# DIY bar end plugs



## PomPilot (May 17, 2006)

Inspired by comments in another thread by TouchOGray and 89dk, I decided to try and build a set of cork bar end plugs, capped with a wooden disk. Now I wouldn’t say this was the best way to do this, but I came up with one over a single bottle of Deschutes Brewery’s Cascade Ale. :wink: 

First, I decided that what was needed would be two slightly used wine corks, a pair of wooden disks close to the diameter of my wrapped handlebars, a couple of brass bolts (or screws) long enough to go through the cork and the wooden disk.










For the disks, I picked up a package of wooden wheels at the craft store. I would have used the next size smaller, but they were out of stock at the time.  I also decided that to preserve the wood wheels, spar varnish would do the trick.









A hole was drilled in each cork to allow the bolt to be inserted. And the wheels were coated with the spar varnish.










On each bolt, a brass washer was installed, then the bolt inserted through the wheel hole, and through the hole in the cork, then secured at the other end with a washer and brass nut. The reason for using a brass bolt was for looks and rust resistance as much as anything else. I did have to trim about a ¼ inch (7mm) off of each cork due to the cork & wooden wheel length being the same as the bolts I had. :blush2: 










The last step of course was to install the plugs on the handlebars. 










*Lessons learned* A 1 ½ inch wide wooden disk leaves a slight lip when the diameter of your wrapped bar is about 1 ¼ inch. And when riding in the drops, you _will_ know where the bar ends are. Also, trimming a ¼ inch off of a 1 ¾ inch cork still leaves enough cork in the handlebar to hold the plug in place. Unless your hand position on the bar is such that you back out the cork.

But the most important lesson was that you don’t have to settle for store bought bar ends to customize the look of your bike.


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## JaeP (Mar 12, 2002)

*Great Idea*

I would've thought of just using cork with a mushroom top. Great idea. Thanks for sharing.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

very cool... You should market this.. I can think of all kinds of bar ends..Poker chips, coins, model car wheels, ?????


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## AndyP. (Mar 25, 2006)

Very cool idea. You have too much time on your hands, however...Then again, I just responded to this post so what does that say about me??? Andy


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

wonder if the cork will degrade... next iteration can be a synthetic cork


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

Martha Stewart eat your heart out.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

hehehehehe.....or a cheaper version with a screw top!


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## tashi (Apr 11, 2005)

I use corks and road bike tape on almost all of my bikes, it works great. I do it for aesthetics primairly, but I also find that most bar plugs have a lip on them which cuts into one's hand when used on mountain bike bars with road bike bar tape (due to their smaller diameter I guess). And I have tiny hands so I really like the grip to be as thin as possible, even thinner than the thinnest mountain bike grips.

I wrap my mountain bike bars with a slight bulge (thicker/double wrap) at the ends so that I'm super comfy when in my favoured hand position, right at the end, with a bit of my hand hanging off. Using just the cork alone avoids the ridge problem that results from most bar-end plugs. I just jam em in the end of the bar after wrapping, if there is enough of a tail left on the tape than no additional hardware is needed for most corks! (Pics to come)


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

I've got 2 champagne corks as plugs on one of my bikes... works pretty well, especially if you save the fancy wire thingy.


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## PomPilot (May 17, 2006)

buck-50 said:


> I've got 2 champagne corks as plugs on one of my bikes... works pretty well, especially if you save the fancy wire thingy.


The only champagne corks I had were the plastic variety. Those were left over from the _first_ wedding of one of my high school classmates. (Her grandmother lived next door and the reception was held in her back yard). However, those plastic stoppers worked real nice on the ends of our old in-pool, pool sweeper.:wink:


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## GScot (Feb 7, 2005)

You know. . . A cordless drill and saw blades / scrapers / files / even knives can make a quick bench top lathe. Some sandpaper to smooth things out and you can blend over any butchery that may occur.

Just trying to add some fuel to this fire here.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

PomPilot said:


> The only champagne corks I had were the plastic variety. Those were left over from the _first_ wedding of one of my high school classmates. (Her grandmother lived next door and the reception was held in her back yard). However, those plastic stoppers worked real nice on the ends of our old in-pool, pool sweeper.:wink:


Well, they aren't actually champagne corks, they're Chimay-style beer corks. The worst part was when I broke one from the first set of corks and had to go and get more beer to finish my project.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

buck-50 said:


> Well, they aren't actually champagne corks, they're Chimay-style beer corks. The worst part was when I broke one from the first set of corks and had to go and get more beer to finish my project.


kicker is that by the time you perfect the technique, you could be under the table AND have spent as much as on a set of fancy bar-plugs...LOL


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## 89dk (Jul 31, 2008)

I'm honored that my bike helped inspire the creative juices; but credit must be given where it is properly due. So thanks to Rivendell Bikes www.rivbike.com/ for keeping the traditional way alive and filling a website with great ideas/knowledge.

dk


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## 89dk (Jul 31, 2008)

FatTireFred said:


> wonder if the cork will degrade...
> 
> Guess you'll just have to keep a supply of corks. Hmmm, what gastric sacrifices must be made to build a stockpile of "bar plugs?" I'll have a glass of pinot tonight and ponder a game plan. I'll advise if I come up with anything.......
> 
> dk


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

I got a box of cheap chablis in my fridge.....I could fabricate some rolled up cardboard plugs....


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

wonder is a bottle cap would fit on the end of the bars?


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

I want some spotted cow bar-plugs


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