HerrKaLeun

I heard a podcast with the Jones person about how he re-designed bikes and handlebars to actually fit riders. Sounded convincing.

Does anyone have experience or educated opinion on their handlebars or bikes?

Looks like made for long distance rougher roads etc. Exactly up my alley. I would try a handlebar on my hybrid.

I swear a long time ago i saw a thread here, but the search (even through google) didn't help. Only found a 2003 or so thread.

FBOATSB

I have no experience, nor education
A couple recent threads:
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...onversion.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/1...-drop-bar.html
Mtbr.com has multiple reviews: Jones Bikes- Mtbr.com

Cyclist0108

Just got one for my wife. She likes it. There are numerous threads here. Use the advanced search, or Google site search.

HerrKaLeun

Thanks for the links. I should have mentioned, I already have flat bars (inc. regular MTB shifters and brakes), so this wouldn't be a drop/flat conversion. It would just be flat bar to another flatbar and the bar and grips would be the only (even if not insignificant) expense. Edit: The bikes discussed in MTBR, that was a 2007 thread, they significantly changed since then. I probably should have mentioned, not in the market for new bike for that price, just curious... like the concept.

To me the Jones bar seems to do what a drop bar can do for some better aero and multiple hand positions, but with MTB parts.

Did anyone go from flat to Jones and regret it? Or if not, how much better and what exactly was better?

i know final test is myself buying and trying one...

hillyman

I bought the H Bar for my Dahon Matrix full size folding mountain bike. I didn't like it. Too wide and too much sweepback. But I gave the bike to my brother and he loves the Jones Bars. It's all personal preference.

Estacado

I bought the straight gauge Jones H bar last year. It's on my mountain bike. I love it! So many hand positions.

Gconan

I would love to have one of his bikes to go with his bar one day.

HerrKaLeun

I'm still contemplating this type of bar and think the aero position may be a big benefit (as for aero for non-drop bar). Still a bit not-happy baput the cost.

I found the Origin8 Strongbow ($65), which has a 15° sweep (as opposed to 45° for the jones). not a lot of reviews for that besides some on amazon. Does anyone have that? any idea if the 15° sweep would be better? Obviously it would be less drastic. It seems to be wider at 760 mm (vs. 710 mm for Jones). not sure what type of grips that would need.

it seems the Jones items are only available from the jones website, which would explain higher prices. Yes I know, I could buy both and just try....

Trevtassie

Yeah, I like them. I use them with Ergon GC1 grips. Trick is to fiddle with the stem length. I tried at first with a short stem, felt like they were too swept back, a longer stem fixed that. Hard to explain but you want the angled bit centered midway where your straight bars were originally I reckon. My partner needed a short stem. A cheaper option that does mostly the same would be the velo orange crazy bars. I've used them too, liked them as well, wasn't so keen on the bull horns, I think the design needs tweaking with less horizontal reach and more angled up bar. Jones are available in 710 with cut down marks to 660. Crazies are 660. 710 is pretty wide, you'd need to be a gorilla for touring on 760 bars. One thing with the loop bars is that it's a PITA to mount a bar bag...it ends up way out in front. Jones have just come out with a Bend H bar, much easier to mount a handlebar bag on, I may well have gone with those had they been available when I got my H Bars.

HerrKaLeun

I have the Ergon GP 2 and 5 on my bikes and love them. Going to round grips was one of my concerns, but thanks to your hint I see there is a solution.
The way i see it the GC1 are not necessarily as long as the Jones grips (at least scaling from ergon website pics). That would leave a gap between the grips and the brake/shifter. Or does that fit well? One could fill the gap with bar tape (not sure how well that would work).

Does anyone use the jones Aerobar, the Gnarwal? Seems to be for very aero positions. But I wonder if thsi is overkill and the normal front loop is forward enough for practical application? And for some reason i think one could make that for less than $80 lol.

Trevtassie

With the 660 bars there is no gap between the GC1, the brake lever band and the cross piece. With 710 there is about 25mm. Doesn't bother me. It leaves a hand position on the junction and room on each side for a bell and my Air Zounds horn.

LesterOfPuppets

They have a tad too much sweep for my taste.

I think I'd prefer around 20° sweep.

baldilocks

I love my Jones H loop bar. It fits my style of riding. I'm more of a commuter/mountain biker. That said, the front bar position is good for getting aero and as close as I get to drop bars. I was worried that the normal position wouldn't be good for technical stuff on the trail, but I was wrong. I love my Jones bar and will want them on my next bike.

HerrKaLeun

thanks for all the advice. for now i just re-adjusted my Ergon GP5 bar ends to be about 15° forward. hat gives me some sort of aero position, just at the outer end of my bar. one advantage of that is it gives me more leverage than the hands in almost center with Jones. i thought of buying inner bar ends, but they are quite pricy.

since i already have a handlebar and grips/bar ends, it seems expensive to just try one (needing grips, the bar and possibly gnarwal). but for a new bike, i may try it. Or if i don't get fully happy with my current setup.If i had to buy grips and bar from scratch, I definitely would try the Jones bar.

One thing I observed myself is that when on the grips is that i even angle my hands outwards, to the opposite of how the jones bar would angle them. From all my research it seems people either like the Jones, or not.

