Does taller rise handle bars such as 9.25" make pulling up easier?

If you dont mlike the geo of lower bars id say upgrade a bit, ive been all across the board of bar rises, i personally like them higher at the 9 and a half range but im currently riding some 8.75's. Like anything, youll get used to it if you ride it long enough but, if you feel likke you could do for some more height send it. Riding higher bars makes my back feel better than to be hunched over the bars. Im a street rider primarilly so i just jib around my city for the most part. If you ride park or dirt and feel like you should be "more in control" you might wanna go to shorter bars. That just my opinion on the topic if anyone has better information, take theirs. Im just going off what i think from my experience.

Goonie Rooney wrote:

I'm fairly new to BMX and the first bike I bought had 10" rise bars, I bent them and got 8.75" and my forearms been killing me. I can naturally jet hop really high so I can't really tell if it made it harder but it definitely made it feel weird. I'm 5'6 and I'm about to buy a new pair of bars that are 9.25" but I'd figured I'd get some insight from more experienced riders on other than your lower back being more straight, what are other benefits of taller bars? Thanks 👍

You're gonna hear a range of opinions on here from yes to no.
My experience has always been that when I raised my bars I enjoyed how it felt more and when I lowered them a lot of stuff felt harder for how I like to ride.
Take it all with a grain of salt and try it yourself. Some people like chocolate some like strawberry and there's no right or wrong, it's a personal preference matter. The best way to answer that question is to try both yourself and see what you like most.
Alex Coleborn and Logan Martin do a lot of the same type of tricks but Coleborn rides 8.25s with a Frontload while Logan rides 9.25 with a top load. More than an inch of difference there but neither of their abilities appear to be limited by either extreme. Its just a matter of personal comfort and preference for each. the best way to find out what YOU'll like is to try it yourself. Facebook and Craigslist have plenty of cheap stuff available so you don't end up wasting money if you don't like a part.

I'm a fan of bigger bars. Started at 8.25, then 8.5, then went to 10s. I actually just ordered 9 rise bars to see how I like them since I skimmed over that size gap.

I'd say it's definitely easier to bring the front end up, but it's a little harder, IMO, to actually hop with height since your bars reach your chest sooner and you have to level out the bike quicker, meaning hopping high is not impossible, but harder to do.

For me, manuals became a bit easier to lock into with the 10s compared to the lower bars I've had, but also a tad easier to loop out when landing back-heavy on tricks.

Just what I've experienced, I'm positive others have completely different takes, we're all different.

I've found 9.25 to be just right. Like most things, you have to try for yourself to really know.

To answer your question, no.

Taller bars make looping out And busting your ass easier.

Every answer to this is an opinion, so take it for what it's worth, here's mine.

Taller bars give more leverage front-to-back. Good for manuals, hang 5s, etc, but less room to crouch for hops (especially for shorter riders).

Shorter bars give more room for hops, and more control for spins, tucks, or tech work. Within reason of course, you shouldn't be leaning too heavily into the bars.

As for back pain, we're only talking an inch or so in height. I don't think that's enough to really affect your back unless you have bigger problems; you're mostly leaning from the hips. Stories about back pain are probably placebo effect.

Also, I think the taller bars trend coincided with the no brakes no gyro no spacers trend, and the two actually cancelled out to keep the grips at the same height. Then things got trendy stupid and everyone wanted taller bars for no reason. What you really want to adjust is grip height vs bottom bracket, through spacers, bar height, or stem rise. Consider the above (leverage front-back vs vertical compression), your personal comfort or style, and adjust.

Yep, all just personal preference. I run 10” Nightshifts in a top load. I’m 6’2. Readybmxer runs 10” in top load and I’m guessing he’s a few inches shorter. Then there’s really tall guys that still run 9”. Try em, see if you like em. You may, you may not. To answer the original question though, I feel as though they do make it easier to pull back into a manual.

I've been hearing all my life that low bars will let you hop higher but that doesn't explain motherfuckers like brad simms and broc raiford so i say just do whatever the fuck makes you happy and doesn't strain your back

falloftroy20 wrote:

I've been hearing all my life that low bars will let you hop higher but that doesn't explain motherfuckers like brad simms and broc raiford so i say just do whatever the fuck makes you happy and doesn't strain your back

Church!!

Tall bars are comfy to cruise around but make everything harder to pop, harder to hop high, harder to tuck 360’s...

To be better for the back, higher bars is not the only way to make it more straight, longer frames also do that but the straight back is more horizontal than vertical, which keeps your pop alive.

I’m not saying to ride 7,5” bars, but 10’s are dumb big, around 9” is good.

Francky wrote:

Tall bars are comfy to cruise around but make everything harder to pop, harder to hop high, harder to tuck 360’s...

To be better for the back, higher bars is not the only way to make it more straight, longer frames also do that but the straight back is more horizontal than vertical, which keeps your pop alive.

I’m not saying to ride 7,5” bars, but 10’s are dumb big, around 9” is good.

10’s are dumb FOR YOU. 9” is good FOR YOU.

Francky wrote:

Tall bars are comfy to cruise around but make everything harder to pop, harder to hop high, harder to tuck 360’s...

To be better for the back, higher bars is not the only way to make it more straight, longer frames also do that but the straight back is more horizontal than vertical, which keeps your pop alive.

I’m not saying to ride 7,5” bars, but 10’s are dumb big, around 9” is good.

Spongeworthy wrote:

10’s are dumb FOR YOU. 9” is good FOR YOU.

Yes, for me.
The dude asked for feedback I gave mine.

