Mountain bar-end reinforcement inserts?

I took a pair of bar-ends (perpendicular handlebar extensions, not shifters) off a handlebar, and found cylindrical metal inserts inside the handlebar at each end. They had an o-ring set into one end. Are these some sort of reinforcement for the bar-ends? If I've removed the bar-ends, need I keep these things in the handlebar?

The bar-ends came on the bike, and I have never had occasion to take them off, so I didn't know these things were in the bar.

Thanks.

BC
at the end of the bar

On 10/13/2013 2:46 PM, BCDrums wrote:
I took a pair of bar-ends (perpendicular handlebar extensions, not shifters) off a handlebar, and found cylindrical metal inserts inside the handlebar at each end. They had an o-ring set into one end. Are these some sort of reinforcement for the bar-ends? If I've removed the bar-ends, need I keep these things in the handlebar?

The bar-ends came on the bike, and I have never had occasion to take them off, so I didn't know these things were in the bar.

Thanks.

BC
at the end of the bar


At the peak of the ultralight MTB accessories era, many
handlebars were dangerously thin and crushed ends under bar
extensions were a common problem. Those inserts were an
attempt at a solution although one good smack on the bar
extender will often crimp the bar just next to the insert.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On 14/10/13 07:36, AMuzi wrote:

At the peak of the ultralight MTB accessories era, many handlebars were
dangerously thin and crushed ends under bar extensions were a common
problem. Those inserts were an attempt at a solution although one good
smack on the bar extender will often crimp the bar just next to the insert.


Drillium became thinium?

--
JS

On 10/13/2013 4:28 PM, James wrote:
On 14/10/13 07:36, AMuzi wrote:

At the peak of the ultralight MTB accessories era, many handlebars were
dangerously thin and crushed ends under bar extensions were a common
problem. Those inserts were an attempt at a solution although one good
smack on the bar extender will often crimp the bar just next to the insert.


Drillium became thinium?


It was the 1990s:

http://mombat.org/MOMBAT/BikeHistory...line.html#1996

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On 10/13/2013 2:28 PM, James wrote:
On 14/10/13 07:36, AMuzi wrote:

At the peak of the ultralight MTB accessories era, many handlebars were
dangerously thin and crushed ends under bar extensions were a common
problem. Those inserts were an attempt at a solution although one good
smack on the bar extender will often crimp the bar just next to the insert.


Drillium became thinium?

Since handlebars aren't covered by the "lifetime" frame warranty it's
important to make other parts less robust. This helps to sell
replacement handlebars.

At Interbike I was talking to someone in the Brompton booth and I
mentioned that I had purchased four Bromptons, but not the ones made in
England. But the imported Bromptons didn't have the handlebar failures
of the UK Bromptons and eventually Brompton had a replacement program
that used the handlebars from their licensee in Taiwan (no longer the
licensee, in fact some Neobike executives went to jail over the whole
thing). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neobike.

BTW, Taiwanese Brompton had brakes that were just as poor as the UK
Bromptons used to have--not sure if Brompton insisted, that as part of
the licensing deal, that Neobike not improve the brakes.

On Sunday, October 13, 2013 6:51:24 PM UTC-4, AMuzi wrote:


It was the 1990s:



Spot on! The bike is from 1996.

LIGHTNESS GIVES SPEED


RITCHEY BULLMOOSE FILET !


AMERICAN BERYLLIUM ?

YEAH FIRST YOU FIND A MOOSE THEN YOU TAKE SOME BERYLLIUM IN A DART GUN...


http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/vie...70065&start=10

On Sunday, October 13, 2013 10:31:59 PM UTC-4, datakoll wrote:
YEAH FIRST YOU FIND A MOOSE THEN YOU TAKE SOME BERYLLIUM IN A DART GUN...





http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/vie...70065&start=10

oooooooooooooooooo

https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en&t...aphrodisia cs

interesting clientel