# Handlebar dilemma



## matchmaker (Aug 15, 2009)

About half a year ago I bought my first compact handlebar (Deda RHM02) I am rather a traditionalist, but after having read about this type of bend I did think it made sense. And effectively, I must say this is a huge improvement over classic bars that create certain angles in which you get an uncomfortable hand and wrist position.

Now, I think it is time to also get my other bike a compact. I could obviously get another Deda RHM02 but as it is gloss black and my bike is a classic steel frame I don't know if it is going to look okay.

There are some compact bars in aluminum available: 
- Ritchey Curve Classic, 73 reach, 128 drop, about $60 to $70 
- Soma Highway One, 75 reach, 130 drop, about $30 to $40

The Soma would be the obvious choice for the price, however these bars have round tops while the Deda RHM02, has flat (or wing) tops. I would have never thought I would like these flat tops, as I am such a traditionalist, but they have turned out to be great. I can have a comfortable hand position on the tops, and even sometimes just rest my forearms on them, in an almost time trial position and ride a couple of kilometers like that, without feeling the edge of the bar, which would be the case on a round top style bar.

Unfortunately there seem to be no wing top style handlebars in aluminum. So I was mainly thinking of the FSA wing compact, as it seems they are available in matte black, have flat tops and a compact bend radius.

But before buying I would like to know certain details: 
Is the black on these bars really matte? I seem to see two versions, one black matte and one gloss black. Does it depend on the year of production whether they are black or matte?

Do the flat sections on the tops extend all the way to the sides? From images I get the impression that the wings do not really run all the way on the tops.

I also gather these bars flare, so I was thinking of taking a size bigger, i.e. 44 so I have at least 42 beween the hoods. If you mount the STIs on these bars will they straight or slightly pointing to the sides?


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## DrSmile (Jul 22, 2006)

I don't use any of those bars, but every now and then the Easton EC90 SLX3 compact carbon handlebars (75mm reach, 130mm drop) can be found on sale for around $100. So far I've bought 3 of them and the improvement in vibration dampening and comfort have made me abandon all aluminum bar versions. YMMV.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

matchmaker said:


> Unfortunately there seem to be no wing top style handlebars in aluminum. So I was mainly thinking of the FSA wing compact, as it seems they are available in matte black, have flat tops and a compact bend radius.
> 
> But before buying I would like to know certain details:
> Is the black on these bars really matte? I seem to see two versions, one black matte and one gloss black. Does it depend on the year of production whether they are black or matte?
> ...


The FSA wing is matte and the Wing Pro is gloss black or white. The flat or wing dies off at the bends forward and the trasnition is flat. There is no flare and the brake levers are straight when mounted properly.

They are really nice and comfy bars.


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## redondoaveb (Jan 16, 2011)

Actually, the FSA's do flare. I have 44's and they are 44cm's center to center at the bar ends and are 42cm's center to center on the hoods.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

redondoaveb said:


> Actually, the FSA's do flare. I have 44's and they are 44cm's center to center at the bar ends and are 42cm's center to center on the hoods.


You are right. I dont think of that being flared but it is.

In my defense I think of dirt drops as flared, Salsa Woodchippers or whatever their cross bars are. Maybe old rando bars offa old Schwinn. :thumbsup:


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## matchmaker (Aug 15, 2009)

tihsepa said:


> The FSA wing is matte and the Wing Pro is gloss black or white. The flat or wing dies off at the bends forward and the trasnition is flat. There is no flare and the brake levers are straight when mounted properly.
> 
> They are really nice and comfy bars.


Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I guess the right decision is buying these bars. Too bad they do not exist in silver, but at least they meat the requirements of being compact and have flat tops. Matte black looks better to me on classic bikes. Gloss is too strong.


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## matchmaker (Aug 15, 2009)

redondoaveb said:


> Actually, the FSA's do flare. I have 44's and they are 44cm's center to center at the bar ends and are 42cm's center to center on the hoods.


That confirms me in thinking that a 44 would be better for me. I like having 42 c-t-c between the hoods. I am not too wild about the flare, but as it is modest and the shifters can be mounted straight, I do not think I will mind.


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## 88 rex (Mar 18, 2008)

FWIW, I have a 42 cm WCS Ritchey Evo Curve (matte black) sitting on the shelf that I'd be willing to sell. It's a great bar and easily one of my favorites for the road. However, I parted out my road bike and only have a CX bike which I prefer Salsa Cowbells on. I was hoping to build another road bike in the future and use the Evo Curves, but the reality is that isn't going to happen. 

They aren't "winged" but are ovalised and remain "fat" until the bend. Really really comfy bar to ride on the tops. Someone who borrowed my bike thought I had extra padding on the tops and all I had was normal bar tape. 

