Just finished my first 12-mile commute with the t-bar installed on the KH29, and while I expected to feel a difference, I didn’t expect it to raise my average cadence by what felt like at least 30% and to arrive at my office a full 20 minutes earlier than usual (gasp!).
My left hand instantly gravitated to the handle and never let go. And while I can only ride with both hands on the bar for maybe a minute or so before the right arm flies out for a balance check, I don’t care because even with just the left hand on the bar, I seem to get most of the benefit from the huge leverage gain afforded by the new body position and weight distribution. I’m moving much faster now, spending less time thinking about balance, and getting a much better aerobic workout. Another unexpected benefit: on my route, there are a couple of banked turns that used to annoy because they required me to twist the upper body and place the left arm behind me in order to keep my speed up. Now, a gentle upward tug on the t-bar is all that’s required settle me into the turn–same with hills: slight upward pulling pressure on the left handle and I sail up and over…it’s great!
Here’s something really sad: I bought this bar along with the 29er about four months ago–the damned thing’s been sitting in my closet until today. Attenion all roadie n00bs: if you only want to tour and commute (like me), run, don’t walk to the nearest internet terminal and order up a t-bar!
Is it 12 miles each way? Do you find yourself wanting a 36, or is the 29 just fine? You don’t find yourself spinning too much?
Yup…24 round trip, but I only do it twice a week, and some other road riding on the weekend as well. And yes, I do find myself wanting a bigger wheel, that’s why I ordered a KH36 last week. It’s supposed to get here in a few days…YAY! 
Hopefully by summer I’ll be halfway decent on it.
I think the 36 should give me all the speed I need. I don’t look forward to high-speed UPDs…
I probably missed it in earlier threads, and don’t mean to be hijacking the thread, but am also interested in a 36. Why did you go with the KH over the Oracle? Did you get brakes? What do you plan to do with your 29 if you don’t ride muni?
I plan to use the 36 for touring and commuting only, and I chose this uni over the Nimbus for exactly the same reason that when I was shopping for my last motorcycle, I chose a BMW over a Honda: the build quality of the KH is clearly superior. This is not to say that the Honda and the Nimbus aren’t perfectly serviceable, perfectly comfortable and reliable machines–they are; I’ve owned both. But take a moment and inspect the details on the KH…the hubs, the cranks, the wheel rims, and especially the exquisite welds. This thing is over-built in a way that is not only pleasing to the eye, but also in a way that translates into an ineffible sense of luxury. I’m not sure exactly how to describe it, but I had the same sort of experience of important difference when I was riding my BMW and my Honda–yes, the Honda was fast, yes, it was comfortable and reliable, but the BMW was all of that and more…it was luxurious. The difference, though difficult to describe, is not trivial, and it’s a difference I’m willing to pay extra for.
Experienced muni riders can probably give you more quantifiable reasons for choosing a KH, but for me, it comes down to comfort, craftsmanship and aesthetics.
I have a BMW F800S and the build quality is appalling.
Nothing sad about that. It is better to first learn, and after a while when you are good enough to really feel the difference then upgrade. I rode my 36’er for almost a year before i got a Foss lightweight tube, which made me appreciate the improvement much more.
Edit: Maybe I should upgrade from Suzuki to BMW? 
hmmm…I’d heard the newer ones were slipping a bit. My older K100 RS was vastly superior to any of my Kawasakis, Hondas, or (urghh!) Yamahas…
Can you post picture with T-Bar position?
I was trying to ride with T-Bars and UPD so cool so right crank and some spokes are bent very seriously.
Found that during holding T-Bar with one hand my uni goes to that side… may be I did something wrong…
Now I am going to ride without T-Bar and after while put it back again…
I installed it pretty much like in the picture on this page, maybe about 3" shorter than the pic:
http://www.krisholm.com/khu/t-bar
Sorry to hear about your experience with the bar. I would definitely give it another chance at some point. It really helped me, even on the first day! I just now got back from a 6-mile night ride and it was GREAT! I can only get in the tuck and use both hands for maybe a minute or two, but the feeling is amazing–so efficient and faster. My uni feels like a completely different machine.
–good luck!
