# Any drop bars more suited to SRAM shifters?



## asad137

One thing I'm noticing with my new bike (with Rival) is that when the handlebars are set in a position to make riding on the hoods comfortable (which, for me, is having them slightly angled up), the angle of the handlebars makes the drop position more uncomfortable. My hunch is that this is due to the design of the SRAM shifters where they are supposed to be installed to make the hood tops flush with the top of the bars (compared to installations with Shimano shifters where the bar is generally tilted down more).

Are there any ergo bars out there that have a more acute angle between the tops and the drops (as viewed from the side) than a standard ergo bar? For reference, I'm riding a Neuvation F100 with its stock handlebar.

Asad


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## gibson00

Easton EC90 SLX3


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## asad137

gibson00 said:


> Easton EC90 SLX3


Heh, yep, those are some that I've found. Unfortunately, I don't really want or need carbon bars, and I'd like to spend less than the EC90's cost. I'm looking for an alloy version with similar geometry.

Asad


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## XR4Ti

What's your budget? You can check out the Profile Design Cobra drop bar. Yes it's carbon, but I found mine for < $100, anatomic shape, internal cable routing, and ergo-flat tops.


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## asad137

XR4Ti said:


> What's your budget? You can check out the Profile Design Cobra drop bar. Yes it's carbon, but I found mine for < $100, anatomic shape, internal cable routing, and ergo-flat tops.


My budget's around $100. Did you get yours new or used? Their alloy Aris drop bar seems similar too.

Asad


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## XR4Ti

asad137 said:


> My budget's around $100. Did you get yours new or used? Their alloy Aris drop bar seems similar too.
> 
> Asad


New off ebay from a HK vendor. Perfect condition. I think I paid ~$92.


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## Cleaner

*3T Ergonova works*

I just completed a new bike built with the Ergonova aluminum bar which I picked up for $70. The SRAM red shifters have a range of mounting positions that work without sticking up above the top of the bar creating a step.


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## PlatyPius

I had that problem with all shifters, not just SRAM.

I use an FSA Pro Wing Compact bar. Shallow drop, flat drops when angled for hood-riding comfort, and just plain comfortable.


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## ktuck

I just bought my second FSA Wing Pro Compact to put on my new bike. The transition with Campy shifters was tricky to get just right, but I'm expecting them to work great with my new Force shifters.

http://spedr.com/451i0
http://spedr.com/2zgl0


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## wrshultz

*3T Ergonova Pro*



Cleaner said:


> I just completed a new bike built with the Ergonova aluminum bar which I picked up for $70. The SRAM red shifters have a range of mounting positions that work without sticking up above the top of the bar creating a step.


Cleaner - Can you post a pic of your 3T Ergonova's installed on your bike? Thanks, Bill


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## ktuck

wrshultz said:


> Cleaner - Can you post a pic of your 3T Ergonova's installed on your bike? Thanks, Bill


 If I remember correctly, visiting a shop that had a Cervelo with the Ergonovas got me interested in a shallow compact bar. Here's one with SRAM:

https://grafot.com/velosport.fi/images/R3-SRAM-RED_001.jpg


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## Cleaner

*Pics added to my initial reply above*

top and side view pics uploaded


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## asad137

Thanks, Cleaner. I think I'm either going to get the Ergonova Pro's or the FSA Wing Compacts. Hmmm, decisions, decisions.

Asad


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## ktuck

If you need a 42cm bar, and if you're available within the next four hours, and if you want a good deal on a carbon bar, there's an FSA K- Force Carbon Handlebar (same shape as Wing Pro) currently at only $53 on eBay. Item number 150373140034.

I'd get them (and return my new Wing Pro's) but I need a 44 cm bar.


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## asad137

Thanks for the heads-up, ktuck. I ordered a Wing 40cm, but given that FSA compact bars are measured c-c from the ends of the drops and they flare outward (see http://www.fullspeedahead.com/downloadfly.aspx?download=downloads/Tech_CompactBar.pdf ) maybe 42cm is more appropriate. Hmmm.

EDIT: I won them for $81.

