handlebar setup
 

for racing, do most of you use CX specific bars, with the flared ends? or do a lot of people use road bars? does anyone ever run risers on a cross bike, or are they not good for racing?

i wanna run risers for commuting but drops for racing. swapping out bar/stem combos would be bothersome, so im toying with just leaving risers on all the time....

or cable couplers to make the swap easier...

Most cross racing bikes I've seen have regular road bars with shallow drops. I've found that the cross-specific drops like the Salsa Bell Lap put my wrists at an odd angle when riding on the brake lever hoods, kind of angled inward, which feels unstable when climbing out of the saddle. I guess the bar is designed for people who ride in the drops all the time, like track bike bars.

Some people use flat mtn bike bars, but one big benefit to having drop handlebars is you can sprint better, and there is a fair amount of sprinting in a cross race.

ok thanks for the info, it helps a lot bc i was considering the bell laps....

you could always run moustache bars, cause they the dope... I think the nitto moustache bars are great combo for on off road.