Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Handlebars...

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Handlebars...

Old 04-09-21, 10:58 AM
  #1  
Badbird2000
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Badbird2000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Knoxville, Tn
Posts: 49

Bikes: Litespeed

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 27 Post(s)
Liked 15 Times in 6 Posts
Handlebars...

I just snapped my carbon fiber handlebars (see my other post). Never had to replace them before. Debating going with aluminum. I ride a Litespeed Tuscany in east Tennessee. I'm 5'-8", 160 lbs, not sure how i snapped these. I know it's not all that amazing power my 47 year old self is putting out. My old bars were flat on top, i liked that, it was comfortable. Any suggestions? Would like to stay around $200 or less.
Badbird2000 is offline  
Old 04-09-21, 11:21 AM
  #2  
oris
I like speed
 
oris's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Eastvale, CA
Posts: 219

Bikes: Cannondale SuperSix Hi Mod, Specialized Allez Sprint, Bottecchia Emme 4 SL

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 77 Post(s)
Liked 121 Times in 61 Posts
I'd take a look at the Zipp Service Course SL 70 or 80 Ergo if you like the flat tops.
oris is offline  
Likes For oris:
Old 04-09-21, 11:55 AM
  #3  
BurkinaVelo
Junior Member
 
BurkinaVelo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 11

Bikes: 1980 Trek 412, 1982 Trek 614, 1987 Peugeot Triathlon

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
I'll throw the Richey WCS Evocurves into the mix - they have an ovalized top section that's very comfortable.
BurkinaVelo is offline  
Likes For BurkinaVelo:
Old 04-09-21, 12:58 PM
  #4  
jfmckenna
Tiocfáidh ár Lá
 
jfmckenna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: The edge of b#
Posts: 5,475

Bikes: A whole bunch-a bikes.

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 460 Post(s)
Liked 123 Times in 76 Posts
You can get flat topped AL bars. That's what I would recommend. I think FSA still makes them.
jfmckenna is offline  
Old 04-09-21, 01:12 PM
  #5  
Koyote
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,761
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6880 Post(s)
Liked 10,867 Times in 4,633 Posts
Just like I suggested in your other thread. Did you search for these?
Koyote is offline  
Old 04-09-21, 01:31 PM
  #6  
Sy Reene
Advocatus Diaboli
 
Sy Reene's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,609

Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4716 Post(s)
Liked 1,526 Times in 997 Posts
At this price, this seems like a really nice alloy option:

https://www.merlincycles.com/deda-su...ars-94403.html
Sy Reene is offline  
Old 04-09-21, 03:11 PM
  #7  
SoSmellyAir
Method to My Madness
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 3,533

Bikes: Trek FX 2, Cannondale Synapse, Cannondale CAAD4, Santa Cruz Stigmata GRX

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1870 Post(s)
Liked 1,408 Times in 977 Posts
$200 for alloy handlebars!? The one below is $90. The description says carbon but based on the price, weight, and photos, I would say it is aluminum. The tops are flat.

Most Jaguar XA Di2 Compatible Handlebar | Competitive Cyclist
SoSmellyAir is offline  
Old 04-09-21, 03:21 PM
  #8  
Litespud
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Chapel Hill NC
Posts: 1,683

Bikes: 2000 Litespeed Vortex Chorus 10, 1995 DeBernardi Cromor S/S

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 645 Post(s)
Liked 797 Times in 446 Posts
Originally Posted by Badbird2000
I just snapped my carbon fiber handlebars (see my other post). Never had to replace them before. Debating going with aluminum. I ride a Litespeed Tuscany in east Tennessee. I'm 5'-8", 160 lbs, not sure how i snapped these. I know it's not all that amazing power my 47 year old self is putting out. My old bars were flat on top, i liked that, it was comfortable. Any suggestions? Would like to stay around $200 or less.
I got these - 3T Superergo Al bars - flat top, good transition to shifters, mild flare - very happy with them. I had some old Al Cinelli's on my Litespeed, but I figured that ~15 years was long enough for Al parts, and I wanted to get into the 31.8mm clamp standard for mounting accessories etc. IIRC, they were well under $100
Litespud is offline  
Old 04-09-21, 11:04 PM
  #9  
Kimmo 
bike whisperer
 
Kimmo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Melbourne, Oz
Posts: 9,533

Bikes: https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=152015&p=1404231

Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1520 Post(s)
Liked 716 Times in 508 Posts
For mine, the 3T Aeronova shape has blown away everything else - best-shaped tops imaginable.

The price for these is crazy though, too rich for my blood. Happily, a Chinese mob called Toseek has ripped them off, and you can get those for something like 10% of the price.