Asad


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## ktuck

asad137 said:


> ... I won them for $81.


I'm jealous! Great price.

I'm normally a 42, but use a 44 in the Pro Wing.


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## mimason

+1 3t


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## asad137

I just got the FSA K-force today and installed them tonight. Haven't gone for a ride yet, but they look to be just the ticket. Thanks again for the tip on the eBay auction, ktuck!

Asad


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## paul l

Just to give you a price perspective. Here on Treasure Island (as internationla manufacturers sometimes call the UK) FSA bars from a competitive retailer will cost £110 for 2008 K-Force, £140 for latest K-Force and £160 for SLK. Convert that into USD and your bars were unbelievably cheap.

I have the aluminium K Wing Pro on my steel and carbon bikes for the shallow drops and comfortable flat tops. I noticed the angle difference mentioned on my Rival hoods in comparison to my old 7700 Dura Ace hoods but soon settled into it. In fact, I can really get a good grip and pull the bars into me when trying to put in some power. Once reach is okay for us I think we get used to any of them.


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## asad137

Yeah, I realize I definitely got a great deal. They seem to be around $250 new from most US retailers.

Asad


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## davidka

The Bontrager "VR" bend works very well with the SRAM stuff. I had mine on a Modolo bar and when the hoods were rotated far enough up the hooks to be comfortable the brake levers were hard to reach from the drops. With the Bontrager bar the hoods are where I want them and the brakes fall right under my fingers in the drops. Best bend I've used and available in aluminum (Race Lite) and carbon (Race XXX Lite).


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## haydos

Deda Zero 100 is almost the same bend as the SLX3. But in alloy and way cheaper


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## asad137

FYI all, I've gone on a few rides with the K-Force and they're grrrrrrrreat! But thanks everyone for their suggestions!

Asad


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## ssing20

davidka said:


> The Bontrager "VR" bend works very well with the SRAM stuff. I had mine on a Modolo bar and when the hoods were rotated far enough up the hooks to be comfortable the brake levers were hard to reach from the drops. With the Bontrager bar the hoods are where I want them and the brakes fall right under my fingers in the drops. Best bend I've used and available in aluminum (Race Lite) and carbon (Race XXX Lite).


+1 on the Bontrager VR bend. I have the Race Lite aluminum version. No complaints. FYI, I have short stubby fingers and had to move the reach adjust as close to the bar as possible on my '09 Rival shifters. I really like the transition from the bar flats to the hoods. Nice and smooth.


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## b24fsb

im a big fan of the shimano PRO bars. i got the stealth bar stem combo and LOVE it!


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## frdfandc

Here is a pic of my Ritchey Pro Logic Wet Black bar in 42cm with 2010 SRAM Force.


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## Don4

Cleaner said:


> I just completed a new bike built with the Ergonova aluminum bar which I picked up for $70. The SRAM red shifters have a range of mounting positions that work without sticking up above the top of the bar creating a step.


.
I realize I'm reviving this thread after a year, but....

It appears your shifters are canted inboard...especially compared to the Red shifters on my Felt F3 as it was delivered. Does this improve comfort? My LBS mention that some people prefer this, but we decided to give a try the way it came first. I sometimes experience numbness in my fingers since getting this bike, and am trying to find a solution to improve on that.

Thanks,
-- Don4


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## AvantDale

Have you tried switching hand positions every few mins?

Could also be related to your bike fit too...


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## Don4

AvantDale said:


> Have you tried switching hand positions every few mins?
> 
> Could also be related to your bike fit too...


I have been trying rotating through various hand position, but am having trouble finding good ones on the handlebars on this bike. I've only had the Felt F3 since the middle of September. Prior to that I was riding a 1983 Trek with Modolo handlebars that had a much larger radius as the bar transitioned from the stem to brake levers. It seemed I had four different positions I could rotate thru: hoods, the crossbar, the drops, and somewhere on that radius. The bars on the Felt have a shorter drop (front to back - less space for the hand, so I don't feel as much in control there), the radius I talked about is muuch tighter, so that's not a good spot anymore either. So I'm stuck with the crossbar and the hoods. 

