# On-One Mary long term review



## Professor (Jan 30, 2004)

I've been using the Mary bar for around 6 months on my favorite bike.

I have to say that it has been a long time since a bike product has given me this much satisfaction. At first I was skeptical but now that I have put them through the paces over and over again, I could not be happier. I commute on them daily and hit the trails a few times a week. The biggest strenght, I feel, is the ability to change hand positions from forward and aggressive to just cruisin along wide and tall. Also, numbness in the hands, gone.

So thank you On-One for a good bar and thank you Mr. Jeff Jones for opening our eyes to smart design.

Word


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## craig (Feb 9, 2004)

What angle are you running them at? Mine are pointed slightly downward and I am getting nimbness after an hour or so. I may actually try running them flatter (parallel to the ground) to see if it helps.


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## Professor (Jan 30, 2004)

Mine are rotated slightly forward


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## xrmattaz (Jan 12, 2004)

*Four*

Four Mary's on four bikes in my garage.....guessin' I like em just fine....non mas fina.


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## Greenfix (Oct 26, 2004)

I got some of the first batch of Mary's to make it stateside, and I agree with the satisfied customers. 

My bars are parallel to the ground, more or less, and I have no numbness problems.


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## Joe Sausagehead (Feb 27, 2006)

I've tried lots of positions: flipped, rotated down, level, rotated up ... and now I run them slightly rotated down, just _barely_ under perfectly level. I found that the subtlest adjustments can have huge effects. Plus I tinkered with my headset spacers; the Mary bar was actually a little but above the saddle in my original set up. I removed two spacers, and now it's perfect. No numbness, great control. I'm thrilled.


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## KavuRider (Sep 22, 2004)

*I can't decide if I like them or not*

I'm running them on my Xtracycle. I've tried many different setups with them, adjusting height, rotation, changing stems. They aren't bad, but I can't say I love them. I'm seriously considering going to a more traditional bar. I don't know why, I just can't get comfortable.

The other downside is not being able to mount a small light for commuting. Maybe I'm using them for the wrong application. I really want to like you Mary!

Cheers

KavuRider


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## bikecop (May 20, 2004)

*similar story*



Joe Sausagehead said:


> I've tried lots of positions: flipped, rotated down, level, rotated up ... and now I run them slightly rotated down, just _barely_ under perfectly level. I found that the subtlest adjustments can have huge effects. Plus I tinkered with my headset spacers; the Mary bar was actually a little but above the saddle in my original set up. I removed two spacers, and now it's perfect. No numbness, great control. I'm thrilled.


I was switching back & forth between Mary and riser+barends. Mary won all catgories but climbing power. Then I noticed the Mary setup was higher, so I set them to same height(required flipping and spacer juggling) and now they RULE! Well I still need a little shorter stem, but then they will RULE!


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## pieter (Oct 6, 2004)

I like 'em very much. First I feared that I would not be able to ride the bike as aggressively as with a flat bar, but that is not true. It takes 15 minutes to get used to the Mary, and then you just ride fine. Great bar!


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## mainemud (Oct 19, 2004)

*Hail Mary...*

I went through conniptions trying to find a bar that worked well with my Carver 96er. Upside down MonkeyLites worked OK, then I tried the Mary's flipped upside down. What a revelation!!! Better control, less wrist pain and numbness. I use them tilted back about 10 degrees with Ruffian Lock-ons.

Anybody try the Fleegles????

Best,

Davis Carver


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## xrmattaz (Jan 12, 2004)

I use the Light and Motion VEGA light for commuting duties, or the dual bulb Cygolite (Explorer?).

Both of these have a swivel mount, and work a treat on Mary!



KavuRider said:


> I'm running them on my Xtracycle. I've tried many different setups with them, adjusting height, rotation, changing stems. They aren't bad, but I can't say I love them. I'm seriously considering going to a more traditional bar. I don't know why, I just can't get comfortable.
> 
> The other downside is not being able to mount a small light for commuting. Maybe I'm using them for the wrong application. I really want to like you Mary!
> 
> ...


