Compass (Rene Herse) vs Nitto

[jambee]

I just happen to have very similar handlebars at home and figured I will provide some comparison between the two.

The Rene Herse Maes Parallel in 46cm are the larger ones in the images below.

I compared them with the Nitto B135 in 45cm.

Both are measured at the drops. So the first question I wanted to answer to myself is how wide are they in the hoods.

The Rene Herse measure 45cm in the hoods whereas the Nitto measure 40cm (I measured outside to outside).

This is a significant difference.

The Nitto are also around 5mm longer in the drops and have a more aggressive "wing" span.

The Nitto seems to be more curved in the top part of the handlebar (where you'd connect the bar to your stem).

Both exhibit the same craftsmanship levels (obviously as both are made by Nitto).

Given that I was looking for a handlebar with a slight outwards flare but still with pretty wide top, I am pleased with the Rene Herse bars.

Now time to install and test.









Rene Herse front view:


Nitto front view:

[Oxford_Guy]

Thanks, interesting to know, though I think the reach on both is probably too much for me. I'm about to try out some 42cm Nitto M106 NAS bars (26mm diameter), which are compact/shallow drop bars (also heat-treated) on a Mercian Strada Speciale frame I've just had made for me. Stem is a 90mm Nitto Pearl.

[marciero]

I have the Maes Parallel on one of my two main bikes and the B135 on a single speed that I dont ride much. These bars are very different. The B 135 is probably closer to the RH Randonneur bars with the upsweep of the tops, but the reach is less. They do share the parallel shallow drops though. With the angle of the bars and hood position you can make the effective reach more or less. With parallel drops, you can angle them up a bit and still have nice in the drops position. With the Maes especially you still have lots of room on the ramps. Also with the long reach of the Maes, whether you want hoods or ramp (or tops) as your "normal" position will require a different stem length.

[slowpoke]

Thanks for sharing this comparison! I wish these could be added to Whatbars.com, but I think the maintainer of that site needs technical diagrams as well.

[donevwil]

This is great, thanks. I'm considering both of these as an alternative to some SimWorks Wild Honey rando bars. Any chance you could add pics of each from the front?

[jambee]

@donevwil images added as per your request.

I had the Wild Honey as well as the Nitto B135. Other than the cool Sim Works graphics, I found almost no differences between the two of them. Both were too narrow on the hoods for my shoulders.

As was pointed out above, the Rene Herse are a very different kind of a beast. If anyone want to compare the B135 to the Rene Herse Randonneur handlebars, I'd be very interested.

Currently going to try the Sim Works Misirlou Bar. Will report back. They come in 47cm!

[Oxford_Guy]

Originally Posted by jambee

@donevwil images added as per your request.

I had the Wild Honey as well as the Nitto B135. Other than the cool Sim Works graphics, I found almost no differences between the two of them. Both were too narrow on the hoods for my shoulders.

As was pointed out above, the Rene Herse are a very different kind of a beast. If anyone want to compare the B135 to the Rene Herse Randonneur handlebars, I'd be very interested.

Currently going to try the Sim Works Misirlou Bar. Will report back. They come in 47cm!

I actually hate the cheesy Sim Works graphics and don't find the, "cool" at all, was the main thing that put me off getting the Co Misirlou bars instead of the Nitto M106 NAS bars... Wish they offered an option of having the bars without the Sim Works graphics applied.

[jambee]

Taste buds....

Getting back to the Handlebar discussion: any other ideas regarding silver, wide, "all day in the saddle" bars?

@JanHeine don't be shy!

[donevwil]

Thanks jambee,

I'm picking up a set of those Rene Herse Maes bars, I'd forgotten how much I like bars with deep drops and long reach having given in to trendy short reach so many years ago. I'm liking the Wild Honey Rando bars, but think maes bars will ultimately suit me better.

Velo Orange still offers 26.0 Maes and Rando bars in silver, but certainly not the quality or aesthetic of Nittos or Rene Herse.

[jtbadge]

Originally Posted by Oxford_Guy

I actually hate the cheesy Sim Works graphics and don't find the, "cool" at all, was the main thing that put me off getting the Co Misirlou bars instead of the Nitto M106 NAS bars... Wish they offered an option of having the bars without the Sim Works graphics applied.

They’re over the clearcoat and peel off really easily. Putting my Getaround bar through a tight quill stem killed half of one of the decals.

[Oxford_Guy]

Originally Posted by jtbadge

They’re over the clearcoat and peel off really easily. Putting my Getaround bar through a tight quill stem killed half of one of the decals.

Oh really? That's quite interesting, may check them out again then! Once the Simworks graphics care peeled off, what's left under the clearcoat e.g. any other branding (e.g Nitto) or other design, or just plain silver (or black) bars??

[CNY rider]

Bumping this up, making the same decision about RH vs. Nitto for a new build.
Any new candidates for this style of bars?
The quoted price for shipping an order from RH (over $60 for bars, a saddle, tires) is giving me pause.

Thanks.

[Germany_chris]

I have VO nouveau randonneur that I’ve been pretty happy with

[Jan Heine]

Originally Posted by jambee

Taste buds....

Getting back to the Handlebar discussion: any other ideas regarding silver, wide, "all day in the saddle" bars?

@JanHeine don't be shy!

In my experience, the most comfortable bars are those that enable different riding positions. Being able to ride more upright when I feel like it, and get more inclined at other times, really helps with long distance comfort. Moving my hands around also helps. So long reach and deep drop work well – but you need to set up the bars so that the most inclined position works for you. Otherwise, you end up with bars that are comfortable only on the tops and on the ramps, and everything else is too far/too low for you. Finally, the shape needs to ergonomic, meaning it needs to match the shape of my hands. That last one is actually quite complex, and the old 'ergonomic' bars that Modolo patented with the flat portion actually weren't ergonomic at all –*your hands aren't flat!

At Rene Herse Cycles, we offer two models: The Randonneur has a slight upsweep which provides a convex shape at the rear of the ramps that fits into the (concave) palm of you hands. That's a supremely comfortable position, but it needs to be 'just right.' Most 'randonneur' bars we've tried were actually less comfortable than standard bars – that's why we developed our own based on a classic design from the days when stages were long and roads were rough. We also gave the 'Randonneur' a little more drop, since it has the upsweep - with the same stem height, the drops will be where they were before, but the ramps will be a little higher. Perfect for long distances. I use those bars for PBP and similar rides where I'm riding at a constant speed for long, long distances.

Our second model, the Maes Parallel has a little less drop and a more conventional shape. It's great for fast-paced rides where you change your hand positions a lot – there's plenty of room to roam. I prefer those on the bike that I ride for a few hours on rides with friends, where I get low when I pull into the wind, but sit up when I draft or when we just roll side-by-side to chat.

Both bars are our own designs, not rebranded products from other makers. We work with the best suppliers to make them, to our own specifications. They are significantly lighter than what you get with other bars from the same supplier, but they meet the highest 'EN Racing Bike' standards for fatigue resistance and strength – as do all other Rene Herse products.

Jan Heine
Rene Herse Cycles

[Jan Heine]

Originally Posted by CNY rider

The quoted price for shipping an order from RH (over $60 for bars, a saddle, tires) is giving me pause.

The problem with all these shipping quotes is that the software can't figure how we nestle your products. So they look at one box for the bars, one big one for the saddle and the tires. In reality, the tires fit between the bars, and we may even be able to put the saddle in the same box, too... In that case, we refund the excess shipping fee.

Jan Heine
Rene Herse Cycles