Writing this, it becomes apparent to me that maybe I need to consider different bars! And most likely in combination with revisiting fit as well. I'm now on a 54cm frame, whereas the Trek was a 22.5" (57.15 cm approx). I also notice that I am not as stretched out as I used to be; I actually feel like the cockpit is too tight (short) when I'm in the drops. I currently have a 100 mm stem, so I have some room to tune.

So, with all that on the table...any thoughts?


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## AvantDale

How much is your saddle to bar drop? Thats is a pretty big difference in size from the Trek to Felt. Try a longer stem? Maybe its not the bars...seems more like your fit.


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## Don4

AvantDale said:


> How much is your saddle to bar drop? Thats is a pretty big difference in size from the Trek to Felt. Try a longer stem? Maybe its not the bars...seems more like your fit.


You could be right.  Took some measurements and some pictures:

*NEW BIKE: 2011 Felt F3, 54 cm frame -- two confortable hand positions, finger numbness can be an issue.*

6.1 cm - Saddle to bar drop
69.5 cm - Center of Seat Post Clamp to Center of Handlebars
Slope = 5.02 degrees
10 cm - Center of Handlebar to base of brake hood (vertical stop)
-3.5 cm - drop from top of bar to base of brake hood. (3.5 cm of rise)
2.6 cm - Saddle to Brake Hood drop
79.5 cm - Center of seat post clamp to base of brake hoods
Slope = 1.87 degrees
89 cm - Saddle to pedal at BDC (Bottom Dead Center)
40 cm - Handlebar width.
100 cm - Stem Length
+7 degrees - Stem Angle
545 mm - Effective Top Tube Length *(Added 11/21/10)*
389 mm - Reach *(Added 11/21/10)*
526 mm - Stack *(Added 11/21/10)*
73.0 degrees - Head tube Angle *(Added 11/21/10)*
73.5 degrees - Seat tube Angle *(Added 11/21/10)*
16 mm - Seat post setback *(Added 11/21/10)*

Can only find two confortable hand positions - meaning immediately comfortable...good hand to bar contact for control. Top of bars and on the hoods. Drops work as a third, but seem to be too close, but then my point of reference is the Trek. Experience some numbness. Usually start out without gloves, but bring them along. Started this because originally, wearing gloves on this bike, as I was accustomed to doing, I had numbness in 10 minutes.
View attachment 216852
View attachment 216853


*OLD BIKE: 1983 Trek 700, 22.5" (57.15cm) frame -- four confortable hand positions, no issues. Always rode with gloves.*

4.8 cm - Saddle to bar drop
69 cm - Center of Seat Post Clamp to Center of Handlebars *(Corrected 11/21/10. Was 79 cm. Forgot I had started measuring @ 10 cm on the tape.)*
Slope = 3.98 degrees *(Corrected 11/21/10 for error above)*
12.7 cm - Center of Handlebar to base of brake hood (vertical stop)
4 cm - drop from top of bar to base of brake hood. (4 cm of add'l drop)
8.8 cm - Saddle to Brake Hood drop
81.7 cm - Center of seat post clamp to base of brake hoods *(Corrected 11/21/10 for error above)*
Slope = 6.17 degrees *(Corrected 11/21/10 for error above*
89 cm - Saddle to pedal at BDC (Bottom Dead Center)
39.5 cm - Handlebar width.
100 cm - Stem Length
-17 degrees - Stem Angle
560 mm - Effective Top Tube Length *(Added 11/21/10)*
401 mm - Reach *(Added 11/21/10)*
579 mm - Stack *(Added 11/21/10)*
73.5 degrees - Head tube Angle *(Added 11/21/10)*
73.5 degrees - Seat tube Angle *(Added 11/21/10)*
19 mm - Seat post setback *(Added 11/21/10)*

I felt fine on this bike, but always felt too stretched out when I was on the hoods.
View attachment 216849
View attachment 216850


*THE OTHER BIKE: 2002 Gary Fisher Tassahara, "Medium" frame -- one hand position.  *

0 cm - Saddle to bar drop (flat)
74 cm - Center of Seat Post Clamp to Center of Handlebars
Slope = 0 degrees
86.5 cm - Saddle to pedal at BDC (Bottom Dead Center). Apparently my saddle is too low

Included for reference. Not really trying to troubleshoot this one. Issues with numbness. Alternate hand position -- off bar and rotating wrist to alleviate stress.  
View attachment 216851


Ok. Essay complete. I think maybe a bit more stem length on the Felt would help, to your point. Anything useful here?