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## bigchromewheelssuck (Aug 21, 2005)

*wheelies*

how do they work for riding wheelies????


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## SIGMA (Jan 30, 2004)

*I love both of mine*

the ones on my five spot and the ones on my single speed.Try them with some oury grips,the fat slide on ones, and the thinnest padded gloves you can find.


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## TwistedCrank (Aug 6, 2004)

Marys have been on my 1x1 since November. Done lots of winter miles. Luv the mashing up, luv going vert, luv rolling twisting singletrack...

... but I'm not so sure about flying down fire roads at warp speed on them. I'm still getting used to the feeling of steering instead of turning. High-speed finessing is not my forte.

Therefore in my mind the verdict is still out.


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## miSSionary (Jun 29, 2005)

*Mary is my new gal!!*

So after reading all the reviews here (as my hands rest from the numbness of my last ride) I decide to pick up the bars from Redstone Cyclery in Lyons Colorado (shameless plug for a great shop) and give them a go. I only have two rides on them but can't imagine I'd go back. Hand numbness is gone and stearing the bike rather than just turning it is a nice feeling. I was worried about catching air (the small amounts I can) but the bars seem to handle very well on short flights as well as twisting single track. Mary is my gal!!


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## Greenfix (Oct 26, 2004)

bigchromewheelssuck said:


> how do they work for riding wheelies????


Sweet. And you can take them off some sweet jumps too.

Seriously though, one of the advantages of Mary for me is that it is very easy to loft the front of the bike. I am not sure what kind of wheelies you will be riding, but for trail riding, where controlled manuals or wheelies open up the possibilities of different lines, I have found them to be superbe.

I also think they are great on fast descents. I know someone posted they were not too sure about them, but I found they have a lot of control. I also think it is easier to get off the back of the bike. and transitions in general are pretty slick with the Mary bar.

There have also been criticisms of the the bar in tight single track, where you need to crank the bars around. Some people feel that their wrists are put at odd angles. I have not noticed any problems. It could be the angle of the bars relative to the ground or how some people grip bars versus others. I tend to move around a lot on my bike, and I have never felt like Mary gets in the way.

The one criticism I have for the bar is that on some particularly technical, rocky, and fast descents my hands felt like they wanted to creep forward on teh grips. It happened a couple of times last summer, but it was never enough to cause a problem for me.

On final point of concern is that if you are interested in teh lightest bar, you will not find it in the Mary. They are not super heavy, but they are not a wieght weenie item either.

All in all, they work for me.

SSnoob


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## mcd (Jan 12, 2004)

*don't slam me please...*

but i just spent a week riding everyday on vacation, and half way throught the week switched to a pair of mary's...then made a 4 hour ride out of a 2 hour one by stopping and trying to adjust the bars so they wouldn't hurt my hands. they didn't feel right going up, they felt worse going down. I then took out rulers and levels and fixed em so the center of the grip was exactly like my previous bars in hight,reach, and level...gave em 3 more rides...still a no go, just feels like too much sweep for me, i'm back and will give them 2 rides on my local trails before i go back...i guess i've just got funky arms/wrists...


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## AndrewTO (Mar 30, 2005)

mcd said:


> but i just spent a week riding everyday on vacation, and half way throught the week switched to a pair of mary's...then made a 4 hour ride out of a 2 hour one by stopping and trying to adjust the bars so they wouldn't hurt my hands. they didn't feel right going up, they felt worse going down. I then took out rulers and levels and fixed em so the center of the grip was exactly like my previous bars in hight,reach, and level...gave em 3 more rides...still a no go, just feels like too much sweep for me, i'm back and will give them 2 rides on my local trails before i go back...i guess i've just got funky arms/wrists...


No bashing here. I'm in the same vote, actually. LOVED them on my ProFlex. Didn't like them on my NRS. (shrug) I've made some changes to the NRS, though, so i'm going to give her another try. 

I love the idea and the hand position - I think, if anything, i'm finding that bike size has a lot to do with it.


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