I wanted to get thoughts on a peotential build and ideas of what people have done previously for making a handlebar for the uni.
My idea is nothing new, it’s putting a bike stem on the seatpost and connecting it to some handlebars or Aero bars.
I can get pretty fast on my 29" and can lean forward with the bumpers but when Unipacking I have an issue with the weight of my pack stopping my forward lean.
I’ve used a handlebar in the past from Flansberium but but ended up learning to ride without it.
I was looking to do something light weight if possible and to keep the build under $100CAD. I also help out at a bike co-op so cheap handlebars are readily available for me and I can source a stem online for pretty cheap.
Also the mental image of some drop bars or bull horn bars on the uni is really appealing for some reason lol.
Another option would be a 150mm stem (same size as the Qu-Ax bar, cut down a set of bars to attach a set or Aero bars too the handle to give me my leverage.
If I can use something compact like this, bonus points for that.
So questions for the community:
What builds did you guys use in this style that didn’t add much weight to the uni?
Any specific do’s and don’ts?
What length of stem did people use? I’m going to measure my 29 to see the approximate length I’d like, but preferably I’d like it to not interfere with the bumper for slower riding where more control is needed.
I think the problem with this idea is that the stem will be too short. What I would consider doing is getting the longest stem possible and then cutting it in half and brazing in an extension. Ideally you’ll have a snug fitting piece of aluminum that can be brazed in. If you’ve got access to a lathe then that’s a piece of cake. If not then you might just have to hope to find a piece that just happens to fit or will fit with minimal material removal. If you don’t have a lathe, then you can just carefully remove material with a file or sander, since it’s not a rotating mass it won’t matter if it’s not perfectly round when you’re done, so long as you’ve got a snug fit.
Brazing can be done with aluminum brazing rods and a blow torch with a MAP gas cylinder.
After doing some more searching I think the 150mm stem (same length as the Qu-Ax one), and getting some clip on Aero bars with the pads uninstalled and a section of 2" of handlebar to keep it stable or maybe a handlebar extender might be a better option.
If anything though I live near a great welder and can ask him to do the welding and such.