Login required to started new threads
Login required to post replies
I want to get new bars for my road bike (had a bike fit, need 44cm instead of my current 42cm). This is one of those things I have never changed over the years, I'm still running some FSA Gossamer bars that came on an old Soloist back in 2008. I've been a bit surprised by how many variations there are on a basic bar, different defining statistics (drop, reach etc). So what am I meant to be thinking about when I choose a set of road bars? Which features are considered necessary/ desirable/ ridiculous (is carbon worth bothering with?) and which bars are people currently running?
There are 10 types of people in the world. Those that understand binary and those with friends.
I'm no expert but I did recently upgrade my cheapo entry level bike to a Chinese carbon bar, which works great.
The one I got is a flat-aero type bar - just keep in mind that if you do buy one of these flat aero styled bars, you lose the round shape of the horizontal portions of the bars for your hands, so you'll be gripping the aero-flat shape. Not a problem or limiter, but it's something to consider if you like the round shape of the bar in the horizontal hand position.
My bar also has holes for internal cable routing - I ran the brake cables through it but am leery of running the derailleur cables through it since it gets really tight in the outlet and I suspect things will catch and work worse.
These road-aero flat-type bars look pretty cool, though. I honestly got it mostly for aesthetics and the one I got was pretty cheap, although buyer beware as if it fails on you, you're out of luck for customer service.
Do you need the 44cm bar to be measured center-to-center or outside-to-outside?
What reach do you want?
What drop do you need?
Width, drop, reach, shape of tops, shape of drops, cable routing, are all considerations. The measurements affect fit. Other things affect comfort.
Bars are insanely personal.
Above all, as you shop, understand how that particular manufacturer measures their bars. Not all are the same. Fail to do this and you can end up with the wrong size, ask me how I know.