Good products are released daily, and sometimes an even better product emerges than what you once thought was the best.

Of course, there might also be products whose existence you knew about but never had the chance to try and thus didn't realize their true value.

This time, I've found one such product, a handle extension bar that's superior to the one I previously introduced, so I'm here to share it with you.

What is a Handle Extension Bar?

Before that, let me explain what a handle extension bar is and why it's necessary.

A handle extension bar is a bar that attaches to your handlebars, to which you then mount things like lights and bells.

If it's just for attaching things, the handlebars themselves seem sufficient.

It might seem unnecessary to add a bar, making it heavier.

One reason is the taper of the handlebars.

The thickness isn't uniform; there are parts that taper and become thinner.

Most things cannot be mounted here.

As you can see in the diagram, the non-tapered "OK area" is surprisingly narrow.

And if you have a gear shifter on the right and a bell on the left, there's no space to mount a light or a smartphone holder.

Also, the extension bar is completely flat.

This greatly increases the number of items you can attach.

The Advantages of this Type

The type I introduced previously was like the one in the image.

It seemed very convenient because it was small and light.

When actually installed, it significantly increased the flat bar area, making it a good product.

However, when continuously riding a bicycle, especially a road or cross bike, you achieve higher speeds.

A weakness was discovered: the angle would shift due to the impact when braking.

With the extension bar at 44g, a smartphone at about 200g, a smartphone holder at 150g, a light at 100g, and a bell at 50g, the total weight of attached items is about 550g. Due to inertia, when braking, it tends to tilt forward.

Recall F=ma (m: mass, a: acceleration) from high school physics.

If you stop from 30 km/h in 3 seconds, the acceleration is -10 km/h/s.

Converting units, that's -2.8 m/s².

Let's assume the weight is 0.5 kg (for easier calculation).

This means a force of F = 1.4 kg is pushing forward.

Incidentally, if you stop in 1 second, a force of 4.2 kg is applied.

1.4 kg might be manageable, but if a force exceeding 4 kg is applied to such a small component, the angle is likely to shift.

In reality, since it's rotational motion, it should be calculated with torque, but for simplicity, I considered it as linear motion.

The New Extension Bar

This is the new extension bar.

It's designed to be fixed by removing the two securing screws of the stem that holds the handlebar, and then tightening them together.

Since it can be securely fastened with screws, it doesn't budge at all, even with very sudden braking.

The product weight is 90g, which is about twice as heavy as the previous one.

This time, all components were made of aluminum.

The previous one was aluminum + plastic, which made it lighter.

Still, I'm glad that I can now ride without worrying about the angle shifting.

If you have worries, you can't ride with peace of mind.

What to Attach

Now, let's see what I'm attaching to the new extension bar.

There are three items: a bell, a smartphone holder, and a light.

Naturally, a smartphone will be attached to the smartphone holder, bringing the total weight of attached items to about 600g.

Incidentally, it remains steadfast even with impacts at 30 km/h, as mentioned above.

You might notice from the image that the bell appears a bit far from the handlebars.

That's correct.

You can't reach the bell with your finger while holding the handlebars.

(Strictly speaking, it's not impossible to reach)

Originally, according to road traffic laws, bicycle bells are for emergency use, so they are not meant for regular use.

You should not use them to blast down sidewalks and clear pedestrians.

The author also does not use it that way, so as long as it can be rung in an emergency, it doesn't matter where it's mounted.

At least, I haven't encountered any problems while riding so far.

A light is absolutely essential.

When it gets dark, it's partly to ensure your own visibility, but primarily to make your presence known to others.

It's especially important to be careful as it starts getting dark earlier.

It's better to prevent unnecessary accidents by using a light.

It's definitely more convenient to have a smartphone mounted.

There are many bicycle apps available now for speedometers, navigation, and more.

Most of them are free to use, so securely mounting your smartphone on your bike will make various things more convenient.

Both lights and smartphones become problematic if their angle shifts.

In that sense, it seems better to choose a handle extension bar that does not rotate.

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