Ritchey Logic - Road - Bars - WCS EvoCurve

Ritchey Logic - Road - Bars - WCS EvoCurve - Wet Black


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

88 rex said:


> FWIW, I have a 42 cm WCS Ritchey Evo Curve (matte black) sitting on the shelf that I'd be willing to sell. It's a great bar and easily one of my favorites for the road. However, I parted out my road bike and only have a CX bike which I prefer Salsa Cowbells on. I was hoping to build another road bike in the future and use the Evo Curves, but the reality is that isn't going to happen.
> 
> They aren't "winged" but are ovalised and remain "fat" until the bend. Really really comfy bar to ride on the tops. Someone who borrowed my bike thought I had extra padding on the tops and all I had was normal bar tape.
> 
> ...


I actually use that bar also. I like it a little more on account of the slight backsweep also. Nice bar. I am hoping santa gets mea set of the red ones this year.


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## 88 rex (Mar 18, 2008)

tihsepa said:


> I actually use that bar also. I like it a little more on account of the slight backsweep also. Nice bar. I am hoping santa gets mea set of the red ones this year.




Yes, the little sweep back is nice. I think my dream bar would be if the Evo Curve mated with a Cowbell. I like the flair on the Cowbells, even for the road, and I really like the ovalized fat top of the Evo Curve.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Have been skimming so forgive me if I'm restating:

The 3T Ergonova Pro is aluminium, compact, has oval tops, and flares.
3T Cycling - ERGONOVA


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## velominati (Nov 23, 2011)

kbwh said:


> Have been skimming so forgive me if I'm restating:
> 
> The 3T Ergonova Pro is aluminium, compact, has oval tops, and flares.
> 3T Cycling - ERGONOVA


+1 on the Ergonova.


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## 88 rex (Mar 18, 2008)

kbwh said:


> Have been skimming so forgive me if I'm restating:
> 
> The 3T Ergonova Pro is aluminium, compact, has oval tops, and flares.
> 3T Cycling - ERGONOVA


That' a good option too. It was on my list for bars I wanted to try. Unfortunately I never got a chance to really try'em beyond playing with them at the shop. The weight weenie in me took over when I found the Evo Curve. The Ergonova is on the heavier side (326g). Evo Curve is listed at 250g. The flair is nice though on the Ergonova.


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## matchmaker (Aug 15, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions. I think the Ritchey EvoCurve and the Ergonova are valid options. I actually already considered them myself. However, the price is a bit higher than the FSA wing compact and given the fact that I am not a weight weenie, price is an important consideration.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I really like the little flare on my FSA compacts, although I wish I'd gone one size bigger because of it.

I sometimes bang my wrists into the corners of the bars with bars with shallow drops, especially those awful "anatomical" shapes with sharp angles and flat sections every which way. The little flare gives me a little extra room, which I like, and a little extra leverage when I'm sprinting but not when I cruising. Which I also think is cool.


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## rgordin (Oct 22, 2010)

Does this fit what you are considering? I have them and they are very comfortable (and a bargain): Specialized Bicycle Components : Expert Alloy Shallow Bend Handlebar I picked mine up at my LBS. As I recall, the weight is good when compared with other aluminum bars.


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## matchmaker (Aug 15, 2009)

I know I am digging up my own old thread, but I thought it would be interesting for future compact handlebar buyers to have some follow-up on my experiences.

I ended up buying both the silver Soma Highway One compact handlebar in 42cm and the (supposedly matte black) FSA Wing Compact in 44cm. So here I will do a little comparative review:

Soma Highway One:
Very classy, high-polish look. Nice and good compact handlebar but I missed the ovalized tops my Deda RHM02 had. I put some gel pads on the Soma but they only made the bar fatter, not flatter (no pun intended).

FSA Wing Compact
First and for all, the matte black as was advertised isn't really matte black in my eyes. It is rather a sort of flat black with a clearcoat that gives it a low gloss, if that makes any sense. The shape is fine, drops are okay, and the flare-out goes almost unnoticed. The flats are flatter than what I personally like: ovalized tops, but I can live with that. The one thing I struggled with is the narrowness of the tops. Even though I had ordered a 44 instead of my usual 42 to compensate for the flare-out, I feel the tops are too narrow. The reason for this is that the curve from the top to the ramps is not sharp enough for my liking. It reduces the effective width you can use. Deda compacts have an almost square angle from tops to ramps and that means you can put your hand on the tops all over the width of the handlebars, feeling very stable. With the FSA Wing Compact there is not such a stable, wide grip, as the curve takes about an inch away on each side, so you end up cramped on the tops.

Conclusion: I bought a Deda Zero 100 Dark Metal Polish. I guess I have a few hardly used handlebars to sell now.


