I cannot understand why people love loop handle trimmer/brushcutters.

[ANewSawyer]

Oh, sure for trimming around obsticles loop is the way to go. But I have seen people hating on bike handles for any type of use. Even prefering loop for tall grass mowing. The heck?! Give me bike handles! I am dang tired of mowing this one dang bank with a loop handle. I want a working bike handle unit. If I cannot get the T-25 going soon, it is gone. I haven't really tried yet but it is my next project for sure!

Rant over...

 

[catbuster]

I shall retort, young grasshopper. Your ignorance precedes you.

1: People want to use what they know. You started with bike handles and got a chance to accustom yourself to them. Going from bike to loop is much easier than loop to bike.

2: Bike handle cutters are ****ing expensive. Dishing out the cash for a high powered loop handle trimmer and a bike handle brush saw that's equivalent is around $750 plus applicable taxes. One loop trimmer is around $350 plus applicable taxes. And if I was doing general property maintenance, I would have loop handle trimmers.

 

[logeeland]

I have been using both for years. When cutting light brush with a blade the bike handle is the way to go. It also forces the user to wear a harness which takes the weight off your arms and control it better. When trimming with line in the yard, I would rather hold it with the loop and the grip. Easier to move it around and flip it on the side to do edging. Plus the bike handle is a pain in the butt to store...

 

[Sagetown]

Yup; using a hefty powered grass trimmer or brush cutter is hard enough to control in heavy growth with well extended bike handles. I'd rather use the old wide half loops, than the new small loop handles. In light yard work conditions, I suppose the loop handles fare well.
- - - - - - - - - - HALF - - - - LOOP - - - - - Handle

 

[ANewSawyer]

I shall retort, young grasshopper. Your ignorance precedes you.

1: People want to use what they know. You started with bike handles and got a chance to accustom yourself to them. Going from bike to loop is much easier than loop to bike.

2: Bike handle cutters are ****ing expensive. Dishing out the cash for a high powered loop handle trimmer and a bike handle brush saw that's equivalent is around $750 plus applicable taxes. One loop trimmer is around $350 plus applicable taxes. And if I was doing general property maintenance, I would have loop handle trimmers.

I think that bike handles would be intuitive. My first gas trimmer was a cheap loop. For light use, yes a loop handle but do you do brush work with a loop? Or is it bike?

I have been using both for years. When cutting light brush with a blade the bike handle is the way to go. It also forces the user to wear a harness which takes the weight off your arms and control it better. When trimming with line in the yard, I would rather hold it with the loop and the grip. Easier to move it around and flip it on the side to do edging. Plus the bike handle is a pain in the butt to store...

Like I said, loop and grip for trimming. Bike for the rough stuff. But I don't want to think about trying to edge with bike handles. Both is really the way to go.

Yup; using a hefty powered grass trimmer or brush cutter is hard enough to control in heavy growth with well extended bike handles. I'd rather use the old wide half loops, than the new small loop handles. In light yard work conditions, I suppose the loop handles fare well.
- - - - - - - - - - HALF - - - - LOOP - - - - - Handle
View attachment 496667

I have seen those large half loops but thought they were weird. I see there point now.

 

[ANewSawyer]

Catbuster, what I am really asking, is who would pick a loop and grip over a bike handle for area mowing?

 

[logeeland]

What type of area mowing and how much area?

 

[ANewSawyer]

The thing that inspired this rant is a bank. It is way too steep to mow with any kind of mower. It has got to be at least 30 degrees maybe even slightly steeper. About 100 feet long and over six feet wide for most of its length. Very uneven in parts. It grows over with thick grass and vines quickly. I really don't like mowing it with a loop handle. It is very taxing to do a swath that wide in one pass. But two passes would take a long time. Maybe my technique is bad.

 

[Sagetown]

Catbuster, what I am really asking, is who would pick a loop and grip over a bike handle for area mowing?

Cleaning up the underbrush with FS250 and handlebars makes me feel better about control.

 

[Sagetown]

Tall grass n weeds meets Stihl FS 56R with big half loop handle.

