Originally Posted by
TXBDan
Has anyone gone too far with flare and regretted it? My bike (Trek Checkpoint) is 85% commuter/pavement, but i'm interested in some shallower drop bars and like the idea of the flare ergonomically as well as for control. I'm leaning toward Cowbells (12deg) or Ritchey Evomax (12deg) or Easton AX (16deg) as they aren't as extreme. Would i regret not going for more?
I also have a Checkpoint, at first I wanted a little less reach and drop and some flare so I went with the Salsa Cowchipper and liked it, a few months later I switched to the Pro Discover Big Flare which has even less reach and drop and more flare and I loved it. Going from the stock Bontrager bar to the Cowchipper felt good but I also felt it could be a bit better, going for the Discover Big Flare was just that. I ride mostly off-road on stuff that's a bit rougher then the usual gravel roads I see people ride and just this weekend I rode on some technical singletrack and it felt very good. I feel like I can spend more time in the drops now and I have greater control of the bike. All handlebars are/were 42cm.
Pictured is the 42cm Pro Discover Big Flare on a 54cm Checkpoint ALR 4 with 2cm of spacers under the stem.