Sure, lots of folks will baulk at sub-$50, sub-250g bars, but I figured I'd just try to destroy them by hand before installing, and they seemed like they're up to it. Now I've got em on three bikes, haven't died yet.
Kimmo is offline  
Old 04-09-21, 11:52 PM
  #10  
SoSmellyAir
Method to My Madness
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 3,533

Bikes: Trek FX 2, Cannondale Synapse, Cannondale CAAD4, Santa Cruz Stigmata GRX

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1870 Post(s)
Liked 1,408 Times in 977 Posts
Originally Posted by Kimmo
For mine, the 3T Aeronova shape has blown away everything else - best-shaped tops imaginable.

The price for these is crazy though, too rich for my blood. Happily, a Chinese mob called Toseek has ripped them off, and you can get those for something like 10% of the price.

Sure, lots of folks will baulk at sub-$50, sub-250g bars, but I figured I'd just try to destroy them by hand before installing, and they seemed like they're up to it. Now I've got em on three bikes, haven't died yet.
I saw the 3T Aeronova handlebars on sale toward the end of 2020 and thought about them, but they have a swept forward shape that would require quite a stretch for me to reach the STI levers.
SoSmellyAir is offline  
Old 04-11-21, 02:29 AM
  #11  
Kimmo 
bike whisperer
 
Kimmo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Melbourne, Oz
Posts: 9,533

Bikes: https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=152015&p=1404231

Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1520 Post(s)
Liked 716 Times in 508 Posts
They don't have a big reach...

Kimmo is offline  
Old 04-11-21, 03:45 AM
  #12  
Dean V
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,853
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1067 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 259 Times in 153 Posts
Originally Posted by Kimmo
They don't have a big reach...

Yes they do.
Dean V is offline  
Old 04-11-21, 04:31 AM
  #13  
colnago62
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,433
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 741 Post(s)
Liked 412 Times in 230 Posts
Originally Posted by Sy Reene
At this price, this seems like a really nice alloy option:

https://www.merlincycles.com/deda-su...ars-94403.html
The problem with Merlin is that currently, they have a $25.00 flat fee shipping. They no longer have free shipping to the U.S.
colnago62 is offline  
Likes For colnago62:
Old 04-12-21, 12:17 AM
  #14  
Kimmo 
bike whisperer
 
Kimmo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Melbourne, Oz
Posts: 9,533

Bikes: https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=152015&p=1404231

Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1520 Post(s)
Liked 716 Times in 508 Posts
Originally Posted by Dean V
Yes they do.
If you say so... mine not so much, since I cut 40mm off the drops and rotated them forward a bit.
Kimmo is offline  
Old 04-12-21, 10:02 AM
  #15  
hubcyclist
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Boston
Posts: 2,199

Bikes: 2017 Raleigh RX 1.0, 2018 Specialized Allez

Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 471 Post(s)
Liked 631 Times in 336 Posts
Originally Posted by Kimmo
For mine, the 3T Aeronova shape has blown away everything else - best-shaped tops imaginable.

The price for these is crazy though, too rich for my blood. Happily, a Chinese mob called Toseek has ripped them off, and you can get those for something like 10% of the price.

Sure, lots of folks will baulk at sub-$50, sub-250g bars, but I figured I'd just try to destroy them by hand before installing, and they seemed like they're up to it. Now I've got em on three bikes, haven't died yet.
I'm intrigued by those, but then you've got this


might try and give it a try regardless if the cost is fairly nonsignificant
hubcyclist is offline  
Old 04-13-21, 01:46 PM
  #16  
colnago62
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,433
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 741 Post(s)
Liked 412 Times in 230 Posts
Originally Posted by hubcyclist
I'm intrigued by those, but then you've got this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF5A...yfDz0Y&index=9

might try and give it a try regardless if the cost is fairly nonsignificant
The cost won’t be insignificant if the bars fail on you. That type of failure usually ends up with a hospital visit, unless your Mathieu Van der Poel, his save was miraculous.
colnago62 is offline  
Old 04-13-21, 02:49 PM
  #17  
Jack Tone 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 598
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 389 Post(s)
Liked 255 Times in 165 Posts
These look nice to me. I might order a set:

https://www.amazon.com/Bontrager-VR-...94048640&psc=1
Jack Tone is offline  
Old 04-15-21, 11:01 AM
  #18  
Badbird2000
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Badbird2000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Knoxville, Tn
Posts: 49

Bikes: Litespeed

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 27 Post(s)
Liked 15 Times in 6 Posts
After 5 days of agonizing research on the web, i settled on a set of Ritchie WCS Carbon Streem II... yeah, i suck at staying on budget. Should come in next week, so hopefully i can get back on the road soon.
Badbird2000 is offline  
Old 04-16-21, 06:45 PM
  #19  
Kimmo 
bike whisperer
 
