Every day, excellent products are released, and sometimes a product that was once considered the best is surpassed by something even better.

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'd like to introduce one such product: a handlebar extension bar that is superior to the one I previously introduced.

■ What is a Handlebar Extension Bar?

First, let me explain what a handlebar extension bar is and why it's necessary.

A handlebar extension bar is a bar that attaches to your handlebars, to which you can mount lights, bells, and other accessories.

If it's just for mounting, the handlebar itself seems sufficient.

It seems unnecessary to add another bar, which would only increase the weight.

One reason is the taper of the handlebar.

The thickness is not uniform, and there are sections that taper down.

Most things cannot be mounted on these sections.

As you can see in the diagram, the "OK area" without tapering is surprisingly narrow.

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

However, an extension bar is completely flat.

This significantly increases the number of items you can attach.

■ Advantages of this type

The type I previously introduced is shown in the image.

It seemed very convenient because it was small and lightweight.

When I actually installed it, the flat bar area increased significantly, and it was a good product.

However, when riding a road bike or cross bike for an extended period, you pick up speed.

I discovered a weakness: the angle would change due to the impact when braking.

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

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 mass is 0.5 kg (for easier calculation).

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

By the way, if you stop in 1 second, a force of 4.2 kg would be applied.

1.4 kg might be manageable, but a force exceeding 4 kg applied to such a small part could likely cause a change in angle.

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

■ The New Extension Bar

This is the new extension bar.

It is designed to be fixed by co-tightening with two fixing screws of the stem that secures the handle.

With this, it can be securely fixed with screws, so it won't move at all even with sudden braking.

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

All parts for this one were made of aluminum.

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

Nevertheless, I'm glad that I can now ride without worrying about the angle changing.

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

■ What to attach to it

Now, let's take a look at what I've attached to the new extension bar.

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

Naturally, a smartphone is attached to the smartphone holder, so the total weight of the attached items is approximately 600g.

Incidentally, it doesn't budge even with the impact at 30 km/h, as mentioned above.

You might notice from the image that the bell appears to be a bit far from the handlebar position.

That's correct.

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

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

Originally, according to road traffic laws, bicycle bells are meant for emergencies, so they shouldn't be used routinely.

You shouldn't use it to blast down the sidewalk and make pedestrians move.

I also don't use it that way, so as long as I can ring it in an emergency, it doesn't matter where it's attached.

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

A light is absolutely essential.

When it gets dark, it's not just about ensuring your own visibility, but also about letting others know you're there.

Special care is needed when it starts getting dark earlier.

Rather than getting involved in an unnecessary accident, prevent it by using a light.

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

There are many cycling apps available now, such as speedometers and navigation.

Most of them are free to use, so it's much more convenient to securely mount your smartphone on your bike.

Both lights and smartphones can be problematic if their angle changes.

In that sense, it seems better to choose a handlebar extension bar that doesn't rotate.

 
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