# Jones loop (or other alt bar) to "fix" a long top tube.



## Poodie (Sep 4, 2012)

I recently bought a second hand specialized Awol so for my girlfriend so that she can join me in some touring/bikepacking rides. The bike comes with dropper bars and a VERY long top tube for it's size (med). All in all I'm not sure how comfortable/confident she is on the bike and she's definitely reaching quite far forward. So I'm wondering if a Jones Loop (or any other alt bar) would help bring the bars closer to her and put her in a more comfortable position. I really can't shorten the stem of the Awol because the stock one is really short as it is, so this seems like swept back alt bars are my best option for fixing this problem. 

Has anyone else tried this? It's an experiment from my side, but would be an expensive mistake if it doesn't work. 

There are some other benefits to alt bars as well, like the fact that it will be easy to add more "touring friendly" mtb gears to the bike.


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## JamesInTahoe (Jun 25, 2019)

I doubt it would help. I don't have Jones bars, but have other sweep bars. Most do not move the hands back relative to a traditional MTB bar that already had a little sweep. The bars with more sweep all bend forward, then sweep back, so the hands are in roughly the same spot as a regular bar. Here's a quick photo.









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## Poodie (Sep 4, 2012)

That is a concern of mine, but comparing a typical gravel bar, an mtb bar and a jones loop bar on whatbars.com, the jones loop does still bring the hand position back to the body the most...









I think a test is the only option.


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

Poodie said:


> I recently bought a second hand specialized Awol so for my girlfriend so that she can join me in some touring/bikepacking rides. The bike comes with dropper bars and a VERY long top tube for it's size (med). All in all I'm not sure how comfortable/confident she is on the bike and she's definitely reaching quite far forward. So I'm wondering if a Jones Loop (or any other alt bar) would help bring the bars closer to her and put her in a more comfortable position. I really can't shorten the stem of the Awol because the stock one is really short as it is, so this seems like swept back alt bars are my best option for fixing this problem.
> 
> Has anyone else tried this? It's an experiment from my side, but would be an expensive mistake if it doesn't work.
> 
> There are some other benefits to alt bars as well, like the fact that it will be easy to add more "touring friendly" mtb gears to the bike.


I have Jones bars on my jones bike and the one thing I have noticed is that my hands are at the equivalent of a very short stem even with my 100mm stem on the bike. It probably accounts for a lot of the Jones ability. If I went shorter on the stem my hands would be almost aligned with the steer tube. I commuted on my bike for awhile with gravel tires and nothing else changed and what I liked more than my gravel dropper bike was the ability to have my hands in a comfortable position with access to brakes immediate. On my drop equipped gravel bike I am either on the hoods or in the drops but both seem like a compromise for braking. One, the upper is good for brakes but you have less grab the lower is tougher to reach the brakes and you have so much more leverage on the brakes so you have to be careful between positions.

The negative is the loop is not hoods, and the grips are not drops. Aero is not as clean. The center though is a pretty choice location for getting aero but being near the controls.

Back to the original question though the Jones are designed to get your hands back. Most other bars with sweep are swept forward first to not move your hands back. I used On-one mary and fleegle bars before the Jones and they both were designed to have the grip area intersect where your hands would be on a flat bar. Jones definitely not.

Also is there not room for a shorter stem? Or is that as minimal as it can get?


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

Contact Drew @ Regular cycles. He makes custom swept carbon bars without the forward sweep, so you can get meaningful shortening of the reach.


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## Poodie (Sep 4, 2012)

rockcrusher said:


> I have Jones bars on my jones bike and the one thing I have noticed is that my hands are at the equivalent of a very short stem even with my 100mm stem on the bike. It probably accounts for a lot of the Jones ability. If I went shorter on the stem my hands would be almost aligned with the steer tube. I commuted on my bike for awhile with gravel tires and nothing else changed and what I liked more than my gravel dropper bike was the ability to have my hands in a comfortable position with access to brakes immediate. On my drop equipped gravel bike I am either on the hoods or in the drops but both seem like a compromise for braking. One, the upper is good for brakes but you have less grab the lower is tougher to reach the brakes and you have so much more leverage on the brakes so you have to be careful between positions.
> 
> The negative is the loop is not hoods, and the grips are not drops. Aero is not as clean. The center though is a pretty choice location for getting aero but being near the controls.
> 
> ...