Kimmo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Melbourne, Oz
Posts: 9,533

Bikes: https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=152015&p=1404231

Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1520 Post(s)
Liked 716 Times in 508 Posts
Originally Posted by hubcyclist
I'm intrigued by those, but then you've got this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF5A...yfDz0Y&index=9

might try and give it a try regardless if the cost is fairly nonsignificant
Yeah, I usually mention the need for DIY QC when I recommend these bars...
Originally Posted by Kimmo
I bought a set of these Toseek Aeronova copies. At AU$40 delivered, I wasn't expecting much. Sure enough, the decals were a bit wonky, the wall thickness was all over the place, and worse, the angle of the last part of the drops differed when viewed from the side. But at the angle I wanted to mount them, that last part of the drops pointed up and was surplus to requirements... after cutting 38mm off one end and 40mm off the other, I couldn't see any more asymmetry no matter how hard I looked, so after some fettling they're fine on that score. The Aeronova shape is bloody awesome. Looks badass, and is super ergonomic. Weighed a hair over 220g after cutting.

But yeah, cheap carbon is a risk, so of course I tried to break them before fitting. And yeah, I heard a few fibres break, which at least indicates they don't test them. But perhaps it's not unusual for carbon parts to break a few fibres when first loaded, who knows? Any reputable brand would most likely test their carbon parts before you get them. Anyway, they flexed about as much as I'd expect given the (40cm) shape, weight, and price, no big deal. But initially I fit them to a Kalloy Uno (also cheap and light - 120mm @17°, 120g), and my front end was like overcooked pasta. So I splashed out on a Zipp stem weighing another 20g, and now it's al dente.

The internal routing would have been no biggie, except I was using Alligator i-link which made it an epic PITA. After a bit I upgraded to the far superior Jagwire Elite Link which was no problem. Although there's no room to cross the cables inside the bar which would have made them sit a little better between the bars and frame.

All in all, I found them to be an excellent buy, given the truly paltry sum in question. I bought two more pairs for my other bikes. Same asymmetry, sketchy wall thickness, initial breaking of fibres, and iffy decal application (the next couple of pairs had more subtle decals which look a lot better), and the weight varied by 10-15g. Also the process of choosing where to cut off the dodgy bits was painstaking (if you cut the same amount off each end it won't be quite right), but hey, US$30, FFS.

By the way, the comment above about weight as a percentage of total isn't on the money, because you notice weight differently on different parts of the bike. For acceleration it's tyres and tubes then rims. For standing on the bike, it's the seat and then the other parts at the top of the bike. The bars count for that, but also because they're pivoting off the headset you notice it as well in low speed turns and trackstands, and just wheeling the bike around. Losing 100g off your bars is going to make a much more perceptive difference than losing 100g from your cranks.
Kimmo is offline  
Old 04-16-21, 10:03 PM
  #20  
ARPRINCE
Senior Member
 
ARPRINCE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: 38° 53' 51.635" N 77° 2' 11.507" W
Posts: 863

Bikes: 2021 Tern Verge X11 + Cannondale 2016 CAAD12 eTap + 2011 Synapse Alloy 5 Ultegra

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 150 Post(s)
Liked 24 Times in 16 Posts
Originally Posted by Kimmo
For mine, the 3T Aeronova shape has blown away everything else - best-shaped tops imaginable.
I agree and reason why I bought one as well! LTD 40cm 199gm.

ARPRINCE is offline  
Old 04-17-21, 12:02 AM
  #21  
Kimmo 
bike whisperer
 
Kimmo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Melbourne, Oz
Posts: 9,533

Bikes: https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=152015&p=1404231

Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1520 Post(s)
Liked 716 Times in 508 Posts
Originally Posted by ARPRINCE
I agree and reason why I bought one as well! LTD 40cm 199gm.

Hey, another guy rocking Red shifting with DA brakes. High five.

Lol, you've even got Jagwire Elite too
Kimmo is offline  
Old 04-17-21, 04:18 AM
  #22  
Greatestalltime
Full Member
 
Greatestalltime's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 286

Bikes: Tcr advanced sl & Protos

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 116 Post(s)
Liked 60 Times in 33 Posts
Originally Posted by colnago62
The problem with Merlin is that currently, they have a $25.00 flat fee shipping. They no longer have free shipping to the U.S.
Yep. I’ve spent more thousands there than my wife needs to know and now this shipping charge is killing me.

Ive talked to them and they don’t know why it began or when/if it’ll end. If the shipping was a little lower their prices would still beat most places.

It appears they no longer ship bikes here either. At all.
Greatestalltime is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.