Bar/stem opinions sought

[dvancleve]

Howdy folks.

I was going to run some Easton Equipe Pro EC90 26.0 bars on the Merckx Team SC I bought from guylimey, since I already had them and they have a nice bend. I got an Easton EM90 110 stem on eBay for a good price, seemed like a good match for the bar and the magnesium construction is pretty cool. The stem seems to be in the -6 to 10* range and puts the bars a bit lower than I'd prefer, leaving a 5mm spacer a cope the stem. I thought I found a zero rise version of the same stem and got it too, but it turned out to be a mismeasured 120. The height is better but the reach a bit long. I am not sure I will find a 0* 110 EM90 and I have some misgivings about using the CF bar anyway, so I am thinking about starting over.

I really like the looks of the Pro Vibe 7S round with the full 31.6 diameter tops (I have big hands), even though it has a bit more reach and drop than the truly compact bars. I like the 7S stem too, but with -10* only I don't see it working well (keeping the 5mm spacer above it).

I like the idea of the Specialized stems that allow adjusting the angle, in particular the S-Works CLP in +/- 4* would cover pretty much anything that seems like it would work and with the shims I don't think a spacer is needed above the stem. It is a bit expensive though, unless my LBS can/will do better than $100. The Specialized Expert Alloy Shallow Bend bar looks pretty good too and is pretty cheap. It is also nice when bar and stem match...

I also see that Thomson has a zero rise stem, the X4, that would seem to work well now that everything is 1-1/8" and 31.6mm anyway. It would be price competitive with the other two stems I mentioned and seems like it would look fine even if it is an MTB stem. I can always use fewer spacers under it to lower things.

So I guess I am thinking of the Pro Vibe bar with the Thomson stem (or maybe Specialized) or the Specialized combo. Anyway, what do all y'all think?

Thanks, Doug

[merlincustom1]

I have a Thomson stem, 120 X2 at -17. They make a nice stem. I have no opinion on the other kit you mention due to no experience.

[holliscx]

If you want to stay 26.0 and have matching bar / stem I just picked up a Syntace Racelite 7075 bar and F99 stem. It's good looking and very lightweight.

[dvancleve]

Thanks holliscx :)

Nice stuff, particularly that stem. That said, I was going to go with 26.0 mostly because I had the bar. I will most likely go 31.6 if I can't sort the stem...

Doug

If you want to stay 26.0 and have matching bar / stem I just picked up a Syntace Racelite 7075 bar and F99 stem. It's good looking and very lightweight.

[woolly]

I have that Easton bar (and like the shape). I like the looks of that Thomson stem. Can a shim be used to mate them up? I'm not talking some ghetto beer-can arrangement, but something like the one Jeff Jones provides for his H-Bar (in 26.0, not 25.4). If the bar were aluminum, I'd be all-in, but I've never done this with carbon before. . .

[dvancleve]

Well I decided to get the Pro Vibe bars and Thomson stem, my logic being that the Pro Vibe stem would be too low and the Thomson bars (if they are even available yet) too expensive. My LBS was still pretty expensive on the Specialized stuff and I really like the look of the Pro Vibe 7S bar.

Doug

[Joachim]

My favorite bars! I have them in both carbon and alloy. Its actually the only carbon bar I would ride, but the 7S cant be beaten.

[dvancleve]

In my glee over finding a great price on the Pro Vibe 7S bar, I failed to notice that I ordered the Anatomic rather than the Round. I like the bar overall, but really wanted the round drops. Any thought on the Round vs. Compact version? I like the look of the Round, but the Compact seem like it might be more comfortable. I am hoping I can exchange the Anatomic for one of the others, but I'm not holding my breathe...

Thanks, Doug

[dvancleve]

Well no dice on any kind of exchange, the seller seems to only have the 7S Round in white...

I also do still like the look of the Specialized Expert Alloy Shallow Bend. It looks like I'll be returning the Pro Vibe 7S Anatomic and haven't found either the Compact or Round for nearly as good a price. The Specialized should be a fair bit cheaper and it has less reach and drop which would not be a bad thing for this particular bike.

Are there any other bars I should be considering that are alloy, less than $75 or so, have a roundish bend and are short/shallow?

Thanks, Doug

[Joachim]

Yes, look at the alloy handlebar from Seven. Oops...not cheaper than $75 (unless you get a good price from a Seven dealer). I would just use the anatomic, unless it really doesn't work for you.

[dvancleve]

Thanks again Joachim :)

I like to ride on the drops (near the back) unless I'm going hard. The angled style anatomic bend only leaves a couple inches back there. I ended up getting the Specialized Expert Alloy Shallow Bend (what a long, unimaginative but I suppose descriptive name), mostly because they are cheaper and one of the LBS' I called had one in stock. No takers on the Anatomic even at $60 so I sent them back. In hindsight, I would have kept the 7S Round if I had gotten them (best looking by far), but the Compact would probably have been best for this particular bike.

Regards, Doug

Yes, look at the alloy handlebar from Seven. Oops...not cheaper than $75 (unless you get a good price from a Seven dealer). I would just use the anatomic, unless it really doesn't work for you.

[reggiebaseball]

Shimano vibe rounds are the best,
Deda NEwton deep is ok.