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## RoadBoy1 (Oct 1, 2011)

OP, and everybody else:

Can we have some clarification on terms here? I have been riding for a long time and when I think of a "Classic" handlebar I think of something like the Cinelli 64 from back in the 1970 era. Ritchey has re-introduced a handlebar with a "classic" profile (I think they actually have two or three in their lineup).

When I think of an "Ergo" bar I think of an ITM, Deda, or a Ritchey bar which started to get popular in the 1990 time frame.

This Classic Curve handlebar looks nice but it is not technically what I would call a "classic" handlebar although I can see the appeal for people who ride in the drops a lot.

Lately I am seeing a lot of handlebars being designed and sold to integrate with a particular brand of shifter ie: Campy Ergo, Shimano STI, of the various SRAM shifters.

I am sure others will disagree but I don't think of this Curve handlebar as a "Classic" handlebar although as I said I can see the possible appeal, IMO.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

The Ritchey Classic Curve falls into the "compact", aka "short and shallow" category. So does the Deda RHM shape. 

I did my first ride with a Deda RHM shape bar with oval tops* today, after using the 3T Ergonova for some 18 months. The RHM is roomier and I'll probably put an extra 5mm spacer under the stem to get that nice cruising position on the drops back again. I like that the RHM tops have a smaller section than the Ergonovas, which might be the most compact bar in the market (and it's fantastic With the current Campagnolo ergopower shape). No flare on the RHM, so more room on the tops but also a few underarm hits in my pathetic sprint attempts.

*Mine is the Zero 100 model.


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## matchmaker (Aug 15, 2009)

RoadBoy1 said:


> OP, and everybody else:
> 
> Can we have some clarification on terms here? I have been riding for a long time and when I think of a "Classic" handlebar I think of something like the Cinelli 64 from back in the 1970 era. Ritchey has re-introduced a handlebar with a "classic" profile (I think they actually have two or three in their lineup).
> 
> ...


You are quite right in saying the Richey curve "classic" is not a classic bar strictu sensu. It is only classic in the choice of material and polish.

There is a good article on ruedatropical explaining the current and past road bar shapes.

There are the classic "Italian" (shallow) drops that you can still find in the Deda Speciale or Newton shallow drop, and also in the 3T Rotundo, for instance. Then you also have the classic "Belgian" (or deep drop), for example the Deda Newton deep drop.

The current compact handlebars are an interesting concept, the tops are actually lower (if properly installed, that is, keeping the same height for your shifters), you get a flat section towards the shifters, and the radius of the bend is nice and gradual so you can reach the brake levers without having to overpronate your wrists. Normally the drops would be at the same height of a classic shallow bend handlebar, not quite as low as a deep bend handlebar, though.

That being said, every brand has its own flavor of compact. That's why I gave my feedback on the ones I tried. The first choice would be between flat, ovalized or round tops. I personally prefer ovalized as the flat, wing-style tops are a bit over the top (pun intended) for me. I like to have something more to grab than a thin, round top, but I don't need a runway either.

The bend of the drops might also be slightly different from brand to brand, combined sometimes with an outward flare.

Finally, the curve from the flats going into the drops might be more or less square. Again, I like more square to have enough room and a stable grip if one wants to grab the tops and still be able to steer. But to each his own in this matter.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

I see that Zipp has introduced a "super short and shallow" bend, basically the drop of their short and shallow, the curve of their traditional, and a stubby 70mm reach. Interesting.


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## marathon marke (Nov 14, 2011)

DrSmile said:


> I don't use any of those bars, but every now and then the Easton EC90 SLX3 compact carbon handlebars (75mm reach, 130mm drop) can be found on sale for around $100. So far I've bought 3 of them and the improvement in vibration dampening and comfort have made me abandon all aluminum bar versions. YMMV.


Really, $100? That's a great price. I have these on my new BMC Team Machine and I've stopped using thick, cork-style tape and now use thinner tape because the bars are so nice on their own.


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## DrSmile (Jul 22, 2006)

marathon marke said:


> Really, $100? That's a great price. I have these on my new BMC Team Machine and I've stopped using thick, cork-style tape and now use thinner tape because the bars are so nice on their own.


Well that post was 5 months ago, and of course since then (by Murphy's law) other people have found out about the bars and they have all been going for over $175 even on ebay which is just too much. I still need one more handlebar for a bike that currently has aluminum bars, so I hope the prices come back down eventually.


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

Continuing the 'late to the party' theme,

One other option is the Dimension (of all things!) Flat Top Shallow. 70 x 125, the elliptical sort of drops, and wing tops with pretty square corners. Page 470 in the QBP catalog


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Thanks for posting.

I think I know what my commuter's next bar will be...


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## Gimme Shoulder (Feb 10, 2004)

I just purchased the FSA Wing Pro Compact a few months ago. It is gloss black. I like the bar though. It is a 44 but, actually flares from 42 at the hoods and 44 in the drops. Easy reach to the levers while in the drops.


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