And I didn’t even mentioned stuffs like headtube length/ spacers stack or stem which matters a lot in the math.
A front load w/ 10’’ pretty much the same as a topload w/ 9’s,
yet 10 inchers are way too flexy for my taste, bikes feels weak.

But I guess the poster didn’t planned to switch everything so... I spoke about bars and how a too tall setup kills my pop.

Francky wrote:

Yes, for me.
The dude asked for feedback I gave mine.

And I didn’t even mentioned stuffs like headtube length/ spacers stack or stem which matters a lot in the math.
A front load w/ 10’’ pretty much the same as a topload w/ 9’s,
yet 10 inchers are way too flexy for my taste, bikes feels weak.

But I guess the poster didn’t planned to switch everything so... I spoke about bars and how a too tall setup kills my pop.

Fair enough. The capitalisation probably made my comment appear more argumentative than it was meant to be. I still don’t think bar size is the difference between being able to hop high or not, hop 3 or not, etc. That’s down to technique.

falloftroy20 wrote:

I've been hearing all my life that low bars will let you hop higher but that doesn't explain motherfuckers like brad simms and broc raiford so i say just do whatever the fuck makes you happy and doesn't strain your back

You know, it's interesting you mention Simms because he was asked in an interview what the highest he could ever hop was, and he mentioned that he was giving up a few inches by not running the 7" bars of yore

falloftroy20 wrote:

I've been hearing all my life that low bars will let you hop higher but that doesn't explain motherfuckers like brad simms and broc raiford so i say just do whatever the fuck makes you happy and doesn't strain your back

Motherfuckers. It's cuz they're motherfuckers.

Taller bars make pulling the front end up easier but also make looping out easier.

Yeah I don't get the lower bars making you hop better. I don't know this for sure but the pros I've been watching look like their bars are pretty tall.......

I get that bikes used to have gyros more, but then that makes sense that people would want taller bars to make up for that dimension.

All I know is I think it's easy to feel like the hunchback of Notre Dame for me, on a bike that has shorter bars.

Spongeworthy wrote:

Yep, all just personal preference. I run 10” Nightshifts in a top load. I’m 6’2. Readybmxer runs 10” in top load and I’m guessing he’s a few inches shorter. Then there’s really tall guys that still run 9”. Try em, see if you like em. You may, you may not. To answer the original question though, I feel as though they do make it easier to pull back into a manual.

Yep, I’m 5’, 7” so quite a bit shorter, lol.

But just goes to show how important personal preference is.

Fortyseven wrote:

Yeah I don't get the lower bars making you hop better. I don't know this for sure but the pros I've been watching look like their bars are pretty tall.......

I get that bikes used to have gyros more, but then that makes sense that people would want taller bars to make up for that dimension.

All I know is I think it's easy to feel like the hunchback of Notre Dame for me, on a bike that has shorter bars.

If you feel hunched, you might want to look at top tube length as well, since you're in the market. Bars might add an inch or so to grip height, not really enough to straighten a full grown spine. I think you feel hunched when your grips are too close to your body. Longer top tube should let you lean onto the bars more while keeping your back straighter.

Jumping up from 8.75 to 9.25 is a big difference. You'll be looping the fuck out in no time!

Anyone ever rode 7" rise bars on a 35lb bike. I used to ride the kink low life bars back in the day. Cut down stupid short. Talk about a world of difference from mid school to now. I remember buying a set of Slam bars which I believe were 8" rise or so. I never could get used to it. Now though I couldn't imagine going back that low.

quick16g wrote:

Anyone ever rode 7" rise bars on a 35lb bike. I used to ride the kink low life bars back in the day. Cut down stupid short. Talk about a world of difference from mid school to now. I remember buying a set of Slam bars which I believe were 8" rise or so. I never could get used to it. Now though I couldn't imagine going back that low.

Not 35lbs, but here's my old Failure Grade 1 with 7' bars:


Please excuse the flipped FL stem and Chicago bars... I had just reached 6'1" and I was desperately trying to still ride this bike. I actually remember putting 9" Hoder bars on this setup and it made almost no difference... lol

This setup with the FL stem correct and bars back felt perfect when I was around 5'8"-ish.

Fortyseven wrote:

Yeah I don't get the lower bars making you hop better. I don't know this for sure but the pros I've been watching look like their bars are pretty tall.......

I get that bikes used to have gyros more, but then that makes sense that people would want taller bars to make up for that dimension.

All I know is I think it's easy to feel like the hunchback of Notre Dame for me, on a bike that has shorter bars.

MJbmx wrote:

If you feel hunched, you might want to look at top tube length as well, since you're in the market. Bars might add an inch or so to grip height, not really enough to straighten a full grown spine. I think you feel hunched when your grips are too close to your body. Longer top tube should let you lean onto the bars more while keeping your back straighter.

For me when I say hunched, it's the leaning forward that makes me feel that way. I hear what you're saying and I can see being squished if a person has to curve their back to fit that could feel like that. But for me it's just the leaning forward. And a longer top tube will just make that even more.My bars are currently a tad forward. I don't have them back in my lap. Now, a longer top tube would allow me to not have the bars forward and more inline with the forks. That would be good and better for spins I think.

I get it, I'm still learning. I know enough to be dangerous at this point. hehehehe

quick16g wrote:

Anyone ever rode 7" rise bars on a 35lb bike. I used to ride the kink low life bars back in the day. Cut down stupid short. Talk about a world of difference from mid school to now. I remember buying a set of Slam bars which I believe were 8" rise or so. I never could get used to it. Now though I couldn't imagine going back that low.

I had the odyssey Bar Mitzvah 6.5s in my diamondback Orion that must have weighed 42lbs back in 2001