Essthreetee

i just ordered myself a set of new Cowchipper handlebars. They are less flared then their Woodchipper, but more than their Cowbell...thus the name.

I am hoping they are similar to the On One Midge bars, but a little narrower.

Anyone have a set? If so, how do you like them? Can you compare them to Midge? Pictures?

NormanF

I like North Road.

Had to order a new stem but I like it and its appropriate for an IGH bike.

Velocivixen

I'm interested to hear how you like them. Have you used either of the two Salsa bars they're named after? I have 40cm Cowbells on my new Surly and like them. The reach & drop are both short-ish.

mtnbke

I've got a set of Salsa Bell Lap bars in the garage, that are pretty wide like 48cm c-c, I think. I don't use them. I like my WTB Dirt Drop handlebars, but I've never liked how they look with STI/Ergolevers on them. They just look funny with the angle. I had some Nitto Grand Randonneur 135 bars that were just absurdly too narrow at the hoods. I'll never try those again, and can't comprehend how they were spec'd on 27"/68.5cm bikes. Interestingly the WTB Dirt Drop bars have really thick metal and don't take bar-ends. I don't care since I detest bar-ends, but that surprised me.

I've switched to mustache bars now, and I'm in the process of going to them on every bike, including the tandems. I started with the Nitto Mustache bar, which I still love, but I had to admit it was too narrow. I bought a bunch of the Nashbar Mustache bars in 56cm. I just found out recently that Nitto is making an Albastache bar in 56cm through Rivendell. I'll try those as well.

I'll bet I'm the only person in the history of the world to remove Nitto Mustache bars, Nitto Grand Randonneur bars, Salsa handlebars, and rare old WTB Dirt Drops to switch to Nashbar steel mustache bars on his bikes. They are great bars and super comfortable. Just not feather light by any means.

For me the problem with say a 46cm Cowchipper bar is how ridiculously narrow the hoods are positioned. I think bars that flare need to be measured at the hoods. I want my bars 48cm wide at the hoods, at a minimum, so I'd want the flare to be much wider. That's why I love the Nashbar 56cm mustache bars. They are so comfortable I'll probably never use a drop bar again as long as I live.

Essthreetee

Salsa does measure these at the hoods. So a 46 cowchipper is 46 at the hoods...according to or website.

By the way, if you are considering selling your WTB dirt drop bars...I would be interested.

Essthreetee

I will report back...they are supposed to deliver today. I would have gotten the Midge, as I know I like them...but the shipping was ridiculous and I wanted a slightly narrower version. So I took a gamble on these.

Someday I would like to try the WTB also. (Hint hint mtnbke )

Velocivixen

On One has their U.S. shop in Portland, OR near where I live. I called them and asked if they had one since their website said they were sold out. They had one that I wanted so drove there and bought it. I was disappointed because, despite the measurements the tops were wide - only about an inch or so wider than the Soma Portola bars I ended up with, yet the Portolas are fantastic for me & co e in 53 or 56 with a 26mm clamp area.

reshp1

I have the cowbell and it's spot on perfect for a road bike for me. Perfect compromise between enough flare and not having wonky lever positioning.

Essthreetee

Mine just delivered. Talk about fast shipment...way to go Jenson USA!!!

out of the box, they feel like they are gonna be perfect for me. We will have to see once they get mounted.

USAZorro

Nice. A thread without pictures.

Essthreetee

Here are the bars. I will take comparison pictures during install.

Velocivixen

Pretty.....er, handsome.

MarlyK

Could someone tell me the reach on these bars? The reach stated on their website disagrees what the reach is reported to be on a lot of reviews and store listings.

SJX426 

I took some no name bars that were on an old Trek 610, applied a 2x4 and got these. Haven't mounted them yet but maybe it is time!
[IMG]P1030009, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]P1030008, on Flickr[/IMG]

cyclotoine

I find this overlay is pretty helpful.

https://www.shandcycles.com/wp-conten...ch-drawing.png

I assumed the WTB dirt drop was more like the woodchipper. I am curious about the cowchipper but don't want to drop money on it after being pretty unhappy with the woodchipper and the money I spent on it. Like MntBke I don't like how narrow the hood position is on the woodchipper and I don't like the hood angle. I was thinking the cow chipper might have a wider hood position and more vertical hood position, but I should probably just go back to my old faithful moustache bars.

If anyone wants a 42 or 46cm woodchipper, let me know

kevins08 

I've got these bars on my Surly Troll with the ergotech high charisma stem and I love them. Hoods are comfortable, drops are comfortable, and they're wide enough I have crosstop levers and they are wide enough I feel I actually have leverage when in that position. A+ bars, can't say enought good about them!

hairnet

I think you will find them to be more versitile/comfortable. The Midge may be wide but the the drops don't have enough length and riding on the hoods is terrible.

Essthreetee

I have them both and like them both. The Salsa's live on my main ride. I find them very comfortable.

hairnet

oh my, I didn't see how old this thread is

emailsfh

I was wondering the same thing. I even emailed Salsa and got a QBP rep who emailed back simply saying that the "engineers" designed them for 96mm reach but it would depend on placement of the hoods. From the graphic that shows the overlay comparison, though, they look to be exactly the same as the Cowbells just with greater flare: Introducing: Cowchipper Handlebar | Salsa Cycles

Unless that graphic is not accurate, I can only assume that the stated "reach" is simply based on the fact that it is a dirt drop bar and people might put the levers out further, but that if you set it up like you would a road bar, you would get similar reach to the Cowbell? Does anyone have both of these bars and can settle this issue? Are the side profiles and curve and reach actually the same as shown in that graphic?

Cheers.

emailsfh

So I'm thoroughly confused on the reach specifications on these bars. Earlier reviews cited 79.2, as did guitarted's review. In fact, here is a pic of a hang tag from a 42cm set I almost purchased (but was too late checking out as it seems it was the last 42cm available in the country ):



When I asked more questions about the reach discrepancy, the same shop kindly sent these two pics along, which (measured from C-C) seem to fall in line with the 79.2 reach:




So I asked the Salsa rep at QBP what was up with the hangtag vs. website, and his response was:
"The information on the website is the correct information. I measured my cowchippers and the and the match the specs. We had a fair amount of cowchippers go out with the wrong specs on the hang tag. Sorry for all of the confusion."

That wasn't very convincing to me as it seems that the above pics show that maybe there were earlier versions that were different than later ones, maybe when they changed suppliers? ~2cm is a very big difference in reach. The only other explanation would be a switch to measuring differently (instead of C-C, C-end or end-end?, but the numbers don't really add up). I just sent the pics above to the rep to see what his response is.

As a matter of fact, earlier versions of their website (June 2015) also show the 79.2mm reach. Since September 2015 it has changed to 96mm. Does anyone have a bar from this Spring or sometime recently that they can measure? Or even better, an earlier and later one that they can measure and compare?

Can someone that owns these shed some light on the matter? I really want the shorter reach "version" if there is such a thing. At this point, I'm stuck waiting until September when they restock, but I really am confused as to what I'm getting at this point.

On another note, if someone has a 42cm "short reach version" that they want to sell, pm me.