Originally Posted by
kleng
We can't really tell how stretched out you are with the 115mm stem, so it's difficult to recommend a bar, did your fitter specify the reach of the bars ?
It would be safer to go with a compact bar with a shallow drop (120 - 125mm ) and short reach (70-80mm). There are a lot of brands with this design formula.
Have never been a fan of the ergo style, it difficult to describe but for me the is less support for the whole hand, while in the drops and operating the levers.
Maybe this video explains it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EWM0KTdCOY
Thanks for the link, that explains the difference really well. My only question is concerning his point about the shallow reach allowing him to run a longer stem. Is that because the top angle bending down into the hoods is more obtuse than the standard, so the bars are closer at those bending points?
My fitter didn't specify a reach. These are what I have now-
Carbon Specialized bars, 143mm drop x 74mm reach
110mm stem (I had 90 before and this feels SO much better and less twitchy, she didn't have 115 in stock)
Is there any way to tell from my posture/hand size if I need compact? I don't think these bars are shallow drop, and I don't feel overextended at all when I brake or ride the hoods. I like the hoods for their hand position comfort, but I like the drops because my back feels better stretched out more. My Fuji has shallow drops, and I find that after ~15 minutes in the drops, my hands start to ache. I think it's because I'm trying to push my hands down more than the bars will allow.