Straight Bar Opinions

[CD155MX]

Ok so I am planning on replacing my UMI 0 deg bars with a pair of straight bars. I want to get a more forward body position. I ride freestyle (well attempt to) and only ride lakes and rivers.

I have been looking at either straight bars with no riser like this:
http://blowsion.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=03-05-145

Or Straight bars like this with a rise in them:
http://blowsion.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=03-05-146

I would likely run them with the riser facing up though unlike the picture.

I guessing that the riser bars would have an advantage for :barrel:because it puts your pole lower and make the rotation easier by lowering your moment of inertia. Is there any downside that people have experienced though? :1zhelp:

Please help me out with your opinions. What are your the pros and cons of your experiences with either the straights or the straights with the risers?

 

[Matt_E]

I love my straight bars. Been running several different ones for three years at least now. I don't use risers.
I can't think of any cons.
Pros: More forward position. That's about it.

 

[djkorn1]

Check out the Bruins steering system. PM him on here. . .

 

[CD155MX]

Thanks for the input Matt_E

Check out the Bruins steering system. PM him on here. . .

Thanks to DJ as well. I'll PM him now.

 

[snowxr]

I used to hate 0 degree bars, partly for the way they swung to the sides and kinked my wrist on a normal length turn plate . I started using straight bars and a very short turn plate on my Kaw and now RN(from www.XR-tech.com), and LOVE them.

 

[Cannibal]

There's a decent amount of people running solid bars. Just some 7/8" 6061 rod will work. You can get it here for $8.82 for 3 feet. 26" of this weighs 1.5 lbs.

 

[Matt_E]

I've bent two regular straight bars before switching to solid stock.
I'm kind of hard on stuff.

 

[CD155MX]

Anybody have any input about my straight bars with a riser vs jsut normal straight bars?

 

[Cannibal]

Anybody have any input about my straight bars with a riser vs jsut normal straight bars?

There's been a few in-depth threads on riser bars.

http://www.x-h2o.com/threads/61983-The-riser-bar-thread

http://x-h2o.com/threads/53197-low-rise-handlebars

 

[WAB]

I have ridden other people's skis with the riser bars and hate them. To me, they are harder on your lower back when reboarding from the rear.

 

[Idok]

I have ridden other people's skis with the riser bars and hate them. To me, they are harder on your lower back when reboarding from the rear.

they are definatly a little trickier to figure out boarding (espeically the first time towing with them).. but now I find my lower back hurts MUCH less since switching to the riser system...

 

[WAB]

Yours is the one that comes to mind about me hating them.

 

[WaveDemon]

Yours is the one that comes to mind about me hating them.

maybe you're projecting you're hatred of scott onto his ski? I like riser bars OK.

 

[WAB]

maybe you're projecting you're hatred of scott onto his ski? I like riser bars OK.

maybe I should try a different ski with riser bars that is owned by someone I don't hate so much.

 

[stanton]

my opinion on riser bars is they are a placebo. i cant tell a difference other than they are further away from the tray. when the distance from elbow to rail is longer than your arm makes getting up use more energy. ive ridden them plenty of times. want to feel the same effect put a taller pad on your hood.

 

[Idok]

Yours is the one that comes to mind about me hating them.

you just cant handle my big HP 2x4


IMO the risers add a bit of responsivness to the handling/steering.......plus it really does give the boat a modern look

 

[Matt_E]

IMO the risers add a bit of responsivness to the handling/steering

How?

 

[CD155MX]

Hahaha your guys banter had me cracking up!!

Anybody have any other sources for riser bars other than Bruin or Blowsion. I would prefer to have riser bars that dont require a special system like the RRP? Ideally I would like to have wide bars that have 0 deg sweep.

-Blowsions come with 25 in of width and 0 degree sweep. Seems pretty narrow.

-The bars the Bruins offers are 30 in wide with a 4 deg sweep. Love the width, but hate the sweep.

 

[chriselmore_1]

I believe you can use blaster bars?

 

[WaveDemon]

my opinion on riser bars is they are a placebo. i cant tell a difference other than they are further away from the tray. when the distance from elbow to rail is longer than your arm makes getting up use more energy. ive ridden them plenty of times. want to feel the same effect put a taller pad on your hood.

You're probably right for the most part. There is also the ability to rotate the bars to fine tune bar location with riser bars.