# On-One Midge bars = rad. [x-post 29" juggernaut forum]



## Guest (Mar 3, 2005)

I received my On-One Midge bars from the UK today and I once I took a look at them...I immediately rallied home from the PO and cleared my workbench with one massive sweeping motion to bolt them up. I was excited. Like an 8 year old full of Fun Dip. Or Mike-n-Ikes.

As a long term off-road drop bar user...these things are freakin' awesome. They are definitely the result of sound design stemming from two decades of real world rough stuff drop-bar experience thanks to Shiggy.

I rode WTB Dirt Drops for many, many happy years and thought they were really the ticket (they are still great), but the On-Ones take good flared drop design another step further with the following improvements:

1) Much less drop than any "cyclocross" bar and even less than WTBs. This is great for anyone trying to retrofit an existing MTB frame with a shorter head tube and for taller riders (such as myself) as well. Good drop set up is very dependent on getting the bars high enough for comfortable usage of the hooks at all times, amongst other factors. Less drop = less need for a custom freakish rise angle threadless stem to jack 'em up...at least for all but the tallest riders. Granted, you still need something of the high rise ilk...but the chances of getting an off-the-shelf stem to work are a good bit greater. Everyone's different and there's no hard-and-fast rule to what stem will work for each rider...but the Midge bar design is a huge step towards greater feasibility for all.

2) Much wider tops. Great for seated climbing ala Lemond. With the wider tops comes a less pronounced flare where the brake lever bolts up. WTBs were quite narrow up top and the brake lever position freaked a few folks out. The levers are still canted a bit on the Midge bars...but less so. Personally...none of this was a big deal to me on the WTBs.

3) I can't remember what the reach was on the WTBs...but the Midge has a nice short reach. Again, a godsend for anyone retrofitting an existing bike or for a smaller rider riding a 29er with an adequate front-center/effective TT to prevent toe overlap. The pitfall of too long a TT (along with the bar height issue) for drops is always prevalent if you're trying to bolt drops onto a bike that you were relatively dialed on with a flat/riser bar. The Midge, again, is a great leap towards making it workable for a greater number of riders.

So, I swap out my Bontrager CX bars...which I ran only because they were 1) cheap 2) a 25.4 clamp diameter and 3) not WTB Dirt Drops...three used pairs of which I happily sold for nearly $400 total. It is suprising what you can get used to when you have a $370+ turnaround as a reward for putting on new bars. The Bontragers are fine for traditional CX and road use...but for off-road, Midges and WTBs are far superior with their width, wrist clearance for climbing, and more natural hand position in the drops.

Lever position was always a challenge with the WTBs. If you ran them high for using the hoods...you need to have a nice case of "Arsenio Hall finger" to reach the lever. If you set them for ease of lever actuation in the drops...the hoods weren't really usable. The Midges are a bit better in this respect, again, due to the shorter drop dimension. If you really have them set up right...you really won't need to ride on the hood(s) at all. The tops are still usable for cruising and seated climbing. You can also still rest your hands in a "hoods-like" position provided you're fit well cockpit-wise and riding relatively light on your hands. I set my levers up for best usage in the drops. Few folks do that anymore outside the flared drop bar world (David Clinger is one of the few road pros who ride that way...not really using the hoods at all...but I digress). If your cockpit is set up well...all three traditional drop bar positions are usable and useful...but you'll spend the bulk of the time in the drops because it is so damn comfortable. Really.

I get the Midges snugged up and roost around on the road in rubber clogs and absolutely cannot believe how good they are. Again, I'm not some greenhorn when it comes to drops. The shorter drop dimension (#1) makes such a difference. I'm 6'2" with a 37" inseam running short (165mm) cranks, so even with a frame and stem designed specifically for running WTB Dirt Drops off-road...it was still a bit of a stretch to get the bars high enough without resorting to a 300+mm fork steerer. I didn't want to do that when I penciled my bike as I wanted to be able to throw on a Cross Check fork if I somehow folded up my custom Hunter fork in a crash. But, riding around on the Midges, I thought: "This is IT. This is right."

