Old 03-03-19, 09:36 AM
  #24  
Super D
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: San Diego
Posts: 227

Bikes: Canyon Road, Argon18 TT, DF Track

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Reporting back on this. I didn't come to a conclusion on exact reach and drop yet (not settled on my frame size, so that's in the mix as well), so I'm experimenting with geometry in the front end. This way I can figure out where I need to be fit-wise in the long-term, then will buy the bar and stem I'll stick with (and can sink more money into both as needed). I'm currently running my third bar/stem set, the Zipp SC SL 80 (80mm reach, 125mm drop) in a 38cm width. And I went from original 110 to 130 to now 140mm in the stem, using the 3T Apto.

Impressions are:
  • This bar and stem geometry narrows my hands and arms versus where I was, but raises them as well. Better arm and hand aero positions.
  • No issues with breathing, extending with the longer stem and decent reach with the bar keeps an open easy-breathing feeling. (I run a 44cm on my road bike, but now will switch to narrower and longer setup on my next one.)
  • Leverage with narrower bar is fine for starts, feels stable.
  • Got used to this setup within a few laps, feels very natural.
  • Now with the longer stem, I'm legal for sprints, but not for mass starts. Dammit, need a longer frame, knew that was going to happen.
  • The backside bolt heads on the 3T Apto stem are the result of a poor design. No way to get a torque wrench on them without angling.
  • The flat hand position section in the drops on this bar feel very natural. I much prefer this to a constant radius.
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