 

[Des Perado]

We've had plenty of jobs clearing tall grasses in areas where a tractor couldn't access, and a conventional mower wouldn't work. We have a good assortment of trimmers, loop, and bike handle. I've found that neither were more, or less of a pain in the arse than the other. They have their strengths and weaknesses.

In situations like the one that Sage is showing above, it's not about the handle, or machine, it's the business end that makes all the difference. Take off the damned strings, and rotary blades. Put on your HL 135 degree hedge head (or your red equivalent) and go to town. It makes very short work of it, and you don't get coated in a chlorophyll crust by the end of the day.

 

[Sagetown]

In the brush I now use one of these. Works extremely well when sharp. I'm still trying to find the right angle to freehand the sharpening.


After trying every string I can find for tall tough grass and weeds. I've came up with this " Desert Extrusion ", LONOIZ , .130"diameter string. Lasts longer than the top name brands. Reason for using string, is I use hogwire [fox, coyotes, possums, and skunk deterant] at the bottom of my fences, so a string in vital, and a tough one at that.

 

[alderman]

Not so hard to store.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LoveStihlQuality]

Nice neat, organized new barn.....I remember those days.

LoveStihlQuality

 

[ANewSawyer]

We've had plenty of jobs clearing tall grasses in areas where a tractor couldn't access, and a conventional mower wouldn't work. We have a good assortment of trimmers, loop, and bike handle. I've found that neither were more, or less of a pain in the arse than the other. They have their strengths and weaknesses.

In situations like the one that Sage is showing above, it's not about the handle, or machine, it's the business end that makes all the difference. Take off the damned strings, and rotary blades. Put on your HL 135 degree hedge head (or your red equivalent) and go to town. It makes very short work of it, and you don't get coated in a chlorophyll crust by the end of the day.

Have you tried an airecut blade? They are a newer design. But, I have heard of using the adjustable hedge trimmers to cut brush and grass. I think it would be killer with a bike handle anyway.

 

[Conquistador3]

I've used a brush cutter with handlebars once. No thank you. I just feel far more in control and tire myself less with a loop handle.
Before it got stolen, I had a Zenoah backpack brush cutter for hard works. Like all backpacks it came with loop handle. Best brush cutter I've ever had.

 

[BuckMKII]

The thing that inspired this rant is a bank. It is way too steep to mow with any kind of mower. It has got to be at least 30 degrees maybe even slightly steeper. About 100 feet long and over six feet wide for most of its length. Very uneven in parts. It grows over with thick grass and vines quickly. I really don't like mowing it with a loop handle. It is very taxing to do a swath that wide in one pass. But two passes would take a long time. Maybe my technique is bad.

I've got the same problem and I love running and trimmer just as much as anyone but I sprayed the whole damn thing with Roundup last summer and it was so much easier than trying to cut it.

 

[BuckMKII]

Have you tried an airecut blade? They are a newer design. But, I have heard of using the adjustable hedge trimmers to cut brush and grass. I think it would be killer with a bike handle anyway.

I've got an Airecut blade and a guard is a must since it throws debris like crazy. I've also tried the articulating hedge trimmers but it's a bit unwieldy for me with just a loop handle.

 

[ANewSawyer]

Conquistador, glad you found what works for you. Unfotunately, backpack brushcutter/chainsaws are unavailable to us in the USA.

I've got the same problem and I love running and trimmer just as much as anyone but I sprayed the whole damn thing with Roundup last summer and it was so much easier than trying to cut it.

If I killed the grass off, would it grow back over with brush, like it was when I got here?

I've got an Airecut blade and a guard is a must since it throws debris like crazy. I've also tried the articulating hedge trimmers but it's a bit unwieldy for me with just a loop handle.

That is why I say articulating hedge trimmers + bike and harness set up would be mean!

 

[BuckMKII]

Conquistador, glad you found what works for you. Unfotunately, backpack brushcutter/chainsaws are unavailable to us in the USA.



If I killed the grass off, would it grow back over with brush, like it was when I got here?



That is why I say articulating hedge trimmers + bike and harness set up would be mean!

I don't know that's why you spray it again when you see any green.