Thanks, that's useful. Them stem is 60mm, I wouldn't want it make it shorter. The design idea behind the awol was a very long top tube offset by a short stem. I really think the Jones bar is the way to go though, based on various input (your included). She'd never ridden a bike with droppers and while she's gotten used to it, still looks a bit nervous. But she's ridden loads of MTB and so would be confident with a flat bar/alt bar. Combine that with the fact that it would make adding mtb gears (awol doesn't actually have great climbing gears for a touring bike) a piece of cake... well it just seems like a good option.


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## HerrKaLeu (Aug 18, 2017)

Jones bar may help, but if you have the wrong size or geometry bike to begin with, it is just a patch. 

The Jones bar works not because of the one hand position, it works because it has many. Kind of like the reason tourers like drop bars, because it has multiple positions. If you bike is too long, you won't be able to use the Aero position, of example. 

I love my Jones bar on my hybrid. I took it off my fatbike since on single tracks it interfered too much on tight twists and on single track i only ended up using the one hand position by brakes/shifter anyway (and I wanted to try a carbon bar, and the CF Jones is very expensive compared to a flat bar).

Also note that Jones recommends using the high-rise version on "normal" bikes. the Jones bike itself has a higher top tube. 

Good luck! fit adjustment is a continuous process.


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## Poodie (Sep 4, 2012)

HerrKaLeu said:


> Jones bar may help, but if you have the wrong size or geometry bike to begin with, it is just a patch.
> 
> The Jones bar works not because of the one hand position, it works because it has many. Kind of like the reason tourers like drop bars, because it has multiple positions. If you bike is too long, you won't be able to use the Aero position, of example.
> 
> ...


Hmm, valid. But... this is how I see it... her current default position is on the hoods, to be in touch with the brakes. In that position she's OK for a couple of hours, but not all day riding. With the Jones bar her default will be again where the brakes are, which is closer to her body and more upright/relaxed. She'd still reach the aero position on the jones, as its approximately the same length forward as the hoods of the dropper bar. So she can use it, it's just not a good "all day" riding position. So I wouldn't say it's the wrong size bike for her, she's on the cusp between small and medium and we bought a medium.

I'm saying all of this without having tested it though. Ideally I need to borrow a jones bar for testing... or maybe just buy one and use it for myself if it doesn't work out for her.


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## HerrKaLeu (Aug 18, 2017)

Poodie said:


> Hmm, valid. But... this is how I see it... her current default position is on the hoods, to be in touch with the brakes. In that position she's OK for a couple of hours, but not all day riding. With the Jones bar her default will be again where the brakes are, which is closer to her body and more upright/relaxed. She'd still reach the aero position on the jones, as its approximately the same length forward as the hoods of the dropper bar. So she can use it, it's just not a good "all day" riding position. So I wouldn't say it's the wrong size bike for her, she's on the cusp between small and medium and we bought a medium.
> 
> I'm saying all of this without having tested it though. *Ideally I need to borrow a jones bar for testing..*. or maybe just buy one and use it for myself if it doesn't work out for her.


Testing ultimately is the only way to find out. For hybrid duty/commuting/touring the jones bar is really great. I'll keep the one I had on my fatbike for the off-chance I change my mind, or if I built another bike (my long-term plan is to build up a Jones some day)

I would consider the higher stack version if she wants more upright ride. I only have the normal one and sometimes wish to have it higher for more long term comfort.

And get the 710mm version. It has markings to cut to the narrower version. The narrow version doesn't have an option to cut wider. I have the EVA grips. Looks like they don't have the cheaper ones anymore. I like them a lot.