Thanks,

-- Don4


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## AvantDale

You can try rotating the bars to a similar fashion to your old setup. 

By your measurements...the "reach" on the Felt is 10cm shorter. Thats a big difference. I've read that a stem that is too short can cause excessive pressure on your hands.

Do you know the top tube length difference?

Any reason why you sized down so much?

If you were comfortable on the old bike...try and get those numbers onto the new bike.

The Felt looks cool though!

I don't know if you've seen this thread...if not it may help you out.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=232153


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## kbwh

Just for reference Thor Hushovd's setup. The bar is the trad drop 3T Rotundo.










...and Bert Contador's. Don't know these bars, though.


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## Don4

AvantDale said:


> You can try rotating the bars to a similar fashion to your old setup.
> 
> By your measurements...the "reach" on the Felt is 10cm shorter. Thats a big difference. I've read that a stem that is too short can cause excessive pressure on your hands.
> 
> Do you know the top tube length difference?
> 
> Any reason why you sized down so much?
> 
> If you were comfortable on the old bike...try and get those numbers onto the new bike.
> 
> The Felt looks cool though!
> 
> I don't know if you've seen this thread...if not it may help you out.
> 
> http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=232153


So, about my ability to measure...what can I say?! Every thing was fine EXCEPT the center of seat post clamp to center of handlebar measurement on the Trek, where I was 10 cm too long. Balancing a 5 ft level while trying to measure with a measuring tape is not something I should try to do alone. Forgot to correct for starting at 10 cm on the tape....

Anyway, went back and corrected all the affected measurement and recalculated the relevant angles.

Added effective top tube lengths (560 mm Trek vs 545 mm Felt, so 15 mm difference) and these are manufacturer's measurements in both cases. So while they are different, not nearly what I was suggesting earlier.

Also added the following additional info for both bikes: Reach, Stack, Headtube and Seattube Angles, and Seatpost Setback. Don't know if they will contribute anything for sure, but I'm an accountant, so I'm throwing numbers at it! Actually, the fact that I am an accountant and spend like 50 hours on a computer keyboard every week is probably not helping this whole issue, but I think it is only a contributing factor, since one bike is impacting me more than the other.

I did go and take a look at that thread, and while I had scanned it before, it made more sense to me this time around, since I'm focused on topic. As did the thread that is referred to within THAT thread, which I had somehow missed before.

As to why I picked the size frame I did: While this 1983 Trek is not the one I bought off the floor in 1983 when I was in college, it is the same size, and very similar geometry to the one I bought then. When I bought it the shop's idea of fitting the bike was the old standover test. If the boys can clear the top tube and we have it in stock, you are golden! This shop also focused on ski's in the winter, and in general was more of an outdoor activities outfitter than a proper bike shop, and they still are. They, in fact, have beach volleyball courts just outside the store. I wouldn't buy a bike from them today.

This time around, I went to an actual Bike Shop, where they made a reasonable attempt to fit me to the proper size bike. Essentially, they used the Competitive Cyclist Fit Calculator, and that pointed us to the 54cm size for the Felt F3. I will note that they came to this size MUCH more scientifically than another local Felt shop, where the guy eyeballed me and said "I'm pretty sure you need a 54cm". He confirmed his hypothesis with having me do the ol' standover test on a customer ordered 54 cm F5, which has the same geometry. This shop, by the way, has a Serotta Sizing Cycle within view of the front door of the shop....

