Um, no they aren't necessarily better. On what do you base this? Nitto's product line rocks. Seriously, have you really ridden a bike with a Noodle bar over a 100 mile distance repeatedly? I have. If the op had said, I only want to purchase Italian equipment, as I want an all Italian bike, then we have a different conversation. As for an Italian classic style bar, take a very close look at their line. Strikingly similar in the case of the Dream, Soba, and its heavier cousin the Noodle. If I wrapped the Nitto bars up and sent you out on a taste test, would you be able to tell the difference between a Cinelli Model 64 and a Dream? Maybe, maybe not. I would say the op is looking for a bar that produces the right fit, especially for long distance riding. The Cinelli bars are good bars, of course they are. I like to use them for the right application. But if it isn't comfortable on a 50 mile ride, think of what they may feel like on a 1,000 mile journey. Also, Nittos aren't popular cause they are cheap, they just happen to work for many serious riders in a very wide range of applications. That's called marketing and design!