Monkey Face

This mainly a Nitto question, but comments on my choices - and any other suggestions - are welcome.

I'm looking for a shallow / Italian classic / TdF bend bar for a (Molteni) Colnago Master X Lite build.

My shortlist is, in order of preference:

1- 3ttt Paris Roubaix - TdF bend
2- Cinelli Giro D'Italia
3- Nitto Dream Bar

There's a great website that shows various bar profiles, but the Nitto is not illustrated:

https://ruedatropical.wordpress.com/2...-bar-geometry/

From photographs, the Nitto looks close to the other two, is half the price and is available in the UK, but can anyone tell me if there are any significant differences?

(FWIW I'll be buying a Cinelli XE quill stem, a 90's Record seatpost and a Centaur groupset - all alloy finish. Not sure about wheels and saddle yet.)

Thanks!

PS. Deda 215 shallow drop is a possibility too, but I'd spray over the logos and maybe get a black stem.

RobbieTunes

Check the clamp size. Cinelli is often 26.4, Nitto is often 25.4

If your Cinelli stem is 26.4, you're going to need a bar in that size.
Cinelli, some Ambrosio (available in the UK, I think) have them in 26.4 I'm not sure what bends the Ambrosio have.

Monkey Face

Have done. I know they do come in different versions, but the ones I'm looking at are all 26.0 bars. The stem is also the 26.0 version. (Nitto Dream Bar is only 26.0.)

gomango

I've used #'s 2 and 3. Both are similar to a bar we ended up using on my wife's DeRosa. Actually, we are still dialing it in for her, as we ran out of riding season for that bike. The way we left it was with a Cinelli 1a with a Cinelli Model 64 bar that measured to a near 40 width. We have also used a Nitto Pearl stem with a Nitto Noodle. The Noodle is the most efficient bar for me by far, but the widths are too much for her as the smallest is a 42 that we can find at our local shops. She uses 2009 Centaur on her DeRosa and the hand positions are varied and comfortable with the 64. I actually prefer the Noodle to the Dream for hand positions, cable routing, width, and the drops. I use them on three bikes: my 1991 Eddy Merckx TSX Century, my DeRosa SLX, and my Colnago Master Extra Light.

Here is a pic that will show the Dream bar in a touring set up. Not sure if that's what you had in mind though. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/org/rale...nal/index.html Not my bike.

Here's a pic of the Noodle (with a Dura Ace stem) used on my Master Extra Light.



Old pic, but you get the idea. My Master Extra Light now sports nine speed Dura Ace levers as well, and they work quite well in all regards. Super comfy all-a-round. Ask more questions or for pics. I'll try to help. Oh, don't forget pics when you get a chance.

Amani576

That website it awesome. Thanks for sharing that (I bookmarked it).
You could also try a Nitto B115 which is a classic Maes bend bar. I have one and love it. It's not TOO different from a noodle, ceot' that it doesn't come back towards you.
-Gene-

Dawes-man

Nitto do nifty shims to allow the use of a 25.4mm diameter bar in a 26.0mm diameter stem.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...tryGB&aq=f&oq=

gomango

Here is another pic to help illustrate differences between the Nitto "Dream" bar and a Noodle bar.

https://www.rivbike.com/products/show...eam-bar/16-081

Monkey Face

I should perhaps have mentioned that I use a FSA K-Force on my Cannondale - my initial reason to swap the stock bars was cosmetic - I didn't like the anatomical shape.

However, I like it because it has a short flat ramp and is very shallow into the drops - although I should also have said I rarely go into the drops.

I can't bring myself to put a K-Force on the Colnago, but what I'd like is a traditional shape that has - or can be tilted to give - a short ramp.

gomango ---- Thanks for the pics, the Noodle looks just right on the Master, but I'm worried that (for me) it has too long a ramp (the Deda 215 deep is almost exactly the same profile, but has those horrible blue logos all over it!). I'm also guessing a little 'V' in the ramp from a tilted TdF style will be comfortable enough... please correct me if I'm wrong.

At the end of the day I know I can swap bars, but it's great getting all this help.

I will definitely post pictures when done.

gomango

You are on the right track, as this has to fit you! I went through a lot of different bars until I settled on the Noodle. The difference maker for me was distance riding. Like a lot of people, a trick to riding distances in comfort lies in changing hand positions. The Noodle gives me many options. May not work for others, but they don't ride my bikes, I do.

