Flat transition handlebar causing me personal existential crisis
Hi all,
I recently installed a Zipp Service Course 70 ergo handlebars to my bike because for years I´ve wanted to have that nice flat transition from the bar to the hoods cause I thought they looked cool. Now I got what I wanted as it´s completely flat. But after riding it for a couple of months, I´ve actually started to hate it and I´m already looking at other bars. I feel like I have to bend my wrists too much and I can´t get a safe grip on the hoods. It´s just too flat. I can´t twist the levers up because then I can´t reach the brake levers from the drops. I have the newest Sora rim brake levers. I´ve been road cycling for almost 20 years now. I think the flat transition thing was a fashion thing around 10 years ago. I´ve always admired the look, but now that I´ve finally tried it properly, it makes no sense to me anymore. (Of course I acknowledge this all depends on your personal position on the bike and I guess maybe there´s a fine line between flat and too flat) Does anyone else agree? What bars would you recommend? I think I want reasonably priced alloy bars that are short reach, shallow and lightweight, with a small curve to the brake levers. |
When you say you have to bend your wrist too much, which way?
Your handlebar has a 70 mm reach, which is a relatively short distance: Service Course 70 Ergo Handlebar | HB-DBSC-7E-B2 | Zipp (sram.com) What you should try first is to (a) rotate the handlebar (within the stem) so that the ends (i.e., where you insert the plugs) are closer to the saddle, and (b) mount the STI levers further up on the curve. This will shorten the effective reach of the handlebar. With reference to the portions of the handlebar described in Drop bar hand positions | BikeGremlin, there is no requirement for the ramps to be either parallel to the ground or lie perfectly flat with the rear of the hoods. Moreover, you may be able to slightly adjust the reach of your Sora STI levers: REACH ADJUST | SHIMANO BIKE COMPONENT |
Could we get a good side view of your stem/bar/shifters combination? That will help us a lot.
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
(Post 22648900)
When you say you have to bend your wrist too much, which way?
Your handlebar has a 70 mm reach, which is a relatively short distance: Service Course 70 Ergo Handlebar | HB-DBSC-7E-B2 | Zipp (sram.com) What you should try first is to (a) rotate the handlebar (within the stem) so that the ends (i.e., where you insert the plugs) are closer to the saddle, and (b) mount the STI levers further up on the curve. This will shorten the effective reach of the handlebar. With reference to the portions of the handlebar described in Drop bar hand positions | BikeGremlin, there is no requirement for the ramps to be either parallel to the ground or lie perfectly flat with the rear of the hoods. Moreover, you may be able to slightly adjust the reach of your Sora STI levers: REACH ADJUST | SHIMANO BIKE COMPONENT |
Originally Posted by RiddleOfSteel
(Post 22648910)
Could we get a good side view of your stem/bar/shifters combination? That will help us a lot.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7d180995ae.jpg |
These kind of things, for me, take some trial and error to get just right for the position I want. A couple of suggestions: move the brifters to a higher position on the curve, rotate the handlebar, slightly, so the flat area is a bit higher, shorten stem, maybe flip stem to a rise instead of drop. Do changes one at a time, in small increments. Little changes can make a large difference in comfort. I find having the flat, leading to the brifters, works better with a very slight rise to give my wrists a more neutral position.
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Bike looks great BTW.
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I'd say your saddle is too far forward, creating too much weight on your hands.
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No clue, because although we can see the bars, we cannot see the rider on the bike. Play with it is all i can suggest .... roll the bars upward and move the STIs back a little.
Or ...... and this is a good one .... Shorten the stem. |
Originally Posted by DaveSSS
(Post 22649010)
I'd say your saddle is too far forward, creating too much weight on your hands.
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Originally Posted by zastolj
(Post 22648918)
Sorry, should have done that in the first place, here you go!
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7d180995ae.jpg I see so many drop handlebars setup with the ramps aligned with the stem angle, such that the ends point more or less at the rear axle. |
I have kind of the same problem.. I will start with shorting the stem and see if it helps
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Originally Posted by zastolj
(Post 22648918)
Sorry, should have done that in the first place, here you go!
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7d180995ae.jpg There is a bit of leeway to the shifter placement, but as you rotate the shifter up and back, the actual lever distance from the drop/hooks becomes greater, so more difficult to reach with shorter hands/fingers... I believe there are levers which can be adjusted for reach ??? Not sure make/model... If unworkable, then there's always shortening the stem... certainly a better option than moving the saddle... Ride On Yuri |
Originally Posted by BTinNYC
(Post 22648975)
Bike looks great BTW.
I don’t know about that. The valve stems are not a 6 o’clock. 2 point demerit. I give it a “nice”. ;) The name of the bars has ‘ergo’ but they don’t sound no ergo to me if you have to bend your wrists funny. |
The first question I'd ask would be about reach - when you sit on the saddle, do your hands naturally fall to the hoods, or the ramps behind them? Do you feel like you have to reach out for the hoods, rather than that being the most natural place for your hands?
I have the same bar on my Bianchi, and what I find is the flat transition puts my wrists in a nice, neutral position, so I'm curious how you're bending your wrists. That, and when I'm on the hoods the neutral wrist allows my fingers to wrap around the hoods in a way that feels nice and secure, with one or two fingers on the brake lever. |
I have big hands. I bought a bike with these handlebars. There was no way that I could EVER reach the brake levers with my hands in the drops. They immediately went into the garbage.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c2050af568.jpg |
I use FSA Omega Compact bars, like 'em.
https://fullspeedahead-shop.kleecks-..._compact_1.jpg |
Originally Posted by genejockey
(Post 22650387)
The first question I'd ask would be about reach - when you sit on the saddle, do your hands naturally fall to the hoods, or the ramps behind them? Do you feel like you have to reach out for the hoods, rather than that being the most natural place for your hands?
I have the same bar on my Bianchi, and what I find is the flat transition puts my wrists in a nice, neutral position, so I'm curious how you're bending your wrists. That, and when I'm on the hoods the neutral wrist allows my fingers to wrap around the hoods in a way that feels nice and secure, with one or two fingers on the brake lever. |
Originally Posted by rsbob
(Post 22650324)
I don’t know about that. The valve stems are not a 6 o’clock. 2 point demerit. I give it a “nice”. ;)
The name of the bars has ‘ergo’ but they don’t sound no ergo to me if you have to bend your wrists funny. |
Originally Posted by zastolj
(Post 22651131)
Yeah, I see what you mean. My position on this bike is definitely long and I often find myself on the tops or the ramps. This old frame is really long too even though it´s nominally a small size.
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Originally Posted by zastolj
(Post 22651131)
Yeah, I see what you mean. My position on this bike is definitely long and I often find myself on the tops or the ramps. This old frame is really long too even though it´s nominally a small size.
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Originally Posted by DaveSSS
(Post 22649010)
I'd say your saddle is too far forward, creating too much weight on your hands.
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