rate, I didn't end up needing a longer stem, because my shop mounted them as pictured.

I went with the Velo-orange granola bar on a fat bike, and like that pretty well too. I don't end up using the front curve as much as I thought I would, but sometimes is nice.

Jeff Neese

I tried hard to like butterfly handlebars, and put them on several bikes. I was enthralled with the idea of multiple hand positions, but they don't really work well in practice.

The main problem with them mounted this way is that the brake levers are too close together, and if you move them much further out, you lose space for your hands. When you need the most control, like going downhill or if the road gets janky, you want your hands forward and wide, and you want the brake levers to be right there. Even with the brake levers mounted as wide as possible like I have them, it's still too narrow for good control under hard braking. These are probably best for casual riding, MUPs and neighborhoods, etc. I never felt secure on the sometimes challenging dirt roads that we often ride, full of potholes and ruts, washboarding and loose gravel.

I didn't experiment with different configurations. I no longer use them on any of my bikes.

easyupbug 

Please could I trouble you to post a pic from above the bars as I am similarly physically affected. I would like to try your setup as I have seemed to workout the opposite direction to address my issues, with very short but tall stem with bull horn bars, Dia-Compe Guidonnet brake levers and bar end shifters. I can not send a photo of my set up as I am up at our cabins and have conventional bikes up here.

delbiker1 

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...eur-bar-config

That is a link to the V-O website and Porteur bars. The stem I have on that bike is an Uno 17 degree, 120mm length. I have used a 25 degree, 120mm, and liked it. However, it was cheapie and threads were easily stripped. I had the 17 on hand and it works fine for me. The bars are on sale, clamp is 25.4 with either 22.2 or 23.8 grip area, and silver only. I have found them to be highly comfortable with a lot of hand positions available if the bars are kept clear of accessories, the reason I use the cross style brake levers, and the bar end shifters. I had brifters mounted to the outside part of the front curve, and it was good. But I found having that space open works better for me. Also, I can still get fairly low when riding into a strong wind.

ofajen

I’ve tried just about every other bar type. Didn’t get to butterfly bars because I already had these concerns. Similar problems with straight bars and bar ends or the Scott bars that integrate the bar ends into a single unit (AT-2, AT-3, AT-4). The place where you want your hands when things get interesting is nowhere near the brake levers.

Somewhat similar to the porteur bars, I’m running this typical North Road style touring bar and it works great for riding on easy trails and gravel roads.




This one is the Sunlite Elson Roadster. I’m running this bike single speed once again. If you like this style, you probably want the more expensive Nitto Albatross that works nicely with bar end shifters.

Otto

indyfabz

Photos?

Jeff Neese

Funny you should mention Albatross bars. These are actually Soma Oxfords, which are a less-expensive clone of the Albatross.

delbiker1 

easyupbug, some pictures of the Porteur bar set up on my Poprad. The stem is the same Uno 17 degree and 120mm. I put the tape over the brake lever mounts to prevent the edges from irritating the hands. I had wrapped them with regular bar tape, that was too much bulk.