I'm generally not too wound up...but I hurriedly went in the house to excitedly call everyone I knew who'd care about it. Seriously. Shiggy [who was saved by his battery dying]. Rudi [who was saved by Aimee having dinner ready]. Banks [who, as usual, was underneath a car in the garage]. Nate [AWOL...no answer]. Screw it...

I immediately threw my bike shoes back on and proceded to attack every direction change necessary on a 2 hour road/muddy fireroad ride (the local singletrack is currently paved with baby poo), roostertailing mud and basically looking like a rider from the 20's on some serious barbituates. I was always comfortable on the WTBs, and pretty much so on the flareless Bontys...but the Midges just felt markedly better with the subtle changes that Shiggy and Brandt made. There's a big difference between sitting up and rolling tentatively through corners with some backpressure on the pedals (on a fixie, of course) and diving into corners over the bars like a fighter pilot.

Oh yeah. Another unusual thing about the Midges is how short the area behind the hooks is. WTBs are much longer here and I used to slide my hands back a bit on steep standing climbs. I felt no need to on the Midges though. I rode up a good mile+ long 12% climb just gently swinging the bike...no awkward hand position like on non-flared drops. Lots of wrist clearance with the flare and short reach of the bars. This is where flared drops really shine...climbing. Anyway, I have XXL hands and I used every bit of space in the drops. It isn't uncomfortable at all. I do recommend using a real rubber bar plug though (especially if you have big hands) such as those from Velox. Shiggy, of course, has already come up with his own hoopty setup for bar plugs...which I'll let him x-post and share.

So I get home, totally filthy, eat a pile of bananas, and proceed to go out and ride another couple of hours on the road with LEDs going. Crazy. I've been practically falling asleep standing up the last couple of days with all the work I've been doing.

So, thumbs up from me...needless to say. Riding off-road? Need drops? Buy these. I rank them as cool and wonderful a thing to come along as 135mm fixed gear hubs, the phoenix-like rise of standard reach brakes again, and the ENO eccentric hub.

Word.
mc


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## Singlespeedpunk (Jan 6, 2004)

*So I guess you like them then Matt?*

;-)

I have a pair at home but no bike to fit them to at the moment (come on Raoul!) but I cant wait to bolt them on and go for a really long all-day epic at the FoD in preparation for the Hell Of The North Cotswolds in April.

Later

SSP


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

I am mounting mine tomorrow. Then off to the VQ.


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## Drevil (Dec 31, 2003)

Thanks for the review, Matt. Hopefully I get mine today or tomorrow!  However, the levers won't get here until next week.


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## xrmattaz (Jan 12, 2004)

OK, I'm sold! Where/when can I get these over here, or do we still have to order from the UK?

Shiggy/Brant, sorry for spewing forth a coupla weeks ago, when I obviously knew NOTHING about the Midge. I thought the WTB's were the "end all", but apparently I was wrong....again! 

Bring 'em on!


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## Fab5Fixie (Oct 15, 2004)

*yup*

I am loving mine something fierce. It is almost like shiggy and Brant read my mind when designing these puppies.

My one minor quibble is the relatively short length behind the drops. I have big ape-ish hands and am looking for another cm or two of length. Was planning on stuffing some champagne corks in there, but if anyone has a better idea, I'm all ears. (And grins)


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## Singlespeedpunk (Jan 6, 2004)

Fab5Fixie said:


> I am loving mine something fierce. It is almost like shiggy and Brant read my mind when designing these puppies.
> 
> My one minor quibble is the relatively short length behind the drops. I have big ape-ish hands and am looking for another cm or two of length. Was planning on stuffing some champagne corks in there, but if anyone has a better idea, I'm all ears. (And grins)


I was planning on using some corks too (Matt, I can send you some if you want....I appear to have quite a collection!) Or some old bar-plug only bit from some scrap bar-end shifters....or bodge something ;-)

SSP


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## SpinWheelz (May 3, 2004)

Sweetness. Matt and Shiggy - care to share some pics?


