xdrmusclex

I have a set of FSA wing top bars that I hate like poison. When I was buying new bars I said "Hey, I like big flat wide handlebars, those look comfortable!" Well, they are NOT! the flat top has to be in a position which makes the rest of the bar angled waaaaay forward, which makes my hoods in a very uncomfortable position +I hate hate hate (hate) "ergo" bend of the drops.

So I pose my question...I need some new bars that DO NOT have a wing top nor an ergo bend. I would like them to stay as flat as possible up to the hoods (I have DA 7700 which dip down quite a bit already), and not be carbon. After looking at bars online it is really hard to get the gist of how they will look with hoods and such, so if you really like your handlebar set up, Please Please Please post pics and give me the details before my wrists revolt and leave me in the night!

AEO

fsa omega or vero compact

Trucker Dan

I have ritchey wcs classic bars on my bike. These are the carbon ones but you can get alloy too.

turkey9186

Have you looked at EA70s?
Funny you don't like them. Broke my hand a couple years ago, and the K-wings are the only bars I can ride on for more than an hour or so now.

aoto

I didn't like mine either at first, but then i changed stem lengths and now they are a lot more comfortable

kaliayev

I had a 3T Ergonova, very similar to the Wingtop, on my road bike and hated it. The angle to my wrist caused a lot of pain. I put it on my tourer and with the relaxed geometry it has worked out better. I am currently using a 3T Ergosum and a FSA Omega Compact on my road bikes and like then both really well, a nod going to the 3T.

thehammerdog

dude I so agree, I have the same pair and the guy was like hey man the flatpart is where you rest your hands, theysux.......if I have bars where I want them to use drops the top is JACKED.......

Campag4life

OP,
You are dissing perhaps the most popular roadbike bar today...what I ride. You probably don't know how to set your bike up.
The ergos are about perfect...including short reach to the hoods and modest drop for long distance comfort.
The tops are perfect and angled properly with the hooks in the right position. You have to position your levers where they need to be once you get the attitude of the bar correct. They got it right but for some reason you didn't.
Bars are personal. The FSA Compact Wing is the most comfortable bar I have ridden and I spend a lot of time on the tops....and
really all positions. As mentioned, try the Omega if the Wing doesn't work after adjusting your set up.

echappist

+1 for classic bars, though i am biased. I tilt mine down a bit b/c i could care less about a flat transition. With campy levers, though, you can get a flat transition even when the bar is set up like mine.

WCS classic (what i'm currently using)



WCS logic ii (what i'm looking to sell, hint, hint)



for reference campy on a classic round bar




the most is often not the best; to boot, we are talking about something that varies from person to person, even in the pro peletons. A lot of people are probably 60 degrees to horizontal when on the hoods and 30 degrees in the drops, but that's not the way to get the most speed for the power you put out.

furthermore, campy levers on ergo bars is nothing short of an ignominy

kleinboogie

I may never buy flat top bars again. I have the FSA K-Force Compact carbon bars and like everything but the tops. Too sharp an angle when the drops are parallel to the ground. I also have the Easton EC90 SLX3 carbon bars love the round tops but not a fan of the curve in the drops. Recommend to just keep looking until you/we find the right one. GL

xdrmusclex

Thanks everyone for the help, I tried out some ritchey wcs bars today at performance and they seemed alot better. even better was a set of zoom bars that had a super shallow drop and really short reach, but were pricey.


To Campag4life, yes I am dissing these bars, they may my wrists cry (and vomit), and it seems like most other people hate/dislike them. I know how to setup my bike, I have been doing it for the past 20 years. You cant say bars are personal and then tell me i should like them, that makes no sense.

JoelS

The FSA Omega Compact is a pretty cheap bar (like $40 or so). Short reach, shallow drop, round on the tops. I agree with you about the flat top bars, I don't like 'em either. I am using the Omega Compact and really like it. It's very comfy.

DaveSSS 

The anatomic drop bars in the OP's picture and the FSA wing compact are nothing alike. I tried the wing compact and found several issues. They are about 2cm narrower at the brake hood than at the ends, so don't buy a 40cm unless you want the brake hoods 38cm apart - buy the next size larger. The reach to Campy brakes levers with these bars is huge, compared to any other I've used in years - not good for those with small hands. The wing top will be tilted upward if the ends of the bar are level.

I much prefer the Easton EC90-SLX3 for a short-reach bar. The brake hoods are spaced closer together than the bar ends, but only about 10mm. The reach to Campy brake levers, from the hooks, is as good as any.

