Where's Mary?
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I received mine on Monday.
Out of the envelope impressions were:
1. This bar is not that heavy (there were some worries about it being a heavy bar). However, I do not ride superlight equipment.
2. This is narrower than I expected. The width threw me a bit. Even though the measurements were on the site, I expected it to feel wider.
3. For some reason I also expected a more extreme sweep of the bars. I was not dissapointed just a little surprised at what 40 degrees looked like when it was in my hands.
Once I got it mounted up, I took it for a quick road spin, the width concerns totally vanished. The bar felt very natural to me, and my arms felt like they were in a more neutral position. These are mounted on a solo-one (26 inch tires, don't hate me).
I have not taken pics of them mounted yet. I mounted them with rise and with the grips slightly tilted back. We will see where I settle.
I was waiting until I got some trail time on them to post a full review. If someone would invent a handlebar that could dry out the trails, I would be all over it.
GF
Out of the envelope impressions were:
1. This bar is not that heavy (there were some worries about it being a heavy bar). However, I do not ride superlight equipment.
2. This is narrower than I expected. The width threw me a bit. Even though the measurements were on the site, I expected it to feel wider.
3. For some reason I also expected a more extreme sweep of the bars. I was not dissapointed just a little surprised at what 40 degrees looked like when it was in my hands.
Once I got it mounted up, I took it for a quick road spin, the width concerns totally vanished. The bar felt very natural to me, and my arms felt like they were in a more neutral position. These are mounted on a solo-one (26 inch tires, don't hate me).
I have not taken pics of them mounted yet. I mounted them with rise and with the grips slightly tilted back. We will see where I settle.
I was waiting until I got some trail time on them to post a full review. If someone would invent a handlebar that could dry out the trails, I would be all over it.
GF
Joined
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590 Posts
Put mine on last night
Sorry no pics. Sorry to be a tease. I'm borrowing a camera and haven't learned how to download the pics yet.
Initial observations:
-feels much like the angle of my Jones bar
-I went to a slightly shorter stem which I also lowered (yes, it was for fashion)
-the effect is my cockpit length stayed the same.
-all my controls (ODI grips, grip shift front, X-9 trigger on right and Reba pop-loc) fit
-The biggest disappointment for me is the width of the bars. They are narrower than my Jones bar or my 26" Monkeylite. Like many of us, I have a wingspan like an albatross and am wide shouldered. So, I'm a bit more upright now even though the grip to seat length stayed pretty similar. I have a setback seatpost already with the seat slid back about as far as I can.
I will give it a try on my local trails and see how it feels. Going from riding a Jones bar for some time back to riser really demonstrated to me how comfy the Jones bar was.
Sorry no pics. Sorry to be a tease. I'm borrowing a camera and haven't learned how to download the pics yet.
Initial observations:
-feels much like the angle of my Jones bar
-I went to a slightly shorter stem which I also lowered (yes, it was for fashion)
-the effect is my cockpit length stayed the same.
-all my controls (ODI grips, grip shift front, X-9 trigger on right and Reba pop-loc) fit
-The biggest disappointment for me is the width of the bars. They are narrower than my Jones bar or my 26" Monkeylite. Like many of us, I have a wingspan like an albatross and am wide shouldered. So, I'm a bit more upright now even though the grip to seat length stayed pretty similar. I have a setback seatpost already with the seat slid back about as far as I can.
I will give it a try on my local trails and see how it feels. Going from riding a Jones bar for some time back to riser really demonstrated to me how comfy the Jones bar was.
Joined
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14,019 Posts
Aaah, another one!
Use Dimension Cork grips (like used on Jones bars) which have closed ends, to widen your bars by and inch (half each side), and add an important handposition. Pinky and ringfinger over the edge of the grip, it rides well on hard climbs, gets you up them. 28g a pair, and mighty comfy!
I think I read the Mary's turned out more like 37,5º to perfectly match required stem length with old fashined broomsticks.
The 26" wheels gotta go, though ;-) j/k
Use Dimension Cork grips (like used on Jones bars) which have closed ends, to widen your bars by and inch (half each side), and add an important handposition. Pinky and ringfinger over the edge of the grip, it rides well on hard climbs, gets you up them. 28g a pair, and mighty comfy!
I think I read the Mary's turned out more like 37,5º to perfectly match required stem length with old fashined broomsticks.
The 26" wheels gotta go, though ;-) j/k
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3,284 Posts
Sorry, not much riding to report yet. I was on call last w/e for work and only managed a 1 hr ride on Saturday, mostly gravel with about 1/2 mile of mostly downhill singletrack. Not really long enough to tell, but Mary seemed good so far, both climbing and descending.
I'm off to Denmark (!) for the next 10 days (bringing my helmet so I can rent a bike and get some flatland miles in while I'm there), so I won't be able to really put Mary through her paces for a couple more weeks.
I'm off to Denmark (!) for the next 10 days (bringing my helmet so I can rent a bike and get some flatland miles in while I'm there), so I won't be able to really put Mary through her paces for a couple more weeks.
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590 Posts
First ride report
Got to ride the Mary bar for the first time today on a local and well known trail. The trail is rooty, rocky place that has steep, but short hills.
Bike: Lenz Leviathan XL,
Previous stem/bar: Thomson 120x5/Easton 26" Monkeylite
New stem: Hope blue stem 110x15 (lowered to the headset with all the spacers on top vs. most spacers below stem previously).