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## ShivaSteve (Jan 15, 2004)

*Thanks Matt!*

Very nice to have your in depth review. They'll be going on my Il Pompino and it will be a hard fought contest between them and the Mary bars for a perch on the Ute, which is still just fantastic, little wheels and all ;-)


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## Cloxxki (Jan 11, 2004)

I wonder, could the Dimension MTB cork grips, which add some half inch to the MTB bar length, be convinced to work on the Midge? I really like the way the thicker edge supports the hand, I can even put the pinkies outside the grips and still be comfortable, wokring myself up that hard climb in a stupid gear. Jones starts his cork tape wrap overlapping the cork grips, looks killer, would be cool if someway somehow it could be made to work for you.


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## GlowBoy (Jan 3, 2004)

*Great review!*

Thanks for the very enthusiastic and explanatory review, Matt. Lots of greally great info in there, and I'm definitely interested in trying out the Midges on my new Vulture.

I'll say it again: I'm really impressed with what Brant is doing with his new handlebar designs, and I agree with his earlier statement that handlebar design is going to be one of the next frontiers of bicycle development.

I've been running the On-One Mungo bars on my KM for the last 2-3 weeks (so far I haven't taken them offroad yet) and they are by FAR the most comfortable and effective bars I've used for commuting. They should be equally good for adventure biking, and the changes Brant has made vs. the Nitto/Rivendell design are well thought-out. Can't wait to try the Midges and Marys, though i still haven't figured out how I'm going to pay for them (fortunately I was able to get the Mungos from WebCyclery for $45, dunno if that will be an option for the others).

- Dan


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## Guest (Mar 5, 2005)

*Mass shout out...*

Taking a break from e-mail...



Singlespeedpunk said:


> So I guess you like them then Matt? ;-) I have a pair at home but no bike to fit them to at the moment (come on Raoul!) but I cant wait to bolt them on and go for a really long all-day epic at the FoD in preparation for the Hell Of The North Cotswolds in April.


Yeah, I went a little wobbly there, huh? 70mi on a few bananas with some glee mixed in is the best HST moment this sXe guy will get...



xrmattaz said:


> OK, I'm sold! Where/when can I get these over here, or do we still have to order from the UK?
> Shiggy/Brant, sorry for spewing forth a coupla weeks ago, when I obviously knew NOTHING about the Midge. I thought the WTB's were the "end all", but apparently I was wrong....again!
> 
> Bring 'em on!


Ain't no thing Matty Matt. These things are the cat's meow for retrofitting a bike with a big boy saddle height. The shorter drop makes a mega difference. Wait 'til you get on a proper drop bar rig...you'll be like Rudi but all stretched out in Cinemascope! We need to get Fixgeardan rallying on 'em.



Fab5Fixie said:


> I am loving mine something fierce. It is almost like shiggy and Brant read my mind when designing these puppies.
> 
> My one minor quibble is the relatively short length behind the drops. I have big ape-ish hands and am looking for another cm or two of length. Was planning on stuffing some champagne corks in there, but if anyone has a better idea, I'm all ears. (And grins)


That took me aback initially too (fellow ape mitt owner...better off not wearing most stock gloves really) but it doesn't bug me at all. Now that I've logged 150+ miles already on these things, I dig it. Anything you add is just kind of psychosomatic anyway...nothing you can really reef on. I just threw Velox plugs in mine and went two wheel driftin'.



ShivaSteve said:


> Very nice to have your in depth review. They'll be going on my Il Pompino and it will be a hard fought contest between them and the Mary bars for a perch on the Ute, which is still just fantastic, little wheels and all ;-)


Yup yup. Marys for the 26s for sure...Midges for the 700c canal rocket for fit up. Mum's on the under-the-radar plans for Shiva Steve though...



