How I Decluttered My Handlebars

[Waspy]

First of all I ordered a kit without a throttle or brake sensors, not only does it make for a tidier (and cheaper) installation but I don't need them.

Without a throttle you just have to remember to look ahead and shift down a couple of gears as you approach a junction/dog walker etc.

Having an electric motor means I certainly had no need for three chainrings up front so I fitted an inexpensive single ring crankset from eBay and dumped the front derailleur.
My chainring is 38 teeth but many other sizes are available.

This enabled me to replace the bulky left trigger shifter/brake lever combo with a simple brake lever and move the LCD display much closer to the left grip which makes using the + and - buttons with my left thumb very simple.

So then I decided to ditch the right side trigger shifter/brake lever combo and replace it with a simple brake lever and a Shimano 8 Speed Revoshift grip shifter.

Now grip shifters are very non-trendy in the cycling world and are usually found on budget/kids bikes but I really like it, a very small movement of my right hand away from me changes up a gear and towards me to go down a gear.

So now I have a nice uncluttered 'cockpit' (as they call it) and all controls are available with minimum movement of my hands which I find very intuitive.

Looking at that picture makes me realise I need to fix that front brake cable to the forks.

 

[Nealh]

As with most bikes no bell insight, I find it one of the valuable assets to have and use on my bikes. No shouting or calling out to folks to move, two or three pings some 20 - 30 yds away to give them time to react.
On all my bikes I use a Jtek stem riser brass/gold bell which has avery good resonating ping, the bell simply replaces a 10mm headset spacer.

 

[Waspy]

As with most bikes no bell insight, I find it one of the valuable assets to have and use on my bikes. No shouting or calling out to folks to move, two or three pings some 20 - 30 yds away to give them time to react.

Noted Nealh, thanks for your comment.

I have not had the kit very long and I'm sill tinkering with the installation.

Until now I have been just clicking a brake lever as I approach dog walkers etc. but you have to be pretty close to them for it to be heard.

I think I have a bell in my box of bits, I'll have to dig it out I think.

Or I may go all modern and search eBay for an electric bell (I love a gadget, me)

Being a dog walker myself I always slow right down as I pass them and say thank you if they move aside for me

 

[Waspy]

On all my bikes I use a Jtek stem riser brass/gold bell which has avery good resonating ping, the bell simply replaces a 10mm headset spacer.

I like the look of these, keeps the bell off the handlebar, I think I'll get one, thanks!

 

[Nealh]

Like you I find the revo twist type shifters much better then thumb levers, the twist ones certainly give a better clutterless bar look.

 

[AndyBike]

lol that's funny, you should see mine.I think whomever did the cables was doing it for the first time. It looks like I've a plate of spaghetti hanging off the front of my bike
I've got 7 cables running and for some reason they're all on big loops. disc brakes, display cable, dropper post, twin lockout lever(fork/shock) and shifter.

I'm intending on losing the lockout as I never use it, and the dropper post in favour of a normal post as i hardly use it either. So i can get down to 4, but I'll never get it as clean as yours.

 

[flecc]

So then I decided to ditch the right side trigger shifter/brake lever combo and replace it with a simple brake lever and a Shimano 8 Speed Revoshift grip shifter.

Now grip shifters are very non-trendy in the cycling world and are usually found on budget/kids bikes but I really like it, a very small movement of my right hand away from me changes up a gear and towards me to go down a gear.

Like you I find the revo twist type shifters much better then thumb levers, the twist ones certainly give a better clutterless bar look.

Another fan of twist shifters here, either Shimano or SRAM's Shimano compatible ones. To me they make so much more sense than trigger shifts, especially the ability to change to any gear instantly.

I fitted the SRAM ones on both my derailleur e-bikes in lieu of trigger shifts.

But my handlebars on one bike were very cluttered:



From the left, twistgrip throttle, brake lever, air horn, bell, inboard bar end support for when bike inverted, bike computer, Ezee mode control, second bar end, trigger shifter later replaced with twist shifter, brake lever, hand grip and bar end mirror.
.

 

[AndyBike]

@flecc
What are those sticky up things in the middle of your bars ?