So that is how I ended up with the bike I have. The F-series geometry was 100% my choice, and I took a wild leap of faith that it would work, as there were no 2011 (new design) frames available to test ride / fit when I ordered it. But having ridden several bikes (Cervelo RS, Cervelo R3, Cannondale Six, Cannondale Synapes, Look 565, a Felt AR2, and a few others, I always came back to preferring the more aggressive geometries.

May or may not have been the wise choice in the end!

That said, I love my Felt F3, so I'll start by tuning it to fit me, and hopefully, I'll find the right combination.

I'll start by rotating the bars down to at least level. While I haven't measured it (and won't, promise!), it looks like they are almost a straight extension of the stem's +7 degree angle. That upward tilt would, I think, tend to cock my wrists, which is just going to be made worse by any weight I then put into it.

I'm probably going to have to experiment with this on the trainer, as right now I'm off the road due to a Felt fork recall. The _good_ news in that is I'm getting a new fork...which may provide additional stacker opportunity (I've read your signature - and it is striking remarkably close to home!  ) IF I find I can't find a solution any other way. The LBS I bought the Felt from has a Lifetime Fitting guarantee, so I just may take advantage that free service to get this tuned in. Just been busy, they are an hour away, and I can only get down to them on Saturdays.


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## Don4

kbwh said:


> ...and Bert Contador's. Don't know these bars, though.


Bert, eh? I like that!

Thanks for posting these pics. It's good to see different setups, partially because it shows what is possible with the new (I say new -- new to me!) extended hood profiles. I know on Felt's website, the F3, for instance, the bar is almost horizontal. Kinda shocked me when I compared it to the picture of how mine is set up -- as I hadn't really noticed that mine wasn't horizontal...hmmmm.

By the way, I'm not an expert on handlebar profiles, but I'm really good at searching the internet. I believe Bert's (lol) handlebars are FSA Wing Pro Compact, 42cm (c-c).

Found that here: https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/pro-bike-alberto-contadors-astana-specialized-s-works-tarmac-sl3. I even think the tire in the background on your pic will match up to the bus in the background on this site.


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## AvantDale

Getting down to the bike shop for the fit is going to be your best bet. 

All anybody over the web can do is to give suggestions...and they may not all be good! 

First thing I noticed on your bike was how erect your bars are. :cornut: 

Check back after getting the fit. :thumbsup:


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## Andrea138

Don4 said:


> _photos_


Level your saddle and try again.


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## Don4

AvantDale said:


> Getting down to the bike shop for the fit is going to be your best bet.
> 
> All anybody over the web can do is to give suggestions...and they may not all be good!
> 
> First thing I noticed on your bike was how erect your bars are. :cornut:
> 
> Check back after getting the fit. :thumbsup:


Will do! It didn't hit me how upright they were until I took a picture and posted here. The forums are a great place for getting ideas.


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## Don4

Andrea138 said:


> Level your saddle and try again.


Fair enough. That could be a contributing factor. But how I do I define "level"? The saddle's a Specialized Alias 143. It's mostly "flat", but not completely. In fact, the high points on the saddle are the nose and the tail. As currently installed, and pictured, if I base "level" on the very back edge (the high point at the tail) and the high point on the nose of the saddle, I have about 1/8" (a bit over 3 mm) variance front to back when measured with a level. If I compare the point where my sit bones hit (without actually compressing the saddel) to the high point on the nose of the saddle, I'm only about 2 mm out of level. That's not a lot. And that's assuming those are the correct points.

Thanks,

-- D4


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## MShaw

PlatyPius said:


> I had that problem with all shifters, not just SRAM.
> 
> I use an FSA Pro Wing Compact bar. Shallow drop, flat drops when angled for hood-riding comfort, and just plain comfortable.


I'll second that. Add to it the regular Wing bar too.

Next up for me tho: Ergosum.

M


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## mimason

*These? *



MShaw said:


> Next up for me tho: Ergosum.
> 
> M



3T Ergosum Limited - Sram Red shifters

foggy day in Clermont, FL


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## MarvinK

I think SRAM shifters work great with shallow drop bars, like the 3Ts. Personally, I use the Bontrager VR bend (similar) on both my Cross and Road bikes, and they work great.


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