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The Evolution of the Handlebar – Jones’ New Bend H-Bar

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While they may look a bit odd compared to the traditional handlebar, Jeff Jones’ H-Bar have a number of devoted fans across the world. Why? The 45 degree sweep of the bars offers a natural feeling hand position that some riders prefer. The first H-Bar was a three piece design that Jeff created after holding out tubes while on a bike that had no bars. The 45 degree position felt the most natural so he went with it, and the H-Bar was born. The original H-Bar was built in steel, Cro-moly, then Titanium and eventually gained curved forward extensions for better ergonomics and the OS 31.8 clamp size. Next came the Loop H-Bar which offered even more hand positions, mounting positions, and a stiffer bar. Getting back to the basics, the Bend H-Bar offers the same 45 degree sweep of the originals, but in a minimal, light weight package that is easier to mount shifters and some levers.

Try out a new hand position next.

Jones H Bar Specs

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Built to the original 660mm width of the original Loop H-Bar (though there is now a 710mm bar developed with Surly) , the Bend also has the same 13mm rise or drop which allows the bars to be run up or down. At 328g, the Bend H-Bar works out to be 170g lighter than the standard Loop. The Bend is also cheaper than the loop, or any other Jones bars, at $85 in black or silver.

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While you give up the hand and mounting positions out front, you still get the same 45 degree swept back riding position of the Loop. Bends are available in 31.8mm clamp only.

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Since the bars have an extra long 190mm grip section and Jones’ bars are all about using the entire bar, they have commissioned extra long grips from ESI.  Available on their website, the grips are offered in 170 or 210mm(for 710 bars) lengths in Chunky or Extra Chunky varieties. The 170mm grips retail for $24.50 or $28 for Chunky or Extra Chunky.

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21 Comments
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swervy jervy
swervy jervy
11 years ago

Describing these bars as “minimal” evokes the final scene in “Dr. Strangelove”.

Thumper McDonut
Thumper McDonut
11 years ago

Oh boy, I wonder if he’s secured the patent rights for a generically bent handlebar so now he can send C&D’s to everyone that makes anything vaguely like a cheap looking commuter bar?

Dolan Halbrook
Dolan Halbrook
11 years ago

They look a lot like black VO Milanos to me…

wheelguy
wheelguy
11 years ago

I love Jeff Jones’ designs. Great to see somebody thinking outside the box and experimenting with new things.

Sevo
Sevo
11 years ago

Thumber-Jeff rightfully owns the patent on his original H-Bar and fully within his rights to send C&D to all the big companies (and smaller ones) who tried to rip off his design. Guy earned his stripes on that bar and fully deserves his patent to be upheld on that design. It’s nice to see the little guy winning in these scenarios. And people respect him a lot.

This design isn’t patented. Not unique enough. But it’s nonetheless cool and brings his basic principles of his H-Bar to a wider crowd. Whether it be offering it at a lower cost or lower weight, he’s done a good job. I applaud this next step 100%

Chris D
Chris D
11 years ago

Looks like On-One’s ‘Mary’ bar……

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/HBOOMA/on_one_mary_handlebar

That’s been around for years.

Sark
Sark
11 years ago

First of all,

I have a Jones ti (the second gen, hand made by the bearded man himself)
I rode the thing on my RMB Slayer whilst having a hand injury…the JJ bars allowed me to continue riding. Everybody hated the looks of my bike coz of the bar…i did not care 😉

Now its a workshop decoration.. Looks strange but did its job!

The new bar…well..it looks like a Cinelli priest bar from the olden days.
Nothing wrong here but it lacks the Jones “hand made and i do not give a flying fök” atttude of the original idea. It looks old.

Good price though..

Thumper McDonut
Thumper McDonut
11 years ago

@Sevo – “earned his stripes”? Hahahahaha. Ok.

ve
ve
11 years ago

Someone explain to me how the 660 H-bar “looks a bit odd compared to the traditional handlebar” It looks pretty darn similar to North Road bars that have been used since the 1900’s.

James S
James S
11 years ago

Looks just like the On One Mary bar which you can get for less than half the price. In fact, the Mary Bar is only $20 from the UK right now (don’t know what the shipping costs would be). There’s also the Surly Open Bar as mentioned, Soma Clarence, Velo Orange Postino, etc. Funny how all these designs have converged to slight variations on the same theme.

JAKE
JAKE
11 years ago

This is a $25 retail bar all day long. Ask your LOCAL BIKE SHOP to order it for you.

vectorbug
vectorbug
11 years ago

@sevo – thats right Jones has worked in the industry since 91. From GT to Merlin. He’s earned an excellent reputation.

Mindless
Mindless
11 years ago

How is it different from On One Mary I had been using on my commuter for years?

Mindless
Mindless
11 years ago

…for $20. $85? GTFO.

bielas
bielas
11 years ago

Not as nice as the Metropolis bar with wing shaped bends, and more expensive. The Metropolis bar is also reversible, you can ride it in high or low position, I love mine,
http://www.metropoliscomponents.com/handlebar.htm

Fytze
Fytze
11 years ago

This is funny, because about every citybike in the Netherlands has had handlebars like this for the last 20 years. They will cost about €10-€20 for the aluminum ones.
http://static.nationalgeographic.nl/pictures/genjUserPhotoPicture/mediaBig/31/12/16/geel-fietsstuur-161231.jpg

david
david
11 years ago

As far as the comparison between the Mary bar and its numerous clones and this bar the difference is in the degree of bend. I think the Marys are in the ~30° range and these are 45°. They are the only ones that are available at the range so it is the designers right to charge what he wants for them.

I have used flat bars through the jones loop and far and away the loop bar has contributed to my riding skill and abilities. The mary was a close second but the ripply aluminum at the bends always scared me. Reports of breakage scared me too. The old jones bars did nothing for me but appearance of quality and performance of my loop bars have me convinced that sometimes you do get what you pay for.

Robb
Robb
11 years ago

Still waiting for ape-hangers.

Jim
Jim
11 years ago

“looks like –insert bar name here—”
…Which all in turn look like a load of bars that have been around for 100 years. I have a bike catalogue scan from the late 30s that has flared drops, M-bars, mustache bars, the lot in there. The original H-bar deserves some credit for working so well, being quite original and way against the grain for MTB bars at the time, this is just another version of it.

“The Metropolis bar is also reversible, you can ride it in high or low position”
– so are these and loop bars. The difference is that I’d ride Jones bars off road, loaded up, many 1000 miles a year, hitting stuff as hard as I can, with confidence. I have a metropolis bar and a similar city bike bar from another company in TW and I’d not use either off-road in that way. Is that worth $80? Maybe not, but smaller production volumes, tooling, good QC, etc cost something.

I like bars like this and it’s rare to have MTB durability and decent width in what’s usually sold as a city bar style.

Miha
11 years ago

What I don’t understand is advantage of extra long grips and different positions. Position of your hands are “limited” by position of brake levers while commuting in traffic. If I have to move the the hand for braking I’ll be too late to prevent an accident…

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