Why do some bars have splayed drops?

[jberenyi]

I was looking at some Salsa Cowbell 3's today and noticed the drops having a 12 deg splay outward. Why would someone need this type of design? I was considering this bar because I like the shape, reach and drop but the splay has me questioning its validity for tandem use. Can someone shed some light on this issue? Thanks.

[InspectorGadget]

According to an FSA product description I read earlier today:

FSA's compact handlebars are designed to provide a more comfortable hand position in the drops for riders who have smaller hands, reach too far or have problems ith their foreamrs hitting the bar-tops while sprinting.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . it was for the forearm thing.

BBD

[carpediemracing]

I'm not a fan of the splay either. I think the bars I have (FSA Compacts) are slightly splayed. Not a fan of the Salsa type bars.

Those first came out with the WOMBAT rider... Jackie something. Ph.... She used drop bars on a mountain bike and the splay apparently works to give you more leverage when bombing down bumpy stuff. On a road bike... not so much. Maybe on a tandem, though, for more leverage when the going gets weird. I use wider bars on the tandem mainly for the leverage. It's also not a problem to use wider bars because I'm not shooting through gaps with the tandem.

The short reach has more to do with forearm clearance than the splay. With 80 mm reach you don't need an aggressive bend to the tops. With 110 mm reach you need a crit bend bar to add clearance for the forearms.

[bshell]

they had (have?) one called the Bell Lap with flared drops for this also.

[mike p]

Jacquie Phelan

Mike


I'm not a fan of the splay either. I think the bars I have (FSA Compacts) are slightly splayed. Not a fan of the Salsa type bars.

Those first came out with the WOMBAT rider... Jackie something. Ph.... She used drop bars on a mountain bike and the splay apparently works to give you more leverage when bombing down bumpy stuff. On a road bike... not so much. Maybe on a tandem, though, for more leverage when the going gets weird. I use wider bars on the tandem mainly for the leverage. It's also not a problem to use wider bars because I'm not shooting through gaps with the tandem.

The short reach has more to do with forearm clearance than the splay. With 80 mm reach you don't need an aggressive bend to the tops. With 110 mm reach you need a crit bend bar to add clearance for the forearms.

[fourflys]

I have the cowbell bars on two bikes and love them! when you're in the drops but not up in the bend, the flare puts my arms/hands in a much more comfortable position than my other bars... as for why, I'm not sure but I have read some stuff about cross bikes using flared bars (like the cowbell) for better stability during a race... maybe as referenced above?

BTW- Jacquie Phelan was/is awesome! Johnny T was another one that used drop bars on mtn bikes with much success...

as I said I use them on my cross/gravel bike and my Casseroll...

[pbarry]

I'm not a fan of the splay either. I think the bars I have (FSA Compacts) are slightly splayed. Not a fan of the Salsa type bars.

Those first came out with the WOMBAT rider... Jackie something. Ph.... She used drop bars on a mountain bike and the splay apparently works to give you more leverage when bombing down bumpy stuff. On a road bike... not so much. Maybe on a tandem, though, for more leverage when the going gets weird. I use wider bars on the tandem mainly for the leverage. It's also not a problem to use wider bars because I'm not shooting through gaps with the tandem.

The short reach has more to do with forearm clearance than the splay. With 80 mm reach you don't need an aggressive bend to the tops. With 110 mm reach you need a crit bend bar to add clearance for the forearms.

Needless dis of JP. She still rides hard, and can probably kick your a** any day up Mt. Tam. :bike:

[mike p]

How did he dis JP? I don't see it?

Mike

QUOTE=pbarry;1367235]Needless dis of JP. She still rides hard, and can probably kick your a** any day up Mt. Tam. :bike:[/QUOTE]

[rice rocket]

It's all wrist angle preference.

If you ride MTBs, you'll find bars moved from straight across (0 backsweep) to a couple more, to 9 deg backsweep, some up to 15 deg. Any more and it'll feel like a cruiser.

I've been on 9 deg, but I'm bumping up the width and trying a 13 deg bar.

[markie]

I like my dirt drops!http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6072/6083325335_a78ee6e66c_z.jpg

Here is something I thought about funny bars a while ago:

http://bikecentric.blogspot.com/search?q=alt+bars

[carpediemracing]

Needless dis of JP. She still rides hard, and can probably kick your a** any day up Mt. Tam. :bike:

I didn't dis Jackie Phelan except for not bothering Googling her name. The splayed bars work for off road, and that's what she does. Super wide bars work off road too.

I tried drops for mtb when I mtb'ed (even the moustache bar), but after theorizing that they'd work better for me I found I preferred narrow straight bars with bar ends for the single track twisty stuff I like most. Wide bars work great for bombing down descents but in CT where I rode the longest descents were measured in yards, not miles. I haven't ridden a mountain bike off road for about 15 years now and so obviously haven't tried anything new for off road stuff between then and now.

For me splayed bars don't work on road. Wide bars work with a tandem (which I only have a road one) so a splayed bar might work. I could see splayed bars working on a heavily laden touring bike as well.

Incidentally I bet anyone could beat me up Mt Tam, or any other thing with a "Mt" in its name. They don't have to be famous or strong or young or skinny.

[leooooo]

Needless dis of JP. She still rides hard, and can probably kick your a** any day up Mt. Tam. :bike:


Lol, que????

[bicycletricycle]

So you don't hit your wrists while bunny hopping barriers in the drops