How To Fit the Topeak BarXTender

Regular Readers will know that minimalism isn’t my middle name. It’s Neil: after Neil Armstrong, who walked on the moon a few weeks before I was introduced to Earth in the master bedroom of a dormer bungalow.

Why Buy a Topeak BarXTender?

I was struggling to mount my phone mount a couple of weeks ago.  I blogged about it here.  As a result, Jon came up with the idea of me getting the BarXtender.  You should buy one of these (at about £15 online) if:

  • You’ve already got too much schizzle on your handlebars; or
  • Your handlbars have too much girth for your lights and mounts.

How Do I Fit The Topeak BarXTender?

The unit is a clever bit of engineering.  It’s built to fit up the biggest handlebar or headset, and can be rotated so it will fit front-facing or left/right-facing tubes.  It also has a bar that be moved around it’s axis for finer adjustment once you’ve got the unit clamped to your bike.

The clamp part of the BarXtender contains a “belt” type metal strip which is held by an allen bolt.  You just adjust the belt strip to slightly larger than the diameter of your tube, then insert the obligatory rubber strip to stop your tube being scratched and tighten the allen bolt.  The belt is drawn upwards into the clamp housing and feels nice & strong when attached.

Next, simply screw the top half of the unit onto the clamp part, then adjust the rotation of the actual bar to suit yourself.

How Does It Look?

I much prefer my cockpit now that the BarXTender’s on.  One person (mentioning no names) commented that I’m just missing a kettle on my bike now, but I think it makes the handlebars a lot tidier, and safer, than they were before.

The Finished Topeak BarXTender Job

The completed job, with Big Light and Phone GPS Mount.

What do you think?

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39 comments on “How To Fit the Topeak BarXTender

  1. Joby

    Does that not hinder your vision when cycling?

    Its like having a GPS holder right in the middle of your car windscreen 😉

  2. Les

    Can only see one prob how u going 2 ride with that thing on the back

    u cud sell it 2 the Tate Modern tell them ure a new budding artist make a fortune lol

    no serious m8 ure a genius

  3. Chris

    It reminds me of those chemistry experiments at school, lots of clamps and stands.

  4. Phill

    Joby,Ha, it’s well out of eyeline unless I’m pulling wheelies. I’m 40, I don’t pull many wheelies 😉
    Les,It is tricky riding with the tripod on, yes, especially as I’m a bit of a shortarse. Can’t get on and off properly. Soon I’ll find the intructions and work out how to get my bike down. Someone will lend me a stepladder…

  5. Phill

    Chris, Happy days, burning through the oak desk with the bunsen burner and making mustard gas in the sinks….

  6. Chris

    Happy days your right! I was just think about lighting magnesium ribbon. I wonder if I can get some on eBay?

    That and Miss Silk, our student Chemistry teacher, mmmmm….

  7. lost

    Another short arse? Is it compulsory to be short if you own a bike, except for me and chris?!

    Ooh, burning hydrogen sulphide was great. And the Van de Graaf machine in physics.

    And as for my biology teacher….phew 😉

  8. Chris

    Van de Graaf machine!

    A lad at school discharged himself, via a plug socked on the desk, via this balls! Fantastic comedy image in my mind, I am now laughing at my desk!

  9. Chris

    That should have been “his balls”, I wonder if he ever managed to have kids?!?!?

  10. Joby

    I wouldn’t dare comment on a ladies weight…

    Although I have commented on Chris(tines)

  11. Chris

    An arse posibly, but at 5’11 not really short. Oh and I am working on the fat thing….

  12. Chris

    Not sure about that, if you can, check out my picture in this months business insider, you can count the chins!

  13. lost

    See Joby, chris is only 2 inches shorter than me.

    Chris: well, you were thinner than me when we last rode together!

  14. lost

    Another shortarse – compared to me anyway 😉

    Um, I’m old school, I don’t do metric.

  15. Les

    Well dnt want 2 spoil ure debate but I think u mite find I am the shortarse ere I am about 5’2

  16. lost

    You’re teeny tiny Les 😉

    Jeez, that means I’m nigh on a foot taller than you!

  17. jobysp

    Les, do you have to buy age 3-4yr bikes to ride?

    Phill – thinner than most…. Mwhahahahahaaaaa!!!

    I’ve seen your pot belly 😉

  18. Les

    Lost, I am teeny tiny but not round me belly tho lol

    Joby, Yeah U know me so well but I cant sit on the saddle wen I stop I av straddle my Bike cue comment

    Phill wot is ure Pot Belly Pig called

  19. lost

    Phill: are you feeling loved now btw with all these comments on your blog? 😉

    Les: I’m saying nowt. I’m a lady don’t you know 😉

  20. Chris

    Phill has created a monster!

    For what its worth I am exactly the same weight and height as rooleymoor… he must be fat short arse as well!

    Rooleymoor you dont want a new road bike do you?

  21. lost

    Chris/Rooley: I’m taller and about similar weight to the pair of you then, so that makes 3 short fat arses who’re actually tall, above average eejits in reality.

  22. Phill

    Joby, OK, ok, ok, I’m thinner than most apart from my pot belly. But I’m taller than Les, woohoo ! 😉

  23. Clive Chapman

    I bet if your really tried Phill you get loads more kit on that bike of yours!

    As for short arses, I’m 5′ 8 and a 1/2″ the 1/2″ is very important to me. 😉

    I’ll tee ’em up for you lot!

  24. Les

    Phill everyone is taller than me m8 so fraid that aint much of a claim 2 fame

    So clive r u saying Phill’s Bike is just a work in progress

  25. Phill

    I was looking online last night for more kit. Sites like http://www.dealextreme.com offer loads of genuine wonderful bargains for people like me. Or is it just cheap sh*te from China? I get confused.
    I am tempted by Chris’ kettle idea though… I wonder how I could do that?
    I won’t even dare, Clive, to mention how important that 1/2″ is to your other half. 😉

  26. Les

    Phill bit of advice again but Bike matters

    I c u av disc brakes on ure bike if u get a puncture is the only thing u av 2 worry bout not 2 apply the brakes wen the wheel is off I ope this makes sense m8

  27. Phill

    Thanks Les. I’d seen that and after reading the intructions I can see why it’s important. I’m a bit of nerd for reading intructions, not a typical bloke at all. Good shout.

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