As to the Cinelli bars, I can ride 64's and 66's just fine for 20-30 miles. Really, its when I get into the 40-50 mile range the Noodle starts working the best.

I am also building a touring bike, a Chris Kvale, and I am thinking about trying a Nitto Randonneur bar. Wide and flares on the drops might be just the trick for even longer rides, as I have five centuries scheduled for this coming season. We are also planning a whopper of a ride, a 700 mile ride into Manitoba. We'll have to see with the bars. The Colnago by the way made it fine on a 325 mile trip with the Noodles. My saddle was an issue, not the bars.

Monkey Face

That's good; I'm planning an End to End, which is over 1000 miles, in May. I know the Colnago might not be the 'right' bike for this, but it's the right bike for me and I'll travel light - with not much more than my credit card!

I'm thinking that with the swept back tops of the Noddles, the reach is effectively reduced by what looks like about 10mm... taking me that much closer to the hoods. Hmmm.

ParaWK4

The Oval Concepts R701 is a nice, shallow drop bar with a classic shape.

Monkey Face

You're a mind reader Para... I've just been looking at it! It's light too. Same goes for Ritchey WCS Classic Road... 210g... not that I'm gram counting (looks like Ritchey have discontinued this one in 26.0mm clamp, if anyone's reading this).

Ex Pres 

If you have a 215 in hand, have you tried Easy-Off to remove the anodizing?

Monkey Face

Not tried it. Are you talking about the silver 215? Or can you take the black one back to base metal too? What sort of finish do you end up with?

RobbieTunes

For shallow drops and small hands, I like the Nitto B115 in a 38 a little more than the Cinelli's. As for some rando flare, some of the 26.0 Ambrosio's have that. This is a 26.0 Ambrosio in a 26.0 Cinelli stem. I like the slight flare for exactly what you describe: changing position after about 40-50 miles.

Monkey Face

Permission to completely change my mind.

Decided to go for something with a flatter ramp, rather than tilting an Italian upwards.

So it's Belgian style I'm after... the Nitto Noodle, B115, or the Deda 215 Deep Drop (none of which a very deep anyhow).


(No doubt I'll change my mind a dozen times overnight... in which case I have a plan... one of the above PLUS Deda 215 Shallow Drop or Nitto Dream bar - heck I need a decision so I can get some work done!)

gomango

No problem. Enjoy yourself, just send some pics our way as you may! Need any help? This is a pretty good sounding board. Just remember what you pay for it.

EjustE

Despite the Italian-sounding name, Nitto is Japanese. If you are looking to use all Italian parts (esp since you are going with Campy and Cinelli as is), you might as well use an Italian handlebar. I would go with a Cinelli or TTT. Nittos are fairly popular and stocked at various specialty bike places, because they are inexpensive and leave a lot of profit margin... TTT and Cinellis are better bars (IMHO)

gomango

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!

well biked

I don't know if this will help, but here's a couple of pics of my Pinarello equipped with Cinelli Giro d'Italia bars and an '09 Centaur (all alloy) group:

gomango

It helped my eyes before I went to bed. That's a great looking, well conceived bike. How do you like the feel of the 2009 Centaur hoods on those bars? They look super, that's for sure.

well biked

The bars feel great with the modern hoods. When I first built the bike up, I had the hoods further forward and lower, with the bars turned more downward as well. The way it is now, with the bars turned up more and the hoods further back, it allows me to take better advantage of the ergonomics of the brake hoods-

USAZorro

My favorites for long distances are Sakae Ringyo RANDNNR bars.

well biked

Here's a pic of the bike with the same brake hoods and same bars, but with the bars tipped forward more and the hoods further forward. This wasn't nearly as comfortable as the way it is now, in the earlier pics:

Monkey Face

[QUOTE=well biked;10257391]I don't know if this will help, but here's a couple of pics of my Pinarello equipped with Cinelli Giro d'Italia bars and an '09 Centaur (all alloy) group:



Thanks well biked. That's exactly the way I was going to fit the Giro's, but I'd decided last night on the Noddle bar - however, I now reserve the right to change my mind back again!!!

Seriously though, that's a very similar look to what I'm after overall... a few questions: which wheels are you using, is that a Cinelli XE or XA stem and which model saddle is it? Thanks.

Think what I'll do is buy a Nitto Noodle (I know they are Japanese EjustE, but I go with gomango's advice on these - from what I've read they are better quality than Cinelli / 3ttt - think Toyota vs. Fiat!) and a Giro/TdF style bar too - try the latter on my Cannondale and see which I prefer.