ncscott

My last post about handlebar palsy has pointed out I need a new handlebar.
Any recommendations for a drop bar with an anatomic bend? Preferably one that is comfortable on the wrists. Most of my time is spent of the top of the bars. Not much time in the drops. I have bar end shifters if that makes a difference.
Thanks,
Scott

nfmisso

Consider a trekking bar: https://www.amazon.com/XLC-Touring-M.../dp/B009GIFY9E

mstateglfr 

Grand Cru Course Handlebar- Classic Round Bend

I like these. They are a full C bend, so the tops are level and the drops are level. I have this bar on my touring bike and a similar designed bar on another bike. Both have bar end shifters.

The ramps(area before the brake lever) are long so you have a lot of hand positions on the top of the bar. The drops are level so its easier to reach the bar end shifters.

One thing to not is that the reach is longer than many compact bend bars, so you need to take that into account for overall reach. I use a shorter stem to offset the long reach the bar provides.


This style of drop bar(full C bend) is common and produced by Nitto and others, in addition to the VeloOrange model above.

BobG

Scott- You may not need new bars. Just rotate them into a normal tilt so you can ride comfortably on the hoods like most everyone else. Like this...

https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com...11-500x375.jpg

See how relaxed his wrists are without twisting them to grip the flat section. The drops are for just once in a while as are the tops. That said, I do like cross-top (interrupter levers) on the tops. They add powerful mountain bike flat bar braking leverage to drop bars and are easy on the wrists.

Tourist in MSN

There are a ton of manufacturers and models of bars out there. If you are a pretty conventional rider, I would stick with one shaped like one of mine.

1st photo - I repeated one photo from the previous thread that you started.

2nd photo - this bar is a bit short in the drop area, but with a bar end shifter it would be long enough.

3rd photo - this is one of those odd bars that has sort of a platform on the top area, I am still undecided if I like this or not, I recently switched to this bar. The drop part is pretty close to horizontal, I actually like a slightly less horizontal drop than this bar has.

4th photo - unfortunately I do not have a good photo of the bars on my expedition bike, this is the best I had.

If you switch bars, you might need new cables, maybe new cable outer housing, and very possibly new bar tape. I recently changed bars on one bike, I needed longer brake and shifter (bar end shifters) cables and outer housing because of the way that I put my cables under the tape, it was slightly longer than on my previous bars.

And if you get new bars, keep in mind that they come in 25.4mm (rare), 26mm (more common) and 31.8mm (newer standard) where the stem attaches, so you might need a new stem too. And maybe different interrupter brake levers. I switched from a 26mm bar to a 31.8mm, needed new stem and also new interrupter brake levers.

And some bar manufacturers list widths in center to center format, some use a different format.

You might want to go to a big bike shop and get on some of the bikes they have on the floor to see what feels good to you.

And different bars have different amounts of drop.

Thanks for posting that link (in the previous thread) on Cyclist’s palsy or handlebar palsy. I had never heard that term. Yup, that is what I have in one hand, but in my case I am sure it is the result of a crash and two shoulder surgeries, I do not recall that happening before the crash.

BigAura

For touring I've ditched the drop bars, preferring a very upright posture. Enjoy the view & less pressure on hands. The only negative is you're less aero in headwind situations. My tours are never races so it really matters very little.



Nitto Northroad Handlebars



Comfort > Speed

boomhauer

How about using aerobars to take the pressure off your wrists once in awhile?
I had to do this to continue touring. Never go on tour without them anymore.

Happy Feet

I like em too.

saddlesores

if you absolutely positively want to stay with drops,
consider dirt drop bars.

Dirt Drop Bars

Tourist in MSN

If you decide to get rid of the drops, a friend of mine tours with bars that I think he calls bull horn bars. In the photo, his bike is the farthest to the left, closest to the camera. Note that he is using bar end shifters on his bars, thus your shifters would still work.

I however want drop bars for headwinds. I only mention this since others are citing other non-drop bar options.

Timequake

Dude, that Thorn is damn sexy! If only they didn't cost an arm and a leg to import to USA...

BlarneyHammer

I haven't used these yet, but they certainly intrigue me. Before my next tour, I think I'm gonna get a set.



Soma Sparrow Handlebar

Flipped down, it has a "drop" position and a forward position in the crooks. 40 degree sweep looks comfortable for the wrists. Comes in three different widths.
Downside: 25.4 mm clamp and 22.2 grip diameter means you might have to switch all your shifting/brakes. Should be compatible with bar-end shifters, if that's what you use.

AdvXtrm

That bar with a set of Aeros would make a great combo I would think. If the new bar I'm installing now doesn't work out for me, I'll be giving the one you have a try.

I suggest the OP seriously consider ditching the drop-bars altogether.

