A clean crash* at San Dimas resulted in a new handlebar purchase. I have some very specific requirements for a handlebar. I don’t presume to say that what I need from a bar is what every girl needs from a bar but I’ll tell you why I need what I need and maybe it will help you choose the right bar for yourself later.
Stiff
The only time a person doesn’t put torque on a bar is when their physicality AND situation don’t require it. The only time stiffness wouldn’t take the number one spot is if I was a 95lb triathlete. And I’m not. Not even close. The BF says I’m built like a powder puff line backer. I think he likes the idea of being able to draft off me.
Ergo
I had this one pair of bars that would hit the forearms every time the hands were in the drops. After a while my brain tried to figure out how to sprint so that the forearms wouldn’t slam into the bar and deepen the bruising. I developed a funky little sprint for a season. This is actually the whole reason for this post.
Some handlebar manufacturers don’t make ergo bars. Some do, but they just don’t have very many options. Finding a bar that has the bends that won’t fight the natural movements of a body and allow for a drop and reach that works with a body is essential.
Weight & Color
Weight is a property of the material. I would rather have a stiff bar than a light bar. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s carbon or aluminum, black or white. Function trumps all else. For example, I would never ride a RAM Leopard bar. That’s a lie. I would totally ride that bar with clear tape.
Researching R&D
I made a phone call to FSA and spoke with Manuel about how FSA has developed their handlebars. I called FSA because it seems that while they may not necessarily offer the largest number of different bars, the do offer the widest variety of different shapes. For example Deda makes boat loads of high quality stems and bars but the shapes are pretty similar. FSA does have 14 different road styles, 12 different mountain styles and 1, brand spanking new, “metropolis” style. Their sizes run between 36 and 46cm which is great news because 36’s and even 38’s used to be very hard to come by.
FSA started out making bearings for bottom brackets and hubs15 years ago. In 2000 the idea of the modern ergo bar with the “2 kinks” had been developed. In about 2004, FSA saw an opportunity to improve on this design. They made the “new ergo” bar and essentially ironed out the kinks of the ergo bar. FSA made the bends smoother so that your hands were never forced into a position on the bar.
FSA’s research and development process is enriched by the smaller size of their company. Manuel boasted about being an “idea driven” company. What happens for FSA is a cleaner implementation of design. The larger the company, the further removed it’s R & D department is from humans. FSA really likes that they are smaller and that the ideas that are generated are very closely examined and tested.
The Specifics on women’s specific.
FSA didn’t go into making any of their bars necessarily women’s specific. They did go into making bars based on what riders need. When they examined need, they found that shallower drop and shorter reach both needed to be addressed. They found that width needed to be addressed. FSA’s approach to making handlebars seems to be pretty progressive. They really want rider feedback.** They want to make good handlebars. Because of this philosophy it seems that FSA has successfully taken gender out of the equation without compromising what they can offer.
Bar End
I ended up purchasing a 40cm Omega bar. It’s a really good bar for a really good value. It made sense.
-If I crashed it, then I would have only spent $40 and could replace it easily.
-If I hated it, then I would have only spent $40 and could replace it easily.
-If I loved it, then I only spent $40!
The bar is awesome. It is really stiff and I can feel how much better it is at sending my energy into moving forward instead of absorbing my energy by being flexy. It was cheap. The ergo bends are smooth and allow my hands to move freely within the drops. The reach is short so I can use all the bar I need and none of the bar I don’t. The tail of the drop is long enough to sprint with. I might prefer a bar with a little more depth so I could take advantage of my physical flexibility but this is a great bar overall for me.
* The dérailleurs did take a beating in the crash but the good news is it will not be necessary to do a helmet review at this time ;).
** FSA really wants to hear about how you feel about what they have to offer. Manuel shared this email address as a good way to get in touch with FSA. http://www.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?taxid=62&layout=contact
Too funny, my current bars have a deep enough and far-forward enough drop position that I have hit my forearms too, and being in the heat of a sprint I didn't even realize it until I was trying to figure out where that bruise came from later. So it happens to guys too.
ReplyDeleteDoes FSA make a shorter drop bar that also has a flat top? Does anyone? Despite the bruising I add a required bit of functionality to my bars, which is a flattish top so that I can ride narrow with arms on bars (careful when you do it, it's dangerous, but it is fast...)
FSA k wing compact 80/125
ReplyDeleteHere are 3 other compact bars you might want to consider.
3t ergonova
DEDA presa
Zipp contour
Keep in mind that carbon fiber allows you to do some really cool things with shape.
Those flat tops are awesome for
-having a comfortable place to put your hands when you are spinning up hills
-looking for a comfortable hand position change on a long distance ride, and
-doing the superwoman with your belly on the saddle
http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/articles/bike_active/20080914_WISE_WORDS_SUPERMAN.JPG
I hate to be so Ricthey centric but I may have to make some edits to this post. In the mean time check out Ricthey.com and notice how the reach and drop are relative to length of the bar. Now that is really cool.
ReplyDelete