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## rifraf (Dec 22, 2012)

Poodie said:


> Thanks, that's useful. Them stem is 60mm, I wouldn't want it make it shorter. The design idea behind the awol was a very long top tube offset by a short stem. I really think the Jones bar is the way to go though, based on various input (your included). She'd never ridden a bike with droppers and while she's gotten used to it, still looks a bit nervous. But she's ridden loads of MTB and so would be confident with a flat bar/alt bar. Combine that with the fact that it would make adding mtb gears (awol doesn't actually have great climbing gears for a touring bike) a piece of cake... well it just seems like a good option.


Not sure I understand your reluctance to swap out the stem?
I get the Jones bar idea as I used a similar logic to get lessen the stretch on my Ogre given my age and inability to bend like I used to when younger.
Back when I built mine, I believe the Thomson 50mm was the shortest available Ahead stem, which I grabbed.
I've recently seen stems where the bars sit directly over the fork tube (as in 0.0mm reach).
My suggestion, irrespective of the stem is to get one upward angled, making sure the bars end up either equal to (worst) or higher than (best) the saddle which for me (maybe her) makes for longer rides in the saddle possible.
Likely better to start out with the right bike (being the one she likes and fits) in the first place, but mods can help and the Jones swap is a good place to start IMHO.
Good luck with the decision process


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I put a Soma Dream Bar on my bikepacking rig. It is very comfortable and shortens the reach to the bars a bit. I really like it for everything up to intermediate singletrack. I find once things get steep, techy and rough I prefer less backsweep.

Soma Product Page: Dream Riser Handlebar | SOMA Fabrications
NSMB Article: NSMB.com - Soma Dream Handlebar Collaboration


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## TooTallUK (Jul 5, 2005)

Is the seat reasonably far forward?
Also, look at the shorter reach bars out there as well as the 'riser drop' bars. They would serve to raise the bars and might reduce the reach in the process.


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## copylatte (Sep 24, 2011)

Poodie said:


> Thanks, that's useful. Them stem is 60mm, I wouldn't want it make it shorter. The design idea behind the awol was a very long top tube offset by a short stem. I really think the Jones bar is the way to go though, based on various input (your included). She'd never ridden a bike with droppers and while she's gotten used to it, still looks a bit nervous. But she's ridden loads of MTB and so would be confident with a flat bar/alt bar. Combine that with the fact that it would make adding mtb gears (awol doesn't actually have great climbing gears for a touring bike) a piece of cake... well it just seems like a good option.


Why not try a shorter stem first? A 30-40 mm stem would reposition the hands quite a bit....a lot of mtb riders use the shorter stem.

you might also narrow the bars a bit. Anyhow just a lot of options that I'd try (even a cheaper bar --- like ritchey kyote cut down) before spending on a Jones bar for trying... ..I'd want to ensure a good fit and comfortability us possible..then get a Jones bar if it is......

Maybe mimic the other bike that fits well...


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## Grinchy8 (Jul 6, 2021)

So many options sweep rise and shape. Only downside is the wait for international shipping . . . Products - Ergotec


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## swissarmychainsaw (Aug 4, 2010)

I run Jones Loop Bars and at the VERY widest part they allow for a rearward hand position, but you don't keep that position all the time.
The real answer is: Sell that bike and get one that fits.

Otherwise - shorter stem, and move the seat forward. Maybe change the seat so it can go farther (like my Brooks can). Best of luck on this really old thread...!


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## Super E (Nov 5, 2004)

IMO a Jones bar is totally worth the try...and you are right in your thinking for her. I have used Jones bars on various bikes over the years and have found it to be optimal for many applications just like you are thinking of here. If you don't want to spend the money on the full loop then get the bar without the loop (the H-Bar Bend for $75 from Jones Bikes). I use it and run a slightly long stem but still get a bit more setback. It fits me well. And get the wider version (can cut it down if needed) skip all the jabber about rise and bike replacement here - for $75 it's worth the try. I think you'll be amazed at how awesome these bars can be.


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## Poodie (Sep 4, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the input. This is still simmering in the background - as old as this thread is, a multi-month trip has not been possible yet (that's what I needed the bars for) but will keep people posted. Despite being on the southern tip of africa, there is a guy here who imports the bars and will even loan me a test one. Also got a zero offset saddle. Looking a lot better.


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