# Caveat when shortening handlebars for kids bike



## Cinq (Jan 2, 2003)

Hello all,

This might sound stupid but maybe it can help someone before he makes a mistake shortening a handlebar.

This evening, I swapped out the steel handlebar on my son's Hot Rock 20 for a Titec Hellbent I had laying around. Obviously, it was too large at 67 cm. I decided to mount it before shortening to see if it wasn't too large with the brake grips mounted as close to the bend as possible.

Everything seemed fine so I started measuring and got the impression there was something off by almost 3 cm but I couldn't figure out what it was (good reason never to do such a job when you have little time). It was only after I cut off 4 cm from each side that I noticed what caused this: the bike only has rear shifters and the total length of the short grip with the gripshift was 3 cm more than just a long grip!

The result is that the brake handle on the shifter-side is now mounted partly on the first bend in the handlebar instead of on the straight part.

Fortunately, it still works and the overall width is just 2 cm more than the original handlebar. If I would have figured out earlier, I would have cut off only 2.5 cm from each side.

The weight difference between the steel bar and the Titec is noticeable but not as large as I had expected. The Titec does look a lot cooler though, with the matte black finishing and the logo's. It's also a bit lower and from the ten minutes my son tried the bike with the new handlebars, I got the impression he is very happy with it.

Kind regards,

Clemens


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

That's good advice. Luckily, when I did exactly the same thing to my son's bike, I was aware of the right side only shifter. I've been making hot rod stuff for a long time and like the long time saying goes: Measure twice, cut once.


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## Cinq (Jan 2, 2003)

NYrr496 said:


> ...and like the long time saying goes: Measure twice, cut once.


Now THAT's a great saying I didn't know yet. Thanks, I'm going to remember this one!

Here are a few pictures of the end result:




























Kind regards,

Clemens


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## khaotom (Mar 14, 2011)

Is it possible to find a decent handlebar without cutting? How do you make it so that my 5 yo wouldn't have to reach over (given the that the Top Tube length is fixed)? As an aside, he said he prefer grip shift but he has never tried index shifting, which is more suitable for a young child.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

I installed a shorter stem and then rotated the handlebars back until my son was comfortable. I only narrowed them a little so they fit him. 
BTW, my son now has index shifting and loves it. He's 6 1/2.


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