The Trekking/Butterfly Handlebar

When posting about the newer addition to the bike stable, the Velo Orange Campeur, I noted that I had opted to try out a set of handlebars that have awaited placement on a bike for some time. The right bike had not come along, but when the Campeur landed, the trekking handlebars seemed entirely appropriate.

*Image from Bike Touring News

While browsing, I've noted that there are a variety of manufacturers and retailers that sell their own sets of trekking handlebars. Nashbar, Dimension, Nitto, Dajia Cycle Works, Modolo are just a handful of the companies that have a version available. Since I haven't tried every style of these, I will state up front that the version I have are the Dajia Cycle Works variety. I've been told that the same handlebar sells under a variety of manufacturer names, but I don't have much to prove this as a statement of absolute truth. Most of the handlebars I've seen appear to have very similar positioning and bends (the exception being the Nitto version which appear more squared at the corners), so I'm not entirely certain that the exact manufacturer is of great importance if the products themselves are so similar.

I still haven't settled on a bar tape color... but I will, eventually. 

These handlebars are made of an aluminium composition. The 25.4mm stem clamp diameter may make them a challenge for some setups, but I've found if the diameter is too small, using a shim is helpful (and necessary) to get them to work with a variety of stem diameters. Since the bike these are set on has a 26.0mm clamp diameter, the shim works perfectly to make them snug.

This particular set measures 57 cm at the widest point, providing a broad stance. However, there are also lots of positions on the bars that are much narrower. For a mountain biker, the distance may not seem very wide at all, but for someone used to drops or more standard upright bars, there is a definite difference.  If a rider prefers a narrow position in a handlebar, there are positions on this bar that fit that need, but the widest points of the handlebars would likely go unused perhaps making them not an ideal option.

I'll admit, at first I was a little put off by how wide the bars ride, but over a relatively short time, I came to appreciate this quality. It's nice to get some leverage once in awhile and I feel a bit more in control of steering as well. Whether this is the handlebars themselves or a quality of the bike is up for debate. There are many positioning options available on these bars though and a rider doesn't have to live at the extreme outreaches of the bar.

While there are technically four hand positions, I find that I use a broad spectrum of space in between each of these, depending on the day and/or task. It seems a natural place to put my hands at the sides (the widest point) of the bar, much as one would with a northroad style or albatross handlebar, and I do spend a fair amount of time here depending on where I'm riding.

In traffic, it's a little more difficult to rely on that position as the brakes have been placed at the furthest position on the bars directly in front of me. So, while riding in higher traffic areas, I have found it more comfortable to be in the most outstretched positions with my fingers at the ready when braking becomes necessary.

If I have a little more space in traffic or I'm out on back roads, I find that my hands naturally tend to want to move around the corners/bends of the bars. When I feel the need to sit more directly upright, I use the portion of the bar directly in front of and closest to me.

As someone who needs to move her hands frequently when riding, having so many possibilities is really ideal. Even for those who don't have injuries or ailments that require position changes, it's a good idea not to stay in one position for too long to prevent strain, injuries, and just simply pain.

When these handlebars were set up, I wasn't entirely sure how to place them. They can be flipped over to ride on either side (neither side is really considered upside down), and they can be changed so that the opening point is closest to the rider (as in the first photo above) or flipped so that the opening is at the farthest point in front of the rider. I have seen these set up in each of these possibilities and they appear to work well, regardless of set up for the individual riders. I think it's more a matter of preference or what feels natural to the rider more than anything else.

I will note that I have tried these bars on a couple of different road bikes too. Both of these bikes were quite stable using a drop bar set up, but I didn't necessarily appreciate the trekking bars on each of these bikes the way I do on the Campeur. More specifically, the set up with the trekking bars worked decently on one of the road bikes, but the other seemed to make the bikes' handling more squirrelly. This could be a result of different body positioning on each bike, however.

Sitting more upright on a bike intended for speed doesn't seem to be a good combination with these handlebars - at least during my limited testing.  Granted, these are handlebars meant for long distance, multi-day cycling, so using them on a bike meant for faster rides is perhaps not ideal, depending on the situation and again on the riders preferences.

There are a lot of handlebars on the market to choose from for a variety of riding purposes, so I often find myself wondering what the benefit is of one type over another. As pointed out earlier, I think the biggest asset with these is the number of hand position possibilities. Beyond that, it becomes a matter of likes and dislikes as well as aesthetics. If a drop bar set up is working well for the rider, I see no true advantage to these handlebars. However, if the rider struggles with utilizing all the positions available or if one additional position may do the trick, these may be a set to try out.

After several months of near-daily use, I am really appreciating the qualities of these handlebars and finding them to be quite useful. I have not been able to take them on trips of great distances (yet), but for commuter/errand purposes and rides under 40mi/64km, they have worked well. They may not be a handlebar that meets every riders needs, but they are a nice alternative for those looking for multiple hand positions and perhaps even a wider handlebar.

If you've tried these on your own bike, I'd love to get your feedback in regard to what you've liked or haven't with this style of handlebar. Likewise, if you have questions, I will do my best to answer, or perhaps others can offer their expertise.