ridethecliche

Hey guys,

I just swapped to narrower bars (44 to 40) and I like the size a lot. I have a couple of questions on the bar setup though.

I bought Rithchey 'pro' anatomic bars. My old stock cannondale bars had a sloped transition ala deda newton, but the ritcheys have a very pronounced lump.

I wasn't sure what do do with the lump or where to put my hands or position the shifters.

Where should my shifters be? Should they be on the curve or what? Bar angle? etc.

Someone help me out with pics and such. I've posted a thread like this before, but I'm totally unsure about what to do with the ritchey bars haha.

Thanks.

sstorkel

I have a set of Ritchey anatomic bars. I positioned the bars such that I could grab the straight section of the bar just after the bend and have my hands in a relatively comfortable position. I then positioned the shifters so that they were comfortable when I was riding the hoods. Unfortunately, this means that it's difficult to brake or shift when riding in the drops. After experimenting with a few other positioning options, I can only conclude that these bars just don't work very well for me.

Wish I had the cash for some Newton Shallow Drops...

Banzai

"Anatomic" bars aren't anatomic at all. That lump hurts after a while, and it creates a longer reach from the bar to the brake lever. In fact, sstorkel pretty well sums up the difficulties with most "anatomic" bars.

FSA Wing or Omega shallow drop bars...now those are fantastic. Best handlebars ever, and one of the few purchases/modifications that have made a tremendous impact on my cycling comfort.

Prior to discovering these, I was a big fan of shallow drop "traditional" or Maes bend bars.

BananaTugger

Most anatomic bars actually pinch my freaking palm when I'm in the drops.

That's why I use Deda Deep Drop bars (215's and Newtons) on my rigs.

Chucklehead

I've always been a big fan of the anatomic bars. The deciding factor for me is the bend in the tops transitioning to the drops. If it curves too sharply, my wrists don't have enough room when sprinting.
I try to have the shifter positioned to make it as easy as possible to shift when sprinting. Where it is now, I can very easily reach it with both my index and middle fingers.

ridethecliche

It looks like your shifters are further up on the bars (i.e. closer to the tops) on your bike so you have more room before the bump when you're in the drops and need to use the shifters (i.e., when not sprinting all out holding the ends of the drops).

I'll give this a try tonight. If I get sick of these, I think I'd go with deda newtons possibly the shallows. I just didn't want to spend twice as much on a set of bars...

BananaTugger

Your hands are worth it.

Chucklehead

I shift while I'm sprinting all-out. Actually, I'm sure most people do, unless you've got a long enough run to the line?

AEO

I wouldn't use the shallows...
your hand gets jammed up when you reach for the brakes and shifters in the drops.


just get anatomic or deep deda bars.
just keep in mind, although newton and 215 were built for campy levers, they work pretty good with shimano 10sp shifters. same can't be said about the old 9sp SIS levers.

ridethecliche

I'm curious though, when you're in the drops in some of the positions you frequent when cruising, can you shift slash touch the brakes in every one of them?

There's a position on these bars that I felt comfortable sprinting and being out of the saddle on and I can break and shift from there, but there's another comfortable position where I have to rotate my hands out in order to shift or break.

Is this normal?

Chucklehead

I'm really only ever in the drops when I sprint or am otherwise out of the saddle(except climbing). I find that I get more power in the saddle with my hands on the hoods(shimano pistol grip ftw!) and forearms flat. Probably a smidge more aero that way, too.

BananaTugger

Deep.

ridethecliche

I really wanted the reynolds ouzo pro bars, but I couldn't find them anywhere!

They were like 30 bucks for the bars at pricepoint and they didn't have them anymore, ebay didn't have the AL ones. Those would have been my first choice for bars. I like classic bend :/

AEO

the reynolds al bars are discontinued, unfortunate since they're such a good mix of anatomic and classic, like a flipped over classic shallow.


the only bars that come remotely close are the deda deep/anatomic and fsa shallow

ridethecliche

Right, but in theory are you supposed be be able to brake/shift in the drops from every position you use in them?

ridethecliche

Little bump for the question above.

AEO

not at the base of the drops, but I guess that depends on how long your fingers are.
half way up, where the second flat spot is on anatomic bars, you should be able to grab the brakes and shifters.

Chucklehead

No, if you were supposed to be able to do that, the ends of the bars would have to be angled way down.

There isn't a right or wrong way to do it. As with any bar, you have to find the best formula for you. This is just what works best for me and what serves me best at what, for me, is the most important moment in a race.

A lot of people like to have a straight, level line across the tops of their bars and shifters, but to me that isn't very comfortable. If I have the bottom of drops level with the ground, then I find that the anatomic grip area doesn't work so well for me. As it is right now, I have what I feel is a great combination of contact with the bars and ability to reach the shifter. When I'm sprinting, there is no space between the palm of my hands and the bars. I don't have that with a "classic" bend.

ridethecliche

It's reasonable to have to rotate your wrist a bit to do this right?

mud

Ridethecliche,
How did you determine you needed a 40cc width?
Mud

ridethecliche

I have another bike with 38's and I like them

Plus shoulder to shoulder (acrominion process) width is about 40-42 cm. Basically hold your arms straight out, the distance between them is what you want to be around.

Go to a shop and look at bars of different widths. Pick them up in the drops and look at your arm. If it's in or out, try another set till they're about straight. This is where you should be around.

Theoretically anyway.

AEO

well, in that position of the bars, I'm totally tucked in with my wrists straight and my elbows bent.
hoods

drops

tucked

spinerguy

Isn't this a bit drastic? I mean anything less than 42 makes me feel like I don't have any leverage out the saddle. I do actually feel like I could flip sideways on a big effort

ridethecliche

It feels different, but like I said, I raced on 38s this year and they didn't hinder me.

My shoulders are also probably a lot narrower than yours, hence the narrower bars.

To each their own

botto 

whoever wrapped your tape needs a do-over.