Flared drop bars
 

I am in the market for new bars on the Mongoose super graveler and lening towards a flared bar. With so many choices not sure of how they differ or actually what the benefits or this style is for the rider
who has one and how is it better. I have normal drops and need something wider and shallow

I recently put some Salsa Cowbell’s on my CX/gravel ride, and am really enjoying them so far. The time spent in the drops is much more comfortable and the extra flare does add a bit of leverage/control.

I picked these bars because they were not as aggressively flared as some of the other ‘dirt drops’ out there. I could see wanting something with more for a different kind of build down the road. There’s definitely a lot of choices these days.

Origin8 Gary OS sweep
Salsa Cowbell
Salsa Cowchipper

Start with these 3. Google them + Guitar Ted as he has reviews on all of them.

Ive had the Gary bars for 3 years now and really like them, but decided to try the Cowchipper bars. They ate too similar thojgh, so i will eventuay get some Cowbell bars this summer as they have less sweep and flare, but i think itll still be enough for me to like em.

The heavily flared bars are supposed to be set up so the drops are level with ground. This cants the brake levers in and down.
The reason for this is because the rider is supposed to ride in the drops for much of the time.
As a result, bars are often set higher than on paved road bikes.


With that said, i see a bunch of people with the bars set so the ramps are level. Defeats the purpose, but if they like it, then ok.



Splayed out drops help give the rider more control on unstable ground. This is the reason they are popular(well this, and marketing/look).

I recently moved to the Ritchey VentureMax (the cheaper COMP version) from a run of mill compact bar. Opened up my gravel bike experience. I have so much better control and comfort and only come out of the drops for a temporary change of pace. I move my hands around the "bio-bend" in them and drop area more than I come out of the drops themselves. The Venturemax is similar to the Cowchipper but slightly more reach and slightly less drop. I did exactly as @mstateglfr says above, raised my bar up one spacer and since I have short stubby fingers I position the shifters down and angled them in a little more so I could reach them better from the drops. I'd never switch back to regular bars.

Thanks guys. My bike feels ok but i lack leverage with the normal bars i have on it nice in road but on dirt / trails jumping stuff it is shaky. Gary bars looked good cheap

FSA Adventure! 12º sweep, very similar geometry to the Salsa Cowbell. But dirt cheap-- under $40-- I love mine.

Sidenote addendum...there are 3 different versions of cowbell that are all a bit different...

Easton EC70 AX are full carbon if you want to go that route...

Review: Easton EC70 AX Carbon Adventure Handlebars - Gravel Cyclist: The Gravel Cycling Experience


-Tim-

yep... 2 aluminum and 1 carbon version, which is new this year. the measurements are all the same though.

I’ll add that i got the Cowbell 3’s a few weeks before the new line showed up. Looks to be the same as the new, least expensive option.

Cowbell 3 has a different flare than cowbell 2 IIRC

I have On One Midge bars. I like them a lot, because 1) more leverage 2) don't bang forearms when it gets real rough, and 3) much more comfortable in the drops.

I end up spending roughly equal amounts of time in the drops, cross bar, and hoods.

I have bar end shifters, and I don't think I'd recommend On One Midge bars without them because the bars are kind of short without the extra extension provided by the barcons.

You are correct. I was looking at the new line up when I posted my comment. Those are all the same.

The older 2’s have a bit more drop/reach.

Huh- must be new. For years it was 2 offerings and they were identical in geometry. The differeence was weight due to material used.
Ill have take a new look.

Not really "new", but old. There's lots of NOS Cowbell handlebars out there--being made/distributed by QBP they're everywhere....I believe Salsa on their website rebranded the "Cowbell 3" as the "Cowbell", further confusing things-as the specs are identical.

I've got the Salsa Cowbell 3 on a bike and like the flare. I also like the shallow drop (easier on my aging back), but it leaves too little room for gripping the handlebar in the mid position, right under the brake levers -- the bar bends too abruptly at that spot.

The FSA bars have 12 % flare is that enough seems minor vs, normal but I nevered used a pair. Seem like some bars have more of a flare so unsure how hard core to go. The slight flare seems like a good start but really unsure and $50-70 aint cheap with new wrap so....I will try to do more homework.

12* flare for me is plenty. Note that spec is side flare not vertical flare of the drop...FSA doesn't specify the vertical flare. Some people like the crazy cowchipper/woodchippers, but to each their own.



Fit is a personal thing ofc. between flare, reach, drop, width, as well as rotation of the bar in the stem, and placement of the brifters on the bar, plus stem angle/length/stack....you have a dozen points of adjustment easy.


The FSA is listed for $40USD on their website BTW, which is cheaper than the Cowbell--but it has longer reach (80mm vs 68mm)

...and I picked up my FSA Adventure bar off of Amazon for $35. For me at least, the 12º is plenty-- but I have a 44cm bar, so they're like 53cm wide at the ends of the drops. Any wider would seem excessive.

I agree with the others. 12° is a lot.

Mine are 16° and they took a long time to get used to. The wide stance does open my chest though, and I feel breathing is easier when I'm going hard.

I had same dilemma with amount of flare and the size. In the end I went from a 400 compact that I rode the hoods 90% of the time to a 440 24° flare for $49 that I am in the drops 90% of the time and have no regrets. The hoods now is not ideal but the comfort and control in the drops more than makes up for it. Before I was always overly cautious around roots, bumps, downhill on loose and reluctant to hop or lift over things things without a clear line and planning from the hoods and I could never quite get a good reach on the brakes and still have a good grip from the drops. I've only been riding a drop bar for a little over a year and 4K miles so take my experience with a grain of salt.

I'm running the aluminum version of these bars, and have been really happy so far. My old bars also had 16 degrees of flare (from my old GT Grade), but I sized down to a 42 on the Eastons and find them very comfortable The drops extend longer, which was another complaint of my old bars. The AL version doesn't have the cable grooves, but so far that hasn't been an issue.

It makes breathing easier...OTOH if you live in the Great Plains with lots of surface wind, it makes your torso much more of a sail in a headwind. Hence why, this fall, I put the dork-bars on my own gravel rig.

We have Salsa Cowbell 2 and 3's mounted on a couple of bikes, and the Cowchipper mounted on a third. Like all of them. Has anybody tried Specialized's Hover 15 degree rise with flare (12 degree)? It is certainly priced decently at $55.

I've got the ugliest drop bars in the world on my all road bike. Soma Condor.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/792/4...6fb067de_b.jpg

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/789/3...ca554678_b.jpg

Luckily they are also the most comfortable off-road drop bars I've ever ridden.

I just picked up my completed Diverge upgrade from my LBS and one item I had them swap out were the OEM bars for these particular bars in 44cm. I've only ridden the bike a few times thus far due to travel, but I like position options and the shallow drop. The flare is subtle enough but gives an extra measure of leverage while on the drops. Still need to test them on some downhill runs on both pavement and gravel... This is the only pix thus far...
http://www.pbase.com/kramerkrause/im...0/original.jpg