ever1ast15

Hello all. Has anyone changed out their standard drop bars with the Jones H-Bar Loops? I feel like it would provide me a more upright sitting positions when needed and a number of different hand positions. I wanted to see if anyone on the forum has done so and toured with these types of bars.

Thanks,

JT

ksryder

Fairly popular option for Tour Divide racers. Also:

https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/1...s-touring.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/1...g-2-5-bar.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/8...es-h-bars.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/9...es-h-bars.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/hybrid-bi...hese-bars.html

seeker333

I am certain someone somewhere has exchanged every type of handlebar for every other type at some point in time. So, yes, you can do it.

Before you proceed, know that drop bars typically provide 3 or 4 different hand positions, 2 of which provide access to all controls. Jones H-bar will not improve upon these features. If you want a more upright posture, first try a shorter, steeper stem, at a fraction of the cost of a Jones bar conversion.

If you are considering the Jones bar for a Trek 520 Disc, be aware that the Hayes CX brake calipers are designed for (traditional) short-pull road levers, so you will need short-pull (cantilever) brake levers for the Jones bar - a std long-cable-pull MTB lever will not work.

skookum

I put Jones bars on my Thorn Raven Nomad and didn't like them. They're not great for multiple hand positions, drop bars are better.
I have a Jones Plus bike and the bars work better on it. It is a more upright, less aero riding position, so less weight on the hands. I still would like a neutral
hand position, equivalent to the brake hoods position on drop bars.

I personally wouldn't switch from drops to Jones, you have to take the whole geometry of the bike into account, top tube length, stem rise, etc.

I really like the Jones, taken as a whole. I like my drop bar bike as well, they are just different beasts.

ever1ast15

Thank you for the links. Good reading.

J.Higgins 

Jones bars (710s) work well on my ECR. Love my Cowchippers on the Troll.

DeadGrandpa

I replaced the drop bars on my road bikes with trekking bars. The rolling hills where I ride kept my hands on the hoods all the time, and I got numbness. I replaced the stock flatbars on my Trek 1120 with Jones H bars, and I love them. I'm considering replacing the flat bars on my hardtail mtb tandem with Jones bars also. The only thing holding me back is the cost, because I would go carbon to reduce vibration. I'm trying other solutions for that before I spring for those.

revcp 

and I'm confused by the claim that they cut down on hand positions. With drops I have four hand positions: either side of the stem, the shoulders, brake hoods, drops. With the Jones I have... four hand positions (with under the bar shifters): either side of the stem, grips, joint where the stem bar and "loop" bar join, up front on the "loop". They are great for touring, commuting and singletrack.

zze86

Tried them but the sweep of the bars was too much for me. Found I preferred something with around 35deg sweep for this type of bar (but I still much prefer drop bars). I do like the support of the two bars when stretching out, its a bit like built in aero bars.

Try them out and see if you like them. They still command a fair price used so you won't lose out much on the bars if you find you don't like them.

Butterfly bars are another alternative you could try which can usually be had for much cheaper than Jones bars.

zze86

For me, the hand positioning felt very similar regardless of whether I was at the grips or up higher at the controls. I also felt more pressure with these bars also. Maybe it is as Skookum said, the frame geometry and rider needs to be a bit more upright. *shrug*

veganbikes

I haven't really tried riding the bars yet but have played around with the Velo Orange Crazy Bars on a touring bike I am building for someone small (since it was a free frame but way too small for me and I cannot just sell a frame I gotta build a bike...come on). So far just holding them and testing out the positions I love it. Almost to the point where I might redo my touring bike but sadly not anytime soon as I just tuned it up and replaced cables and tape not that long ago.

HerrKaLeun

You know they require MTB brakes/shifters? This may be a problem since you seem to have drops.

I have no touring experience, but recently converted my flatbar hybrid to Jonesbar (keeping same brakes/shifters). Basically 5 hand (and partially body) positions change things up. It also added an aero position (compared to my flat bar), which made me a quite bit faster on straights. It also adds an upright position (similar to comfort bike). It was a big improvement regarding comfort and aero. Not sure if the improvement % is the same if you come from drops.

skookum

One of the most natural hand positions is analagous to riding the brake hoods on drops. Wrists in the vertical plane, about shoulder width apart. No equivalent on the Jones.
That is why bars like the moloko and crazy bars were developed. This may not matter to everybody, but I really notice it after a couple of hours of riding.
The Jones bars are great on more technical terrain like single track or very rough jeep tracks and mining roads. They give you that extra control that would be hard to get on drops

fietsbob

BTW I have some Paul's top mounts to sell, they have a V pull option..

rifraf

I added some to the bike I built up, which was a 2013 Surly Ogre frame.