 

[vidtek]

Ha - you guys are rank amateurs! The idea is not to de-clutter, no no, the real trick is to see just how much useless crap you can hang off your bars........ Check out yours truly's array of handlebar goodies.
Left to right - left brake lever, throttle, bell, bluetooth speaker for my tunes, ebike display, mobile 'phone holder, right ebrake, gearshift, gooseneck mirror, handlebar end mirror and underneath front light and water bottle holder.

Anyone beat my 12 ?

Cheers Tony.

 

[flecc]

@flecc
What are those sticky up things in the middle of your bars ?

They are bar ends mounted the wrong way round, the sort of mini handlebars that mounted normally on the ends of a handlebar give different raised and relaxed riding positions for a change.

I used them reversed and in the centre to make a support for when the bike is inverted such as for fixing an on road puncture, thus avoiding trashing all the other gear on the handlebars. They came without the bits of rubber grip, I added those.

Tour de France race speed stages see riders using upright ones close together in the middle to narrow their profile for less wind resistance.
.

 

[Domm]

Great idea!

 

[flecc]

Great idea!

Thanks. They were light and cheap from Halfords at the time.
.

 

[Jon Matthews]

If you want a bell that really works you need one of these Crane Bell Suzu Brass Bicycle Bell with Steel Band Mount https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KFCYUYK/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_Q2DFKFVXFB8EGHQ2FX5V

When I ride with my son he always tells me to ring the bell when approaching pedestrians out on the trail. He doesn't have one as he likes an uncluttered cockpit, hmmm.

 

[Benjahmin]

I went for one of these:

Ding-Dong Bell (L)

Lovely and loud, our splendid Ding-Dong Bell is an elegant way to make others aware of your presence! Designed to be positioned on the handlebar of a bicycle, the bell has a traditional chromed metal domed shape and is operated by an easy-to-use thumb lever.

www.pashleystore.co.uk

It's big, it's loud and has a lovely sonorous ding dong and many people say, ' Oh what a lovely bell'.

 

[sjpt]

We've got a Raleigh deep toned ring-ring bell on the front of the tandem and a Halfords ding-dong bell at the back. Lots of nice comments. Mostly used on the local shared cycle-pedestrian route, especially approaching where the path twists under a no visibility bridge.

Raleigh Standard Crown Emblem Bell - Silver/Black 5023857000172 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Raleigh Standard Crown Emblem Bell - Silver/Black at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

??? https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-accessories/mirrors-bells-and-horns/halfords-traditional-chrome-bell-382770.html

 

[Waspy]

OK, well I definitely have one of those simple bells found on kids bikes etc somewhere.
But I can't find it, however I did find this old bell in my shed and it has a proper old-school ring.

As you can see I have fitted it to the left end of my handlebar, so I can work it with my little finger without taking my hand off the grip.

I will have to see how it works in the field.

 

[guerney]

I use a Hornit 140db, which emits a horn sound loud enough to be heard by drivers. Works great on country paths on pedestrians too, they jump out of the way. The 120db "Car horn" sound option works best, the other noise is that of a keening bird of some sort, but it's 140db. The switch can be placed pretty much anywhere on the handlebar, some have them glued to their brake levers. I've had mine at least six months and I'm still on the original batteries. The only issue is that the small jack plug which connects the switch to the horn, occasionally falls out.

Hornit dB140 V2 - World's Loudest Bike Cycle Horn : Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Shop Hornit dB140 V2 - World's Loudest Bike Cycle Horn. Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[Benjahmin]

140db on country paths is just mean Though I can see it being useful for the 'I'm isolated from the outside world by my music blasting earbuds' tribe !
Fortunately I don't have tor ride in traffic but, even so, there have been times when I must admit my ding dong bell has felt a bit inadequate on occasions.

 

[guerney]

140db on country paths is just mean Though I can see it being useful for the 'I'm isolated from the outside world by my music blasting earbuds' tribe !
Fortunately I don't have tor ride in traffic but, even so, there have been times when I must admit my ding dong bell has felt a bit inadequate on occasions.

I find it immensely satisfying beeping loudly at drivers! Usually you can't express yourself, you're just another voiceless cyclist wronged on the road. But I am silent no more! I generally have to beep a couple of times every journey, and other drivers around look for the offending beeped at driver...

 

[guerney]

140db on country paths is just mean

I suppose I could use the 140db keening bird sound on country paths, but I find people look up at the sky looking for a small but highly irritated harpy. At least the horn sounds recognisably like a vehicle, instead of winged beasts from "Jason and the Argonaughts"