lmariach

Hey guys,

Looking for a quality set of drop bars for road use. I will be using them with a super pista. Preferably carbon. Any suggestions would help. Even a good brand name would be a start for me. (Been looking at Easton's recently)

Thanks,
Lucas

Nagrom_

3T makes a lot of good carbon bars. Ritchey and FSA do to.

seanifred

Pro

TheRealFaux

Thomson.

Kayce

Do you like shallow or standard drop? Do you like ergo or classic bend?

lmariach

Thanks for the recommendations. I have some research to do.

seau grateau

Use a dork wrench so you don't over-tighten your new crabon.

lmariach

I guess I should rephrase my original question. I haven't really ridden on any drops. I do commute through a small city (ASU) to get to work, which means I have to deal with hundreds of other bikers both on the road, sidewalks, and malls (campus); most of which would be better off in vehicles. Standard drops with either ergo or classic look right to me but that's just based off looks.

I heard that drops on the road aren't comfortable, so I really just want to find some that "are" comfortable, and my only other requirement would be that they be more narrow than wide. I deal with too many people riding the wrong way so it would help to have compact bars.

are Easton EC 90 track pro something that would fit that?

gregjones

You don't know what you want so, you can't know what to buy.

I'd start here:
https://www.retro-gression.com/produc...drop-handlebar

Only $28, available in 38cm (narrow), and comfortable tops----upright seating in crowded areas (better view), nothing extreme.

Then, you can spend a few hundred on carbon bars and get what you want, if you even want drop bars.

LesterOfPuppets

Drops on the road is the only way to comfort, if you do it right.

Scrodzilla

If you have no idea what you want, how did you come to the conclusion that your bars need to be made of carbon?

lmariach

I was told carbon would make aluminum more bearable for road purposes, along with a carbon seat post and fork. Whether that's true or not, I do not know.

lmariach

Thanks for the link, this is probably the route I will end up taking.

Kayce

Gregjones is on the right track.

A carbon fork does a lot more than carbon bars would for road vibrations. And nice tape is cheaper and just as effective. I really like the Specialize Roubaix. Getting some cheaper bars will help you figure out what shapes and sizes you like. But you should go for comfort over with. Skilled bike handling will save your butt, narrow bars usually won't.

lmariach

Thanks Kayce. The super pista frameset came with a carbon fork/Aluminum steer tube. Should I look into a full carbon fork? or is it not going to make that big a difference?

Dannihilator

Stick with the Carbon/aluminum steerer.

BigglyPuff

Whoa. From who?

Only way to know for sure is to try them, but I like mine because of the variety of hand positions. Now if you're only going short distances at slower speeds, you might like risers.

Muffin Man

Nah dude. Drops are death. Break your hand once you touch them.

dookie

Start with air pressure and maybe tires. That's 90% of it right there.

bones_mcbones

I ride an aluminum frame. Switched out a cromo fork for a cheap ebay special Carbon fork. There was a slight difference in vibration. Much more noticeable difference when I went from 23 to 28 tires.

lmariach

Yeah I heard this as well. I'm in the process of getting an h plus formation face for my rear wheel. I'm gonna try to get a 25c on there, assuming that's the biggest tire that would fit.

Scrodzilla

You can put up to a 32 - or maybe even a 35 depending on the tire - on a Formation Face without the universe imploding. Whether or not your frame has clearance for that is a different story.

illdthedj

this is good input...
another option is the soma highway 1s...more expensive, but same type of shape basically (and one of the few flat top compact drops that come in 26.0)

in terms of comfort flat top/compact drops are probably best. the lack of valleys between the tops and hoods allows more hand positions, and the less drop means less bending down into an uncomfortable (but more aero) position...

are you riding with hoods?

and you probably dont want to hear it but if you are riding in an urban area with lots of traffic/other salmoning riders bullhorns might be a good idea...a good amount of hand positions, id say more than drops sans-hoods, and upright...

seau grateau

Plus you can impale suckers on them.

gregjones

Use one of these to sharpen 'em real smooooth.