Wise people who impart knowledge based on experience can sometimes show us- the more ignorant, profound and nuanced reasoning. It can come in the form of philosophy, morality, an irrefutable truth, or even a warning.

SimWorks, which cooperates with many Japanese manufacturers to produce our products, has been teaching us many things about the theory of its products for the 15 years since its launch.

Most bicycles are human-powered vehicles, with the engine (you) perched on a chassis/frame that serves as a foundation and generates its own propulsive force. Therefore, the key to transmitting propulsive force is how to maintain the position of that foundation and it’s source of power.

Interestingly, is it a coincidence that all the parts that come into contact with the rider end with the letter “ru” in their names (in Japanese sadoru, pedaru, and handoru)? The saddle, pedals, and handlebars – these three simple parts are the elements that support our bodies and help us maintain our posture while riding.

Conveniently, these parts can be easily replaced and swapped out even by those who are not skilled mechanics. Additionally, the manufacturing process is much simpler than that of a drivetrain system. Could it be it’s simplicity that makes it so profound? Based on this fact, I would like to focus on the handlebar, and proceed with our discussion.

Diversity of Handlebars

In recent years, I have noticed a decline in participation of competitive sports that follow strict rules, but instead, I think that participating in a way that suits each player’s outlook on life is becoming more common. This is not only true for bicycling, which is the central axis of our lives, but also for many other activities.

In this trend, I feel that the way equipment is selected is also changing, and this is especially evident in the three components I mentioned earlier. Leather is making a comeback in saddles, and the shift from clipless to flat pedals has become more commonplace amongst riders. (I think the rise of e-bikes is a factor in this as well.)

About 25 years ago in the world of sports bikes, the main focus was on very old-fashioned PR activities, where handlebars were chosen from standard shapes adopted from competitions, or chosen based on what a winner had used. I remember having to choose from a selection of similar options with recognizable manufacturer names or flashy logos.

However, as time passed, and since the fixed-gear movement of the 2000s, which had spread all over the world, I feel that the performance of handlebars in everyday bicycle use has become very diverse, and not just about victory, but also about personal preference, as well as comfort (which is not just a physical preference), the appearance, the color; and above all, it is also expressed as a method of expression based on the rider’s imagination and their intended use of their bike.

As someone who actually designs handlebars, I often rack my brain thinking about what kind of proposals I should make that will be supported by devoted people with rich imaginations, but the feeling of elation when these proposals are actually supported is truly amazing.

However, as I mentioned at the beginning, there is a logic to everything, and there are things that should be done and things that should not be done. It is also true that up until now, approximately 60% of the handlebars that we have asked Nitto to manufacture have not made it to the final product phase; failing instead at the prototype stage, or at the strength and slip test stage.

The conflict between security and freedom

Freedom is truly a wonderful thing, and we too, within this liberalism, carry out our planning and production activities every day with free thinking. However, from experience we know that this freedom can sometimes hide some glaring pitfalls.

When it comes to handlebars in particular, there is a lot of freedom in how a single piece of tubing is bent, but the choice of material, shape, length, and even the finishing process can all lead to cracks, breaks, or (and this is something that not many people think about) the dreaded handlebar slippage.

SimWorks has been manufacturing chromoly handlebars for many years, but with the sudden boom in outdoor activities brought upon by the pandemic, we ceased production of black-finished chromoly handlebars.

Black chromoly handlebars are manufactured using a technique called black electroplating, but the traditional knurling (anti-slip center) finish was presenting problems with providing sufficient fixing strength for handlebars that were becoming wider, and for this safety reason, production was unavoidably halted. (However, as an addendum, thanks to consistent efforts by Nitto, the center knurling fixing strength problem has been successfully resolved, so we are pleased to announce that the day when black chromoly handlebars will reappear is approaching.)

Also, long-time SimWorks fans may know that the early Chromoly stems we offered were made of steel with two bolts on the faceplate, not the four-bolt faceplate we use today.

There were some purists that preferred the classic style with two fasteners for a cleaner look, but as the width and shape of the handlebars we manufacture continued to change, we switched to a four-bolt fastener because the only way to keep our imagination going was to use a method with stronger fixing power. (The Gettin’ Hungry Stem has continued to use a closed single fastener due to its classic style, but this will end with the depletion of our current stock, as we plan to change to a four-fastener faceplate style in the future.)

Bicycle parts are very interesting, and because of their approachable specifications that follow industry standards, it is possible to combine parts from various manufacturers to create a bicycle based on the user’s own ideas. However, each part has its own compatibility, and it is true that when using a one or two-bolt stem like the models mentioned above with a wide handlebar width that has excessive back sweep, which is a current trend, it will not pass the slip test no matter what testing organization is used.

In fact, there have been cases where people have attached wide, sweeping handlebars from other companies to the Gettin’ Hungry Stem, causing the handlebars to slip and drop while riding, resulting in falls (fortunately, to our knowledge no one has been injured).

It may also be worth remembering that most of the completed vehicle manufacturers and parts manufacturers that have been forced in to situations of bankruptcy or to be sold in the past have had problems that were rooted in these cockpit safety issues.

The integrity of product development

Let me go back to the basics again. Why do we work with experienced domestic bicycle manufacturers? It all comes down to the fact that we believe in and share the same ideals.

People from Nitto and Mikashima Manufacturing (MKS)- which have a history of over 100 years, sometimes talk about past events, memorable stories, milestones achieved, and the most important focus in manufacturing: safety first.

No one is pleased when an accident occurs. It is very important to give some consideration to whether the bicycle you use and potentially rely upon is assembled correctly and safely.

We try to steer clear of unnecessary or excessive warnings because they may lead to a diminishment of the cycling culture, but we believe that sharing beneficial information is necessary for the continued flourishing of a rich bicycle culture. We at SimWorks wish that all people around the world would find a space for bicycles in their lives, as they are the most ubiquitous tool in the world. We enthusiastically encourage their unique capacity for improving lives.

We will continue to introduce many new products in the future. All of these products are designed and manufactured with safety as our number one priority, taking into account the multitude of possible usage scenarios that we can imagine. This may make our work slower, but we are committed to not deviate from this mission and will continue to work diligently. We appreciate your continued patronage and support of SimWorks.