Road Fan

I'm looking for recommendations on 26 mm clamp handlebars that work well with Ergolevers for 50+ ers. I've never bought a set of ergonomic bars before and right now they all kinda look the same in catalogs. What works better and what does not? My hands are not large, and I like to reach the brake levers easily from the drops.

Road Fan

BluesDawg

What are "Ergolevers"?

Road Fan

Campagnolo 10 speed brake/shifters for a drop bar bike - I guess I got the term wrong, but I'm not even sure Campy has a consistent name for them.

Road Fan

BluesDawg

Actually, I think you are correct. That is what Campy calls their brifters. My bad. I just didn't recognize the term.
Can't help you with the ergonomic bars either. I have always prefered round bend bars. Nitto Noodles are my favorites.

rmwkokomo

Personally, I like the Deda 215 Shallow bars. Take a look, based on your description of requirements they might fit you well.

rmwkokomo

I knew what you meant by Ergolevers but had to look to remind myself what Campy called them. "Ergopower control levers" is their terminology.

If by ergonomic handlebars you meant anatomic (the ones with the straight section under the levers) then the Deda 215 Anatomic might work better for you. The 215 Shallow I mentioned earlier is a rounded bar (my personal preference) but it allows great brake access and works well with Ergo levers.

soma5

I think that the anatomic or ergonomic or whatever it's called shape of the handlebars would make it more difficult to reach the brakes from the drops. I greatly prefer deep drop, long reach traditional bend bars. The deep drop and long reach give three significantly different positions. The tops can be relatively high so you have a fairly upright position when you want it (like seated climbing), the hoods are far enough away to stretch you out better and the drops are far enough down to give you an aero position. The anatomic bend just puts the brake levers further away from the bar when you're in the drops.

-soma5

Road Fan

I definitely agree with the sophitication of the Noodle! I have a 41 on my Trek, and it is a nice bar. I really like the flat top and the longish drop end. Level with my saddle I can reach all positions.

I also like a 42 cm B115. Less flat on the top, with a small flare that I like, and a fairly generous bend radius without too deep a drop.

But going through my 'bar box I found a Cinelli Giro d'Italia (mod 64) and the very similar 3TTT Heat Treated Competitzione. The Ergo on the Comp results in teh brake, upshift, and downshift controls falling into my hand, at least if I play "bike" while watching TV! But (a minor objection) teh bottom of the lever doesn't match up with the bottom of the drop end.

Big Paulie, you have big hands or ??? I wear medium cycling gloves.

I also have a set of Cinelli 66 (Campione del Mundo), but they are just too deep a drop. I don't have the flexibility to use teh drop ends or the brake grips with a stem that has any aesthetic integrity (read no giraffe effect) on my small frames. A Tech Deluxe is my aesthetic limit.

Road Fan

conurejade

I had exactly the same problem on my new bike. My LBS just got me a set of Salsa Short & Shallow Bars. They are working out great and it sure is nice to be able to easily reach the levers from the drops. They have 26mm and 31.8mm, carbon and aluminum options. They also offer an even smaller/shorter reach bar called the Poco.

https://www.salsacycles.com/handlebars_road.html

Road Fan

Thanks, all for the input! I spend some time checking out the on-line catalogs and trial fitting with what I have on hand.

First, the Deda Shallows are very similar in shape to the 3TTT Competitione and the Cinelli Giro d'Italia I have - tight radius, bend a lot less than 180 degrees. To get the handles where I can reach the upshifters easily I need to set teh drop ends level, and then the ramps are steeply slanted down. My B115s and Noodle have made me used to a flat top ramp, and have a higher effective hand position.

I have a Short n Shallow, actually, but it's a 46 cm, and it needs an open-front stem. I like the way an anatomic shape gets my hand in reach of the thumb button and has a good top ramp.

I've set up the B115s, but on a stem that was too long, too much reach. I need to truy it again on the same stem I've been using on the bike, because it was a good fit. I'll see if the B115 works in that position. next.

If I buy, it's narrowed down to a narrow Salsa, another Noodle, or a Deda Anatomic. I'd like to see one of those in person.

Road Fan

bing181

Another bar that seems similar to the Noodle is the Ritchey Biomax II .. the latest model. Never tried it, but intend putting one on pretty soon.

The "short and shallow" bars seem to be increasing in popularity, though it can be confusing with the nomenclature. There's an FSA "Compact" which is actually shallow, not to mention the Deda shallow. Worth checking out the specs, as they're all a bit different, and some "standard" bars are not much different, at least in reach.

B

Road Fan

I'm thinking about getting a Ritchey Biomax. I have a Short n Shallow on now, and with a "sit fit" i.e. not riding, it's not bad but I think I want to go shallower. A local friend says Ergo and STI brifters are not intended to be shifted from the drops but only from the hoods, but this is not what I want to live with. But with my small hands, I think that means I need to look for an even shallower bar, perhaps the Easton compacts. I need to hunt the web again, I found a few with drops in the 130 or 125 mm range.

With my Nitto B115s I think my hand was too far down in the hooks to reach the thumb trigger. The Salsa is a little better, which tells me the Noodle won't work (at least as I envision it now), and a shallower bar yet will help.

Road Fan

Road Fan

I checked that site, and Ithink the FSA is also one of the ones I looked at. -- Thank you!

The review mentions bars being optimized for STIs v. Campy levers.

Seen any bars identified as optimized for Campy Ergos?

Road Fan

bing181

There's also the Deda "Supernatural" which is a shallow drop bar optimised for Shimano. AFAIK, no-one has done the same for Campag., but maybe it's not as necessary for whatever reason.

I'm on Campag myself, so have never paid much attention to these "STI" bars per se.

B

rmwkokomo

The Deda Newton handlebar is optimized for Campy - the Supernatural is their attempt to do the same for Shimano users.

Road Fan

I just ordered a pair of Biomax IIs from my LBS. I think I'll like them. The FSA also looks good, but too many stem issues, with the 31.8 clamp.

Thanks, all!

Road Fan

bobbycorno

Nitto Noodle / Soba. Despite the fact that they are a Riv design, these are without a doubt the BEST handlebar design I've used in 45 years of riding. Not perfect, mind you, but d**n good. No cable grooves, but I'm using 'em on my brevet bike, with Ergos, and have not one complaint.

Scott P
Bend, OR

Road Fan

I have a Noodle on my Trek, and it is a great bar, but the hook is just too big for my hand with Ergos. Works great with non-aero levers, IMHO.