-----------Observations-----------------------------
Compared to Easton/Thomson:
-bar feels much more comfy, less forearm/shoulder strain (verified by jealous buddies)
-bar does feel more narrow, but not as bad as I initially thought on first trial fit
-I wish my new bling-bling stem was the same length/rise as the old
-My ODI grips, left twist-shift shifter, right X-0 shifter, Avid Juicy levers and Rockshox Poploc all fit with no issues
-Overall, I like it
Compared to my Jones:
-Jones is definitely wider and you can tell
-Jones is definitely more angled back while the Mary is more horizontal
-On climbs that require standing (which I obviously do less of compared to the SS the Jones is installed on), I prefer the Jones. The ability to move my hands forward to stand and climb is invaluable. I felt a bit restricted with the Mary. I'm sure I will get used to it, but it is noticeable.
Got to ride the Mary bar for the first time today on a local and well known trail. The trail is rooty, rocky place that has steep, but short hills.
Bike: Lenz Leviathan XL,
Previous stem/bar: Thomson 120x5/Easton 26" Monkeylite
New stem: Hope blue stem 110x15 (lowered to the headset with all the spacers on top vs. most spacers below stem previously).
-----------Observations-----------------------------
Compared to Easton/Thomson:
-bar feels much more comfy, less forearm/shoulder strain (verified by jealous buddies)
-bar does feel more narrow, but not as bad as I initially thought on first trial fit
-I wish my new bling-bling stem was the same length/rise as the old
-My ODI grips, left twist-shift shifter, right X-0 shifter, Avid Juicy levers and Rockshox Poploc all fit with no issues
-Overall, I like it
Compared to my Jones:
-Jones is definitely wider and you can tell
-Jones is definitely more angled back while the Mary is more horizontal
-On climbs that require standing (which I obviously do less of compared to the SS the Jones is installed on), I prefer the Jones. The ability to move my hands forward to stand and climb is invaluable. I felt a bit restricted with the Mary. I'm sure I will get used to it, but it is noticeable.
I demand pictures...Pleasechuckc1971 said:
Sounds nice, after my recent foray into the Jones Bars, I have wondered how the Marys would compare. I think one very important position that the Marys are missing (at least vs. the curved end Jones) is the "rest your wrists on the cross bar and grab the forward curved portion" of the Jones in a tucked aero style. I did not even think of this position and just kind of fell into it on the straight aways.
I would be interested in hearing your opinions and evaluations after a few more miles, and after moving between the bikes set up with the different bars.
LP
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14,019 Posts
I think the Mary and the Jones are hardly in the same catagory.
The Jones is really a "handlebar concept" with lots of different hand positions, it's own FAA registration, etc. Requires a longer stem (some bikes are already on a long stem, though luck), expensive shifters if you want to shift, etc. The Mary 1:1 replaces a generic riser bar, and aims at making your one hand position aaaaah, so much better. The Mary may also be the first MTB-specific riser bar that doesn't look dorky flipped upside down. Especially smaller 29" riders are going to appreciate that.
I'll repeat till I'm put the knife to the throat to stop : Dimension Cork grips ($7, 28g) will add about an inch to your handlebar width, and for really steep climbs even add a new hand position : ring and pinky over the edge of the grip, which is way wider than with your hands inside the end of normal grips. If I grab the Jones this wide, and sometimes when I found a SS-unfriendly hill, at least leverage won't be the limiting factor at cleaning it anyway.
The Jones is really a "handlebar concept" with lots of different hand positions, it's own FAA registration, etc. Requires a longer stem (some bikes are already on a long stem, though luck), expensive shifters if you want to shift, etc. The Mary 1:1 replaces a generic riser bar, and aims at making your one hand position aaaaah, so much better. The Mary may also be the first MTB-specific riser bar that doesn't look dorky flipped upside down. Especially smaller 29" riders are going to appreciate that.
I'll repeat till I'm put the knife to the throat to stop : Dimension Cork grips ($7, 28g) will add about an inch to your handlebar width, and for really steep climbs even add a new hand position : ring and pinky over the edge of the grip, which is way wider than with your hands inside the end of normal grips. If I grab the Jones this wide, and sometimes when I found a SS-unfriendly hill, at least leverage won't be the limiting factor at cleaning it anyway.
Any bike shop with a QBP account can get them...bikecop said:
just an example:
http://aebike.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=30&SKU=HT1307
They are nice
LP
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8,254 Posts
I like 'em like that
I think rotating the riser "slightly" forward from vertical ( to the ground, that is) tends to slightly exaggerate the sweep portion of the riser. Sort of tilts it in a way that the sweep falls in line with your arms, if you look at it from the side. I think I do this in an attempt to compensate for not having a handle bar like the Mary, or the Jones H-Bar. Well, there really wasn't any options going back a few years, now was there! Now there is no excuse, for me at least, and I will be obtaining the more reasonably priced Mary bar. I think it's the end for riser bars on any of my bikes. These new "funky" bars combined with Ergon grips are going to solve a lot of problems I've had with hand and upper body comfort for a long time. Props to you, Brant and all at On One for making the effort!
I think rotating the riser "slightly" forward from vertical ( to the ground, that is) tends to slightly exaggerate the sweep portion of the riser. Sort of tilts it in a way that the sweep falls in line with your arms, if you look at it from the side. I think I do this in an attempt to compensate for not having a handle bar like the Mary, or the Jones H-Bar. Well, there really wasn't any options going back a few years, now was there! Now there is no excuse, for me at least, and I will be obtaining the more reasonably priced Mary bar. I think it's the end for riser bars on any of my bikes. These new "funky" bars combined with Ergon grips are going to solve a lot of problems I've had with hand and upper body comfort for a long time. Props to you, Brant and all at On One for making the effort!
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533 Posts
not at all, it's just the angle of the camera. They are tilted slightly forward, that is how I like it.[email protected] said:
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