Here's the one I'm installing. I like that these have an angle to the ends on the inside there. I think this will make them a bit different and even more comfortable than other Trekking bars,


Check them out here,
Genetic cycle Zygote Bar

ncscott

mustache and trekking bars definitely intrigue me. They are cheap enough, I might try one of the cheaper ones. I have a second bike that will probably need new bars too, so I could try two different kinds. Since my current bar is going to be wasted, I can turn them into bullhorn bars and try that out for free.
Off of Soma's website was this pair that looks right up my alley. Soma Brevet Randonneur Bar - Ergo Bend
Thanks for the suggestions and idea. I'm in the mood to try something different than current.

Tourist in MSN

Those look great to me. Hmmmmm, 25.4mm.

On one of my bikes I have 25.4mm handlebar diameter, but a 26mm stem. I found that three layers of aluminum from a beer can was the perfect thickness for a shim to take up the space. I used a micrometer to measure the beer can, not trial and error.

When possible, I put the cables under the tape, thus I prefer grooved bars. But otherwise, I like the shape.

Tourist in MSN

Thank you. I bought the frame and fork and built it up myself which kept the costs down. The customs duty on a frame and fork to USA from UK is at a lower rate than on a complete bike too. I also was lucky to get a Rohloff shipped to me from Germany, the USA distributors charge a huge markup on anything imported from Europe, thus I saved several hundred USD that way. And where practical I bought some low cost components that are perfectly good enough although cheap, such as chainrings for under $10 USD.

fietsbob

Old traditional bend made By Nitto in this case .. Randonneur handlebars
(many retail Nitto handlebars this just an example from google search)

Nitto - Randonneur, 42cm 25.4mm, Silver Bar




https://janheine.wordpress.com/2010/...donneur-model/

veganbikes

Zipp Service Course SL-70 Ergo, my personal touring drops. They are the most comfortable bars my hands have ever laid upon. I know they do cheaper versions in that same style but go big or go home. I think 3T also makes the ErgoNova and Dimension has a flat top bar. If you have a 25.4mm stem, I believe Bontrager did a flat top drop bar as well that came out on paper to the same weight as my current favorites but you will have a tougher time finding them.

However again as most of us have said try adjusting the bars to the proper angle and test that out.

If you do a trekking style bar which isn't horrible, try adding some Ergon Grips (I love them and give them to friends all the time). I am considering doing that for a friends bike because it is an old mountain bike begging for a touring conversion and I don't have to spend my money plus he already has the Ergons so it is just a new stem and bar and a few other things to really get it right.

mdilthey

Check out the Jones Loop Bar, too. Lots of hand positions and a nice swept-back position for most of your riding.



Jeff Jones recommends using a full-length grip or a tape wrap instead of standard grips. The bars are designed for you to move up and down the grip as conditions or soreness dictates. I found I was moving around a lot on the bars, which helped, because I wasn't putting on too much pressure in any one position.

The tourist who took this fine picture also wrote a great review: https://www.therandomsam.com/2015/07/...0-mile-review/

irwin7638

After using Rivendell's Bosco Bars on my "hybrid" for a year, I dropped the drops from my touring bike as well. They solve a lot of problems including pain and numbness in the hands and wrists. They also provide a huge range of posture from near semi-recumbent to an aero position similar to TT bikes. Now I can't imagine going back to drops for all day riding.


Marc

Tourist in MSN

I had my expedition bike out today, took a photo of the bars.

You will notice that there is a very short horizontal part of the bar between the tops and the brake levers, I think that might be called the ramp? My point is that because that is quite short, a bar like that is good if your frame top tube is a bit long or if you wanted to sit up a bit more upright. Thus, less reach with this bar than most others with similar shape.

northerntier

I'm putting a jones bar on my co-motion divide as we speak, much better off-road and more positions. Despite the "more positions" mantra, most folk seem to do as this picture shows: leave the entire center portion, including crossbar, bare for devices. You don't really get more positions w/o that part! On mine I'm going to tape room on both the center crossbars for my hands. Still plenty of room for my toys.

veganbikes

Ehhh if i had them I would do the inner middle section of the bars with tape, sometimes I like positions in that general region on a mountain bike or hybrid style bike. I agree most of the time it makes more sense for gidgets and gadgets but I would ride there on occasion.

northerntier

The "aero bar" style....

I'm not doing that because a) some of my devices should be in the middle (my phone, for one), and b) aero bars always make me nervous, not enough leverage.

Clem von Jones

Variable radius bend road bars like the FSA Omega and Vero are more comfortable than the misnamed so-called 'ergo bars' that have angular bends. FSA also makes the same bars with flat uppers, called Omega Wing Pro, or Gossamer Compact which are yet again more comfortable if you ride that position a lot. These road bars based on the shapes that racers use are quite comfortable because the pros spend all day, day after day, a hundred or more miles each day using them.