What Cockpit Brand for New Build?

[alfordjo]

Originally Posted by Alaska Mike

With my Moots Compact and Vamoots RSL, I went with ENVE builds (stem, bars, seatpost, and in the Compact's case, fork) and have been very happy. The shape, stiffness, and reach/drop were exactly what I wanted.

I know, they're all carbon and blingy, but it's what worked for me. After years of 3T, Easton, FSA, Zipp, and a lot of others, this is what is working for me now.

I'd figure out your preferred reach, drop, and shape, and then go from there. The stem can be adjusted as required. If you go with a "flat-top" bar, consider how the flat part transitions to the hoods and how that works with your hands.

The best advice I've ever gotten about building bikes is to invest in your contact points. Because of my large palms and skinny, long fingers, I've often had to spend more than I'd prefer on bars, but in the long run I don't regret it.

If you do go with aluminum or any other metal, don't forget the grease on the seatpost. Galvanic corrosion can make your day go very, very wrong.

What Moots did you get?

Thanks for the detailed write up!

I got an older Vamoots frame.

Jonathan

[weaponsgrade]

I like the small profile of the deda superleggero stem for metal bikes. I’m brand agnostic when it comes to bars, but like compact drops, classic curve, and a bit of flare.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by vincenz

If the frame is a Moots, I would get a Ritchey finishing kit to fit the USA theme. Zipp is ok too, but not my first choice for looks unless it fits you really well.

If you're running campy, I would look into Cinelli or Deda kit. I don't like the look of Fizik on metal bikes.

Nice concept but 'most' 'cockpit' 'stuff' made in Asia...

For the OP..look at requisite handlebar shape and width..then proper stem length and seatpost geometry(setback or non), as it all applies to bike fit and then get anything, it's all pretty good stuff. USA, Italiano, whatever is small potatoEs, IMHO...

[alfordjo]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Nice concept but 'most' 'cockpit' 'stuff' made in Asia...

For the OP..look at requisite handlebar shape and width..then proper stem length and seatpost geometry(setback or non), as it all applies to bike fit and then get anything, it's all pretty good stuff. USA, Italiano, whatever is small potatoEs, IMHO...

ok, I am not that bright....just ask my wife... I have been looking at this for hours and cannot figure out the capital and bold E? Am I really that thick?

[benb]

I have come to really like the Zipp Service Course bars..

3 Levels - Aluminum, "SL" Aluminum, Carbon
2-3 Different reach & drop options
Multiply by the # of widths

I am not really picky about Stems... I have an Easton on One and Bontrager on the other, both aluminum.

Thomson is only good for straight zero-setback seatposts IMO. I have had 2-3 of their seatposts and stems. I don't trust their stems.. it's either carbon or forged aluminum for me, no machined aluminum. Years ago there were a whole bunch of us on this website who cracked Thomson stems. I got lucky, mine broke on the trainer... would have been a trip straight to the hospital on the road as the bars flopped down. Thomson's response IIRC was mostly "user error", which to me meant there wasn't enough of a safety factor built in. Thomson setback seatposts are fugly. Their clamp design is mostly good but it's nothing special in this day and age when almost all bikes have a serviceable clamp design that allows find adjustments. And the Thomson clamp design IME creaks and squeaks a lot.

At one point I had an Easton carbon handlebar.. super nice.

I've also had an FSA setup, quite nice. I had trouble with 2 different FSA seat posts failing to hold the saddle rails securely though. Not as dangerous as a stem that doesn't do it's job but if the saddle starts slipping back in the rails it gets you to a strained back pretty quickly.

[Jeff N.]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZipp-zipp-zipp-zipp-zipp!!

[alfordjo]

Lots of great suggestions. Thanks everyone.

I ended up going with Deda Zero 100 as the handlebar available is what I was looking for.

Should be up and running in a couple of weeks.

[tylercheung]

Not to resurrect this but assuming correct shape and all, are any particular brands focused more on reliability (i.e. not breaking)? Ritchey vs 3T vs Deda, ENVE, Parlee, etc? Vs. those brands that are focused out out and out speed/lightness?

Also...
From what I gather - carbon > alu for fatigue (replace alu "once a year" or after several thousand kms?)

Replace everything after *any crash* vs *only bad crashes?

I suppose after a crash, one should think about replacing stuff. I was on a low speed crash (bike flopped over to the side after going about 10-12 mph), and the LBS felt after visual inspection that things were all ok (incl carbon ENVE 2.0 fork). Something about side crashes not being that big a deal vs. frontal. This was last year and nothing further has broken yet...

[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by alfordjo

ok, I am not that bright....just ask my wife... I have been looking at this for hours and cannot figure out the capital and bold E? Am I really that thick?

Pretty sure that OP was reinforcing the joke in his handle, which is a reference to our former VP Dan Quayle's telling an elementary schooler that he had omitted the terminating "E" when spelling "potato"

https://www.google.com/search?q=dan+quayle+potato