Talk to me about "Gravel" handlebars

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by teleguy57

ok, mostly OT, but when I clicked on the current thread page out of curiosity I read this in the first post:

Getting your Ew-WU111 transmitter out of the way will tidy it up a lot. Best option is going carbon bars and running a short length of etube wire to the transmitter inside the drops.

I'll admit to being mostly locked into an earlier world of cycling tech -- still a road tubular guy, mechanical shifting (but 11s) with a modern nod to hydro disc brakes. But reading the above felt like I had inadvertently flipped to a page in Popular Mechanics (is that even published any more? The reference probably dates me as well.)

Ok, back to our regular broadcast content about handlebar shape.... Luddite out.

edit: not always this way -- Saab and others who knew me back in the day knew I chased just about every new tech their was. I'm sure a few here remember Aerolite pedals, J-Disc wheels, Modolo Kronos brake levers, the original Scott tri bars (on a road bike...) some kind of tether from a waist belt to the handlebar, the mixing and matching of component groups to chase weight weenieish, sheesh... lots of dollars and fortunate not to have gotten seriously hurt from equipment failures!

I remember all of these things!

I'm ambivalent about the Di2 as I have published here and ATH many times! But it appears to be working as advertised now and even doesn't look terrible.

If I were ordering this bike today I would order it for mechanical and get Campagnolo Ekar components. Done! No junction boxes, no other complications that don't make riding more fun.

But this is what I have for the time being so I'm going to make it work and it seems to be dialed in. Finally.

[Smitty2k1]

Didn't realize the zipp XPLR bars were so popular. Makes me feel better about my purchase (I bought them new and I almost always buy used parts). Couldn't find many reviews on the web.

As others have mentioned I'm looking forward to having the controls more vertical and not flared like on my salsa cowbells. Coming from the cowbells I'm also happy the XPLR have little recesses for routing the cables under bar tape. Always felt the cowbells should have had that.

My bike fitter probably isn't going to be happy I changed the bars to something with backsweep though.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[cabbagelookin]

Some excellent chat in here, just wanted to chime in because I hadn't seen much about Ritchey bars. I've used a bunch of them over the years and am really enjoying the current WCS Venturemax, which are definitely a little more unconventional and more widely flared than what you're looking for, but would recommend people take a look at the Ritchey offerings if looking for some more off-road comfort/control. (One thing I really like about most of their off-road drop bars is the ovalized/flattened tops. The bio-bend on the drop I could take or leave, TBH, but it is good for technical descending.)

[Bici-Sonora]

Originally Posted by lavi

I have the Pro Discover medium flare (12 degree). They have the internal routing for the bar end. Everything else goes below the tape. I really liked them. The flare was nice and not too much. I actually like the idea of having a little flare on road bikes (that's how I ride mine).

Anyhow, mine are a 40 and are too narrow for me. So if you'd like them, hit me up. Half of retail = $30, shipped. Barely used. No issues.

^^^ What Lavi says about flare. I've got Salsa 12 degree flare bars on my gravel bike and think it is just right. Mine are Salsa Cowbells, but lots of other 12 degree bars are available. I have begun running 6 degree flare bars on my road bike and like those as well.