I was worried about the initial investment given that the bars were pricy when I was looking at them and the postage, given I had to order them internationally, was horrendous.

To help determine whether I might like them, I first bought some much cheaper Titec J-bars which were made under license to Jones if memory serves.

Titek made both a J-bar and an H-bar and shared similar dimensions and look to the genuine Jone H-loop bar.

I picked up my J-bar I think for $25 from eBay and liking them, preceded to buy the genuine Jones bar.

Perhaps you too could find some of the Titec bars to trial to see if they suit OP.

Heres some info here: https://bikecarson.com/2010/10/25/ti...-final-review/

By the time I was prepared to splash out on the genuine article, they were available in Australia, which was just as well as like I said the postage from the US (Jones) or UK (charliethebikemonger) was very steep with the inherent risk of damage.

khutch

Personally I would not replace drop bars with the Jones bar. However, on a bike that comes with a straight, flat bar I would replace it with a Jones bar in a nanosecond! I've done that on a flat bar hybrid and I have ridden with them for 8 years. They are great! To me they provide the hand position advantages of a drop bar on a flat bar bike without the expense of having to change out all the controls that a change to a drop bar would entail.

boomhauer

Jones bars are great for carrying a water bladder and a hose.
You just buy a $7 cargo net off of amazon and attach it around the opening then lay the bladder inside. No more reaching for a bottle to drink water.

mrv 

howdy - i undropped my MTB touring thing.
I've been using the Joneses (2.5 SG) since May. One long tour with them with a couple of very flat 90ish mile days.
So far I am liking them on this bike more than the drop bars.
As someone mentioned it depends on the whole bike. My old MTB has a very long top tube (60cm). I wanted to get more back and more up. So the 2.5in rise in the bars and the sweep back does that - without buying a new bike.

I find the angle coming back pretty comfortable, but I do agree that drop bars on the hoods is pretty natural also. As far as hand position variety - you only get the variety if you lean forward to the loop part, like if you wanna go aero. (aero on a 35lb bike.... !!)

- if you've already seen the pics a dozen time in other posts, I'll just say "sorry!" , I'm assuming the OP'r didn't see them.
CIAO!



undropped


dropped

LeeG

schoolboy2 

I changed out my drops for a Jones H-Bar before my most recent tour. I rarely (like never) used the drop position, and it made sense to change to the "cruiser" style of the H-Bar. Of course I now also needed to change my shifters and brake levers too, but the cost wasn't that much so it all made sense to me.


I immediately had a problem with hand numbness. I have toured several thousands of miles on my drop bars with no issues, but after the first full day on the H-Bar, I had Ulnar nerve issues that have persisted for nearly three months. I had to suspend my tour after a couple of weeks as I lost the use of my right hand. My sports doc has me off the bike until the situation resolves itself. My fingers are slowly getting feeling back but it's been tough to see the summer pass by and not be able to ride.


My story may not be the same as others using an H-Bar as I've seen postings from people who successfully changed to the H-Bar. Perhaps it's a peculiarity of my hands, who knows... At any rate, I plan to replace my Jones H-Bar with drops so I have one to sell complete with MTB shifters and brake levers. Make me an offer!

mrv 

Sorry to hear that! I've had a small bit of numbness, but I seem to with most flat bars / non-drop bars. But the H-bars gave me the middle loop as an option to spread my hands out. The big problem I see with the Jone-bars and all flat bars without bar ends, is they don't offer a nice way to ride with "palms - facing in", like riding on the hoods of drop bars do.
That's some the the OP'er should really think about. I think. I am going to keep my Jones Bars, as I've not had any serious problems. And I can get really up right with them when I want, or more down when I need.

Take care and hope you heal up quickly - YIKES!

HerrKaLeun

Does anyone here use the Gnarwal or other aero bar with the H-lop? I'd think that would give a second aero position.

I'm curious if that would be useful on long tours or fast headwinds compared to the regular aero position on the loop (on front of loop)