Cloxxki said:


> I wonder, could the Dimension MTB cork grips, which add some half inch to the...yah yah yah...


That, or just ride the bag out of them and get used to 'em! Plan B = more bike time! 



GlowBoy said:


> Thanks for the very enthusiastic and explanatory review, Matt. Lots of greally great info in there, and I'm definitely interested in trying out the Midges on my new Vulture.


Thanks for the kind words Dan-o. With your height I'll bet you can set up the Midges quite swimmingly without getting too ghetto-tech stemwise. Depends on how Wade's is laying it down on paper though and your #1 bar choice for it.



GlowBoy said:


> I'll say it again: I'm really impressed with what Brant is doing with his new handlebar designs, and I agree with his earlier statement that handlebar design is going to be one of the next frontiers of bicycle development.


Indeed. We aren't really covering new ground, but we're getting back to some fundamentals that were discovered when cycling was a little more DIY, right-out-the-door bomber, and utilitarian. Props to Brant (and Jeff Jones too). A flared bar (be it a drop or a Mary/Jones) matches our natural, relaxed hand position so much better. Freeing up energy for elsewhere by addressing the fundamental issues of comfort and fit is the absolute #1 performance enhancing thing one can do for their cycling. Anyone who has studied a "soft" martial art knows all about getting rooted right. So much of the other bolt-on oneupsmanship stuff gee-gawed about is pretty impermanent...but if you have that epiphany of fitting on your bike like a Lego block and being loose - there ain't no stopping your flyin' arse, be it on a beat old PX-10 or a chi-chi blinglesled. Just like a Z-Boy, a stickman no more.

A few more notes on the Midge:

They are still rad. Even more so with some miles under my paws.

I've had a hard time working as I've looked for any excuse to go to town, takin' the long way, taking the steep way, roostin' in the mud, speed jumping off curbs like Bob Beamon at 150rpm, carving like Bertleman...or an 1890's hooligan, etc.

I forgot to mention before that they are a good bit lighter than the WTBs. Definitely more rubber bar plug installation friendly. A nice simple design. Just HANDLEBAR. No grooves, sleeves, knurling, blah blah. Bolt it up. Done. Handlebar.

Enough? OK.
mc


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## Jack Burns (Nov 18, 2005)

*Using barcons*

I spend most of my time on the hoods of my gum grips over my Cane Creek levers. The angle is incredibly comfy, and in the right spot.

Thought I'd chime in here. Been using Midge on my cross-bike-commuter-road-bike since 2003, and very occasionally take it mountain-biking (real trail riding), and I am very comfortable with it. Mine has the 25.4 clamp size. It's mounted to a Dean Torreys Ti on a Control Tech scandium stem.

The stem is 5 degrees, 100mm.

I have tried many stem sizes and angles in the initial years after I built the bike up, thinking that I needed something high and shorter, but in the end the traditional size was spot on for me, and I suffered with so many weird combinations, from 15 deg/60mm to 40deg/120mm. However, it's really not a mountain bike. It's a custom geometry bike. I use the bike as a road bike that I can take on any trail if I need to.

Anyway, I enjoyed reading this thread, so as a Midge user, I owe a comment.

I also have cross-top levers mounted, which are awesome for taking this bike through beautiful steep terrain, albeit at a careful speed due to thin rigid steel forks (with disc brake). I put some big tires on up front sometimes. I have a road wheel set for it too, and run 23's on it for road tours. Most of the time there are 32-36mm tires on it.

This is a great handlebar. The bike receives compliments too. They are not light bars though. However, they are sturdy.

Found a pic:



Oh yeah, the original reason to post, was to say that using barcon shifters makes the drop grip area longer which works for me, and the shortness of the drop makes it so that the barcons are forward enough so as to not get in the way. Without the barcons I imagine the grip area would feel a bit small.

I like this set-up a lot. If it came down to owning just one bike, this bike, or my cargo bike, would be the one.


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