Campag4life

Wrists vomit? Bad design? Sure it isn't you? Bars are personal. The sharp edge you wrote about doesn't exist if you place your palms properly on the tops. This takes the proper reach to the bars. Anatomically, placing your wrists in the front as with a round bar and not on the top of the bar promotes carpal tunnel due to nerve impingement. The designers of these bar made them perfectly...perhaps not for you but they are wildly popular for good reason....the best bar I have ever ridden and I have been road biking for 30 years.
There is no free lunch in design. Round bars will increase psi loading to your palms which will promote pain in some and hence the wing design. Same principle with Ergon grips in off road riding.
As the the narrowness that Dave talked about, this is true but the easy work around is order one size up. The hooks are the most comfortable I have experienced...with long generous rest unencumbered by a needless kink typical of other ergo bars. Transistion to the hoods ditto. Its a great bar. If you found another bar you prefer, I am happy for you, but for the record, it isn't the bar's fault.

A further note on set up. If you set any bar improperly, it won't work.
In your picture you have the top and hood lands angled too far forward. Modern riders generally rotate the bar back a bit. This raises the tops fractionally and allows the bars to be placed slightly lower on the steerer which makes the drops more usable with a compact shape. It also rotates the sharp back edge of the bar down out of contact with the palm. So setting the bars up is very important...especially with a wing bar to get the right compromise off all three positions.

kayakdiver

I really like this bar... cheap and comfy.

Brian Ratliff

I dislike the ergo bend as well. The PRO Components Vibe 7S with the "round" drops are my favorite. The Bontrager Race Lite bars are my second favorite. Both are made to integrate really well with STI shifters (PRO Components is a Shimano company; Bontrager is Trek). Bontrager is usually thought of as sort of a second rate OEM component group, which it usually is (Treks come with Bontrager components), but they do have a unique handlebar shape that I happen to like.

The nice thing about the Vibe 7S is it has the large diameter 31.8mm clamp diameter extend all the way to the bend, and the bend is almost the old style "crit bar" bend, so it doesn't bang into your wrists when you are sprinting from the drops. This all combines to make the S7 a very stiff, rigid bar. The Race Lite bar has a very flat top with a very sharp bend and rounded drops. I view the 7S as a "sprinter's bar", while the Race Lite is a "climber's bar", which is understandable as Thor Hushovd (sprinter) had input into the design of the 7S while Lance Armstrong (climber) had input into the Race Lite design.

ciocc_cat

I ride old school Cinelli Giro di Itialia 64-40 bars with a traditional round bend as opposed to modern "ergo" bars. I find that a traditional bend provides more hand positions = greater comfort. Old-style Cinelli bars may be hard to find, but Rivendell sells some Nitto bars that look like they'd work just fine.

xdrmusclex

we do not have the same bars, mine are the fsa wing, not compact, not pro, just the cheap ones.

king-tony

The Vibe 7 is a fantastic bar. I had never tried the Pro stuff until this fall and I must say that the bar and stem combo is super stiff.

ultraman6970

I have a set of Kouta katch and no problems, the op has the handlebars set wrong apparently

In the picture i'm not that sure but looks like the op has the handlebars with the wrong angle and the brifters too low also. I'm under the impression the op put the handlebar with the flat part totally flat and it must go like with an angle, if you do that the palm of the hands cant rest naturally, right now is more like putting the palms over a table and it must more like in the position of "writing over a keyboard" that is basically the natural position of the hands palms, so no wonder why the op is *****ing up a little bit. A 30 bucks carbon junk if set up right will be very comfortable and a 250 bucks one if set up wrong will be an aweful experience.

The bottom of the handlebar must have between 5 to 10 degrees, then the reach to the brifters should get shorter, at the same time move the brifter upper to match the flat curve coming from the handlebar.

Pay attention to Campag4life picture, thats sort of the right position of the handlebar and the brifters, obviously the bike looks better because has campy hehehe

To finish, op, have u ever consider to get a bigger frame?

ultraman6970

The Vibe 7 looks pretty similar to the classic cinelli one from back in the 80,s still my fav handlebar ever.

Mansram01

Very happy with my FSA K-Wing Ergo Compact handlebars. Never had an issue with the top flat part. Works great for me on climbs and it doesn't both me on the flats. If I get new bars, I would really consider classic style bars but my current ergos work well. The ergos work best for me in compact. My previous full-size ergos were not all that comfortable but that could have been due to the extended drop making it uncomfortable to me...

SebastionMerckx

This is an FSA Vero bar on my System Six. It's very close to the Omega Compact but can be had for as little as 26 dollars on Pro Bike Kit. I've had numerous bars and these are great for the money..In fact, I prefer these bars to most of my expensive bars.

NormanF

I like Nitto Albatross bars,

Let people call me a Fred - as if I give a damn!

I love the comfort and can ride aero on the bends if I want.

And my head, neck and back just feel great after a ride!

xdrmusclex

I really like the look of the FSA omega compacts and im going to go out and try to find a shop that has them (I'm, in Chicago, any ideas?). I like the look of the non ergo bend, flat tops, short reach and shallow drop. I've been playnig with shifter positions to try to get a better fit on the FSA wing bars I have, but they just dont seem to want to work for me. Ill let you all know if i find a place that has them. Thanks again for all the productive responses!