Handlebar talk........
 

So I recently did a 2nd bike which is a frankenstein build and I bought some Ritchey Curve Logic bars on a suggestion here. They're certainly nice bars and assumed they were more "traditional" but now appear a little different to me.

I got very used to riding the black bike pic (pic1) and now feel like I'm missing something in the drops as it's like they're cut short.(pic2) (I wouldn't call this ergo, and I don't think the bend is necessarily 'compact' but....) I'm not sure if the shifters can go up a bit more without compromising the top/hood area or maybe my other bars are setup a little too downard rotated?? (I'm not opposed to buying another set of bars, just was really sold on these Curve Logics)

I'm trying to adapt to see if I can live with it. Opinions appreciated!

http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/image_4.jpeg

http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/image_3.jpeg

observation rather than product opinion.

all I see is setup differences , top picture the brifter is higher on the curve than the other on where it is clamped on the bar.
and the handle bar is rotated differently in the stem .

You couldn't see that?

I concur. rotate the bottom picture's bars down and move the STI levers up higher.

+3

Bottom bar is not cut short. The drops are supposed to be level. [MENTION=197614]fietsbob[/MENTION] and everyone else are correct. Rotate the bar down and adjust the hood position accordingly.

Bottom pic looks like Shimano hoods. Top pic looks like SRAM. Ammirite?

SRAM hoods are really comfy IMO. They come off the bar flat, almost an extension of the bar. The top pic looks set up correctly with the SRAM hoods. I looks like you tried to replicate that with the Shimano hoods which isn't really possible due to the different shape of the hoods. Maybe look for some cheap SRAM brifters if you like the top setup.

Even if they are not SRAM vs Shimano, whatever they are, the shape of the hoods is different. It looks like you tried to replicate the top setup on the bottom bike with different shaped hoods.

The drop portion of the bar in the top picture is definitely longer than the bottom picture.

Respectfully, I disagree. I think it makes sense for the handlebars to be rotated such that the rider can comfortably grip the drops without having to bend the wrist . . . kind of like a handshake. Sometimes this position relates to level drops; sometimes it doesn't.

OP: I'd recommend putting the bike on a trainer, and rotate the bars until the drops are comfortable to you. Once that is set, then adjust the levers/hoods so that they are likewise comfortable. Sometimes, due to handlebar shape and/or rider position, you have to compromise between an ideal drop position and an ideal hood position.

Hoods are they same in both pics. They're both the more recent Shimano hoods (probably 11-speed).

Both bars look like they're short drop (rather than classic bend). Compact refers to how far the bar goes forward before curving down. Short drop is how far down the drop position is.

Overall, the second bar is probably setup closer to "correct", ie bar end pointing generally at the rear axle. In the drops position, you should be able to reach the brakes, rather than with your weight pushing straight down on the bar end. Granted the latter is potentially more comfortable, where the drops is more of a rest position than a classic aero descent position.

I agree with RJM. While the bottom pic has the bars less rotated downwards, if you rotate your view, the drops are still shorter than the drops in the top picture.

Some bars just have longer drops. Also with the modern compact or ergo bars, not all of them are designed to have drops that are parallel to the ground.

I currently ride three different bars on the three different road bikes in my rotation. I am used to each being different, no big deal.

Sorry late to the reply.....works crazy today. Thanks for all the feedback!!! Looks like some folks confirmed what I've written below. I leaning toward the idea that I'll probably have to do some slight compromise.

Both are actually Ultegra 6800. The black bike has Cannondale c2 bars on it (which I probably shud have just bought another pair of) and the white bike has the ritcheys on it.

The distance from tip of shifter top...back to the bars tops is currently exactly 7.5" on both bars so rotating the shifters up on the white bike will definitely make them NOT the same.

??

I thought you were supposed to angle the bar so that the ends of the bar points diagonally towards the ground, not straight behind you? Wouldn't that mean the second picture is more correct?

Stop being a setup nerd and ride it.

What if I rode it *before* being a setup nerd?

That's one common thought. Believe it or not, I was probably closer to something in between the 2 pics on the black bike before my 2nd "Professional Bike Fit!" (Ya, my opinion of bike fitting has evolved more toward cynicism than belief)

I'm wondering now if "ideal" isn't somewhere in between. Or maybe I could adapt to either if I rode it long enough as I've already adapted to a few changes on the black bike over the last couple years.

(shrug)

I point mine at the rear brake. I would tip #1 down, almost to #2 . And maybe tip #2 up very slightly. ... Both sets of levers look about right for me.

(Why does BF hightlight the # sign ?)

Homebrew.....I think you're probably meaning the reverse of what you said??! (Assuming you're referring to "tipping" the bars)

And I *think* it wants to highlight the # sign because it's programmed to try and link to a post. (I've seen people link post #'s before and clicking on them takes you right to that post # which is helpful in threads with 100+ posts, like this one will have once we get the micro-managers in here...LOL) Or else it's possibly for hashtagging? (Is that a verb?) ;)

Most of us do it like #1 , dead horizontal or slightly high up front. Bradley Wiggins does it like #2 , way high up front. This obviously works for Bradley Wiggins, because he doesn't write to bikeforums.net complaining that his drops are too short and he has to bend his wrists.

Even worse.

Yes, phrased poorly.
I meant pointing the ends down a bit in #1 , so they aim at the rear brake. Looks like that would make the curve of the drops more comfortable (for me).

Generally I like the forward extension of my bars flat so if it were mine, I 'd rotate the new bars downward slightly.

However, it looks like the top picture was taken from a little lower which means the bars Could be in identical orientation.

How's this: the bars are different in shape. Therefore the will not feel the same.

It looks like the Cdale bars are more old-school, qwith a bend and a definite flat section for two distinct hand positions, while the Ritcheys look like a more modern design with the rider only using the drops for extreme situations where s/he will have the hands all the way forward right under the brifters for max aero.

Metal bars bend. If you can't sell the Ritcheys you can modify them (good luck ... it is pretty hit or miss.) Otherwise replace them or ... Adapt. You can adapt and maybe will find you like them.

Also, it look like the stem on the Cdale is longer ... If the Ritcheys were shorter you would need a longer stem to get the hoods at the same distance, and the tops would be further away.

Am I the only one who thinks the top bars do have a slightly shallower drop than the lowers?

@ Maelochs......all your observations are about dead-on. The top & bottom perspectives are probably slightly off..... I'd say they're pretty close tops-wise. Actually, the top pic's have a slightly higher rise at the hoods than the bottoms which are dead level. (maybe a couple degrees)

I'm adjusting today so we'll see how it goes. I seem to adapt pretty well, even to my surprise sometimes, so I'm gonna try it. The new bike is smaller, lighter, stiffer, has some nicer stuff on it and definitely a faster/quicker ride so I'd like to keep the lightweight components that are already on it. But I'm not opposed to changing out bars down the road if it ultimately didn't work for me. (Part of learning what works for me & what doesn't)


Humbug.......the drops on both are probably similar in drop......and if anything *maybe* a little deeper on the C'dale bars, but neither significantly different enough that I'd much notice. Except, of course that the drops on the bottom bike feel a little more like "forwards" to me than drops right now. ;)

Thanks again for all the feedback. Good to hear people's opinions/preferences.

BEFORE..........

http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/image_3.jpeg

AFTER..........

http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/image_5.jpeg

MUCH better! :thumbsup: