Making a couple of upgrades to my ride this fall… one is to switch to a compact handlebar. I’d like to get one with a flat/aero top on it, but don’t want to totally break the bank (so high-end carbon variety is off the list). Is there such a thing at a reasonable price point, maybe in aluminum, that folks would recommend? I was thinking of this one, but the ‘flat’ top doesn’t seem so flat: https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5034-005/Gossamer-Wing-Compact-Road-Handlebar. I don’t want an integrated stem either, as I want to be able to get the fit right.
This is for a road bike - I do sprints, some draft-legal. Trying to keep a lid on my gear expenditure, already sprung for race wheels this year. Though my road bike is slightly jealous of the nice Profile Aeria bar on my tri bike… sigh.
I think for a “cheap” aluminum aero road bar they are pretty solid, and Bontrager offers a comfort guarantee so if you didn’t like it your not out the money.
I have this bar in 42cm for sale in the classifieds if you are interested. It was too wide for me so I went with a 40cm.
I really like that it has fully internal cable routing, not just indents. That way you can leave the tops untaped for better aerodynamics and a sleeker look.
I’ve been riding on the 3T Ergonova Team carbon bars for a number of years now - for me perfect fit and feel - shallow drop, short reach, “flat” top bar. 3T recently tweaked a few things and re-launched and renamed this bar last year the, “Superergo” - I have a set of the 3T Superergo Pro (aluminum) bars on order - expected to arrive next week. Will be putting them on my bike and putting them through their paces with some extensive riding in Kona in a couple of weeks time. Stay tuned for a review!
I did not spring for the carbon bars again, as my current bike is nearing the end of it’s active life, and did not want to shell out over $300, so kept things more economical. Found the Pro model online for just over $100!
I’ve been riding on the 3T Ergonova Team carbon bars for a number of years now - for me perfect fit and feel - shallow drop, short reach, “flat” top bar. 3T recently tweaked a few things and re-launched and renamed this bar last year the, “Superergo” - I have a set of the 3T Superergo Pro (aluminum) bars on order - expected to arrive next week. Will be putting them on my bike and putting them through their paces with some extensive riding in Kona in a couple of weeks time. Stay tuned for a review!
I did not spring for the carbon bars again, as my current bike is nearing the end of it’s active life, and did not want to shell out over $300, so kept things more economical. Found the Pro model online for just over $100!
Were you aware the the Superergo Pro has slightly different dimensions than the carbon versions? The reach is the same but the drop on the Pro version is 4mm greater.
**Were you aware the the Superergo Pro has slightly different dimensions than the carbon versions? The reach is the same but the drop on the Pro version is 4mm greater. **
Thank you. Yes - I was aware of that.
The Pro drop is the same as on the old Ergonova bars (no longer made) - 123mm. The drop on the carbon versions, Team etc . . (too expensive for me) are 119mm - that is REALLY shallow!
If you set these bars up properly, you are not really riding fully in the bottom of the drops, when you are in the drops - your hands are mostly on the upward sloping part, so it’s actually less than the 123mm.
I have a 3T Ergonova on a gravel bike and really like it. Not really an aero shape, but a pretty flat top. 3T calls it egg-shaped. Got them for $40, I forget where. It seems they’re out of production now, but they’re on eBay for $40 - $50.
I think for a “cheap” aluminum aero road bar they are pretty solid, and Bontrager offers a comfort guarantee so if you didn’t like it your not out the money.
That’s good to know… probably best to go with LBS if I opt for this one. Would be a royal pain shipping back to online retailer.
If you set these bars up properly, you are not really riding fully in the bottom of the drops, when you are in the drops - your hands are mostly on the upward sloping part, so it’s actually less than the 123mm.
A big problem I’m trying to solve is that shifting/braking is really awkward for me in the drops. I’ve got small hands, and even with the brake levers adjusted all the way in, it’s not ideal. When I mentioned this upon picking the bike up and getting fit to it, the LBS that sold it to me said ‘well… it’s not like you’re going to be shifting/braking in the drops anyway’. Really?! So, yeah… I’ve been riding it this way for 3 years.
Cable routing sucks on most aluminum aero road bars.
This is also good to know, thanks for the heads up.
On my road bike, I have the Bontrager Race Lite Aero aluminum bar that people above recommended.
On my gravel bike, I have the 3T Aeronova Team.
The reach on both bars is longer than your normal compact bar reach, but in my opinion that isn’t a bad thing. The 3t reach is a bit longer than the bontrager. With your hands on the tops (which is very comfortable on the flat surface of both these bars) you are in a comfortable position (if your fit is dialed in right). But then when you move to the hood, the extra reach will help get your body in a lower and more aero position. The aeronovas also have an additional “hump” on the corner between the hoods and the tops. For me, this is an additional comfortable position to rest my hands. Both of these bars have nicely shaped bends for the drops, in my opinion. Comfortable, and not ugly.
Both of these bars have enough room for clip-on aerobars, which was a really important thing to me. You said you’re interested in doing sprint tris on this bike, so that should be a good selling point for you.
Thanks, Rob. Since I do at least one draft-legal event a year, I haven’t actually bothered putting aerobars on this bike… they’re not allowed for age groupers in the draft-legal races. Really I should tape my bars/cables in a way that I could reasonably mount and remove them… that would be the sensible, non-lazy thing to do.
I changed my road bars out this winter to some with flat(ter) tops on them. I don’t know about any sort of aero benefit, but the comfort factor was definitely improved. I got the Zipp Service Course SL ergo variety. I like it.