I actually start liking the jones bikes as well. May be good "hybrid/simple MTB" crosses that could be useful as one single bike for my uses. but with 2 new bikes last year, I'm not ready to build a totally new bike.

HerrKaLeun

I actually ended up ordering the $80 H bar and the Kraton Grips. Now I have a week to decide whether to put it on my hybrid or my fatbike.

Originally my hybrid motivated me to think more about new handlebar since I wanted a more aero position (for straight bike path runs and headwinds). I use my GP5 grips (15°F forward) and often have my hands on the top (all the way forward) for more aero, but that isn't comfortable long run. i also like to be on the side of the grip (like a drop down almost, like handshaking hand position). I contemplated upgrading to drops (would be hard to do and expensive with hydraulic discs and I'm not sure if i like the end result), or adding an aero bar. but then decided a Jones bar with the Gnarwal would be better. Unfortunately the Gnarwal was not in stock.

I also think I could use it on my fatbike since that often gives me some numbness (only have the Ergo GP2) due to off-road shaking of the front. I probably try it on my hybrid first and use the GP5 on my fatbike to see if that works better. On the other hand, the Jonesbar also seems to be really made for the jones bikes, which kind of do what i do with my fatbike. (1st World problem here)

I decided to buy the Jones grips since they come in the right length. I fear I may miss the wrist comfort of the ergo grips, though. Only real downside of the Jones grips is they are not fastened, but are friction mounted, which makes swapping the handlebar harder (I know, alcohol etc.)

fitlerbend

I have Jones Loop bars on six of my bikes. I also use the ERGON grips.

Wildwood 

HerrKaLeun

You have the GC1 (the ones for swept back bars)? Or did you use normal ones like the GP1?

+1

mostly interested in how everyone dealt with the gap between a non-Jones grip and the shifter.

I also wonder if there is a good alternative for the H-Bar Pack. good idea, but the price is a bit steep at $64 for a tiny bag.

khutch

I have a Fuji performance hybrid/flat bar road bike that I have ridden since 2010. Came with a flat bar and I quickly found that I hate flat bars. Tried some other bars and even considered the painfully expensive conversion to drops. Then I stumbled onto the Jones Loop H bar. It is great! I've been riding it since late 2010 or early 2011 and it has transformed the bike from one I could only stand to ride for about 30 miles in one go into a bike that I can ride all day and frequently do. Great control off road, many hand positions, and some of those are great for fighting headwinds. If I ever consider the purchase of another flat bar bike I will just figure the cost of the Jones bar into the price. It is that good. In my opinion, of course. The only reason I would not put a Jones bar on a new flat bar bike as soon as I took delivery is that some other makers have noted its success and have designs that look to be as good on paper. If I got one of those I would try it a few months and then decide if the Jones bar was necessary or not.

fitlerbend

I use the GPs all the way.

HerrKaLeun

Update: i changed my order from the 100g heavier SG to the regular bars and only ordered the bars to see how they feel before deciding on grips. Yes $40 to save 100g is extreme, but i figured i may have them for decades. First round around the block with some generic round grips i decided to order the Jones EVA grips and the H-Bar pack

I rode about 100km with my makeshift generic grips and love the bar. i basically have 5 useful positions and used them all. There isn't one perfect position for a long time, the secret is changing it. I usually avoid roads and am not so fast on MUPs, but this route included 25% road and it was faster than usual at little effort on the road,, So the Aero position really helps.

I put bar-tape (first time bar tape!) around the entire loop excluding the small part where the gnarwal aerobar would mount. i figured i may buy that some time (currently sold out), but now put the headlights there and think the normal aero position is good enough for my use. Stretching out too far may not be good with my saddle position.

I actually saved weight! the old 680mm Giant bar and Ergon GP5 grips weigh 708g. The new bar, bar tape, and grips weigh 595 g. Considering i considered adding an aerobar to my straight bar, the weight saving really becomes significant.

Today the Eva grips arrived. Only problem so far is they are sized to fit with a brake that has the shifter attached. since I have shimano brake and SRAM shifters, I have them next to each other. I may be able to use Problemsovers , but they are pricey and I haven't verified if they work for my brakes (Shimano M395) and shifters (SRAM SL700). On the other hand i don't want to cut the grips. Looked at some Jones videos, and it looks like he has the shifters attached to brake lever.

overall very happy (minus still having to resolve my grip length issue)

Edit: google tells me the mismatcher are ot 100% great, so i may just shorten the grips. My plan is to at some point upgrade drivetrain to 1x (would resolve left side), but i would go 12-speed, which would be SRAM at this point. So I can't use the grips as an excuse to upgrade drivetrain :-)

drowling23

I have Jones Loop handlebar on my Salsa Blackborow fatbike. I got the one that also raises the height somewhat, so it's even more comfortable to ride. I like it.

DeadGrandpa

I got the Jones Loop Bar to replace the Crivitz bar (20 or 25 degree sweep) on my Trek 1120 bikepacking bike. With only a couple short-ish rides using the new handlebars, my hands no longer went numb or tingly. I did get the carbon bars, but the result was such that I am ordering two more for my tandem. I can always swap them to another bike or two.

Bizman

baldilocks

Here is my Giant ATX lite.