Thanks a lot! If you will have a chance please ask some one make a picture of you riding and holding bars. I need to see what it looks like… may be I am doing something completly wrong…
Really?
I wonder how anyone cold know that, esp since both the Nimbus and KH are built in the same factory in Taiwan 
One might say that the KH aluminum frame was better compared to a steel Nimbus frame, but now that the Nimbus frame is made of the same material and built in the same factory, well, you get my point.
Also, they use the same rim, tire/tube, some differences inseat and seat post, and of course the Nimbus has the disc hub, so you get a better braking system and a wider pedal platform, all for less…
Other than aesthetics (the Oracle 36 rim is quite striking), the quality is comparable between the two unis; however, the Nimbus is a better value and a higher tech piece of equipment.
As I said before I love KH unis. I have (basically) two. But I am glad I got Nurse Ben’s KH 29er with the hub mounted rotors. I like having disc brakes, and I like being able to swap out any cranks I like. Had I not gotten that good of a deal, I probably would have gone for the Oracle 29.
Some people also mention the round crown on the Oracle which stops knee strikes. I’ve never had a problem with my KH frames though.
I didn’t really have a problem with knee strikes on the KH, but the Oracle should be a little better with the round frame. The worst culprit for knee strikes was the Conundrum, ouch!
I’m glad you are enjoying the KH Oracle, I think it’s a nice combo.
I’m not down on KH, they are a solid product and work fine, but they are more expensive and with the recent product changes in the Nimbus line, as well in the QuAx, there are just some great alternatives that cost less and in some cases offer more.
I’m a big fan of hub mounted rotors, they allow quick wheel swaps, they work much better than a Magura, and the rotor is protected from most impacts.
The KH 36 does have one advantage: It’s the highest quality frame that works with a Schlumpf hub.
I’ve yet to have a problem with knee strikes on KH frames.
Do you find them much better than rim brakes? A lot of people seem to be satisfied with rim brakes. I’ve never used rim brakes on a uni, so wouldn’t know.
I don’t use my brake that much, but am glad to have it when I want it. I’ve wiped out a bunch of times pretty hard on my 29 with hub mounted rotors and it’s still going strong.
Disc brakes are much better than rim brakes but I still have more unis with rim brakes than disc brakes (mostly due to cost).
Not to get into a hub vs crank debate but Ben tends to overstate the advantages of hub mounted vs crank mounted disc brakes; both are good systems with some small differences that can make one more suitable than the other for a given situation. It mostly depends on what you’d rather replace (hub or cranks) and if you want a Schlumpf.
Uh, that’s not how the T-Bar was intended to be used, but whatever floats your boat.
I know the T-Bar is intended to let the rider lean forward and take some of the weight off the saddle.
How does it work when riding uphill or in low gear? I find myself pulling the seat alot to get enough force on the pedals. With the T-bar I would imagine the lower back would suffer if it was pulled while leaning forward.
Anyone willing to share knowledge?
I don’t think this is how the T-bar works. It is not designed to be pulled hard on it is more of a guide for helping keep the wheel straight. Handles snap when you crash too hard and pull too hard. I’ve snapped a T-bar once but it lasted a long time beforehand and survived many crashes. I’ve tried to be gentle with my T-bars after snapping other handles like the T-7.
With a T-bar I usually have one hand on the bar and one hand on the KH inner handle, so if I need to pull or push hard I can do it without exerting too much force on the longer weaker handle.
I prefer my T-bar oriented down as low and as far out as it can go, and with the attachment bolt facing the rear and on the right for convenience, rather than the backwards left allen bolt that you get if you have it at the front. This reduces the possible length but seems better to me- you wouldn’t want it sticking too far out.
I recently fitted a Nimbus T bar tomy Nimbus 36, and a KH T bar to my KH29.
On the 36, I became confident to hold it with both hands most of the time within a few miles, and after a few rides, I was banking into corners holding on with both hands. It has made me ride faster and smoother, and I can go up longer steeper hils without having to stand on the pedals.
On the 29, I have found the adjustment harder. The 29 inch wheel is less directionally stable. I find that the T bar works best at a brisk speed. When riding slowly or doing fiddly manoeuvres I revert to holding the seat handle.
I prefer the handle as short as possible without it getting in the way of my knees.