Handlebars

[BOGWHEEL]

The bars on my sherpa are bent and i want to replace them - I need some advice please.
i currently have ape hangers,i think similar to originals. should i go to a lower bend or stay with the high bars, plus taking into consideration that i am a short ass. Also is there a rule of thumb for bar width as with road bikes?

thanks

[David Lahey]

Hi Bogwheel. Bar height can be a pretty personal thing. From memory of watching you ride I would think that you would do well with 1970s rise bars on that Sherpa T. Modern low rise bars would have you bending over and give your back a hard time. Trouble is it is not easy to get new bars as high as what the old bikes came with. Some people bend up their own from solid aluminium, some bend up steel tube, some use bar raisers with modern low-rise bars. Replica KT250 handlebars from NZ (chromed steel) are similar height to standard Sherpa bars and good value. Modern AFAM brand bars are available in a rise that is almost as high as the KT bars. Renthal make bars that are labelled as 6" rise but I don't know what sort of ruler they use to measure them with.
For width most people use standard width trials bars - which from memory is about 830mm. Leverage is important and cutting them narrower greatly increases effort and is rarely an advantage (for clearing obstacles).
I've seen quad bars used - these are very high rise, but way too narrow to my liking.

[BOGWHEEL]

Thanks David - the current bars measure pretty close to the 6" renthals, might give them a go. I've read that for short riders the bars should be not as far forward. is this also true please.
The Sherpa seems darn hard to ride in the tight stuff compared to other bikes (or maybe it's just me!) thought i'd work out if my riding position was wrong (apart from the high foot pegs)

To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again.

[paulm]

Hey Bogwheel

I can recommend the S3 bar risers they lift the bars about 25 mm and have forward and backward movement too. I had them on my Scorpa and I've just put them on my new XiSPA but you need to fit fat bars as well. The Hell Team have them in stock in different colours too.

Alternatively Ballard’s do a stock size bar lift - I've put them on my 198 b also good.

Paul Mac

[David Lahey]

Moving the bars forwards and backwards whether by rotation of the bars or by sliding fore/aft as Paul suggests has a profound effect on the way a trials bike feels to ride. Where you end up with the bars is purely what works best for you. Thats why they are adjustable.
Unless the rider is tall enough, the handlebar fore /aft position determines how far you can get your weight back for dropoffs.
Moving bars rearwards reduces the steering effort in turns. Moving them rearwards also limits the amount of room available for moving your body forwards when straight and to the side and forwards when in cambered turns, and can get in the way of your inner knee at the start of a very tight turn (knee going outwards and inside bar end moving inwards). For riders who are tall enough, the forwards limit for moving the bars is having enough upper body strength for the steering effort. For shorter riders, the forwards limit may be set by how far back their body needs to be for drop-offs, or by steering effort.
I've recently been experimenting with bar position of a few different twinshock bikes and have found it quite a revelation how much it can change the way a bike feels in the steering.
As far a tight turns go you know that SM Sherpa T of yours is more ideally suited to riding big stuff than the twisty turny gnarly stuff we so often ride. When you get a chance have a go on other bikes, have a go and see what other bikes are like on different sorts of terrain.

[BOGWHEEL]

Ok, so a little trial and error then. Have been on the lookout for a new project.
Had a shed clearout a while back - should have listened to the wifey. told me i'd be sorry later.
Thought i was doing the right thing just keeping the sherpa. Maybe a bit mad, but have been thinking about a Cub.
thanks.