I just bought my first touring bike, a LHT.... I wasn't crazy about the stock handlebars and I'm looking for a replacement. I love the ergo handlebars on my Specialized Secteur road bike. I like the oval shape on top and shallow drops... They also seem bigger around when I grip them than the stock LHT handlebars. Unfortunately these Specialized drop bars only come in black and I thought they might look funny with the silver components of the LHT. Any recommendations for ergo drop bars that fit the above description? Thanks!

Those aren't ergos, they're compact/shallow drops. Soma has their Highway One, I'm not aware of any other silver compact drop bars out there.

contact the Specialized dealer for more of the same bars?

use black bar tape and it will be fine.. you have lots more things to worry about

like thousands of tons of radioactive waste with no place to safely put it.

Paint your preferred bars silver in center where exposed.

Or, wrap tape all the way to the stem.

Or, quit worrying about minor things that you cannot change easily.

A quick check of QBP inventory shows:
249 black bars
23 silver bars

This includes all iterations of width, drop, reach, etc.

So, only ~ 1/11 bars sold is silver - and none are what you want.

Actually, this might work for you:

https://www.ritcheylogic.com/dyn_prodfamily.php?k=394053

It is possible to remove most/all of the anodized coating by soaking in mild sodium hydoxide solution, plus scrubbing with steel wool. Question then is, do you want to trust a bar you soaked in lye and removed some material with steel wool, just so it'll be silver?

I used this bar with great success - [h=3]Nitto B135 Randonneur Bar[/h]https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...s.php?id=16950

Sounds similar to what you are looking for.

Thanks, Striknein. I thought that they were ergos because they have an oval shape/feel but now I realize that it's the cables that is giving it that shape. What does "compact" mean?

Thanks everyone for the links!

FWIW Department-- Why not use the stock bars for awhile, and see how they fit given the differences in geometry between your Specialized and the LHT. After a good evaluation make the decision on what bar you need based on fit not color. I believe that at the end of a tough day the fit will be a heck of a lot more important than the color.

Besides by the time you tape the bars, put on the mounting bracket for your handlebarbag, and mount your computer; there will not be much black showing.

Found another one.

Ergo bars were designed to make the bar feel more "natural" when the palm rests against it in the drops. In practice, they were more uncomfortable for many because they didn't allow the rider to move their hands around while in the drops.

Compact bars are designed to compliment the way bikes are now fitted. With longer stems and more ergonomic brake lever designs, compact bars have much less reach than traditional road drops, allowing for more comfort while on the hoods. They're also shallower than traditional road handlebars, which helps when considering the relatively recent trend of undersized frames and massive saddle-to-bar drop. Many of these new handlebar designs also include ovalized/flatter tops, which some people happen to enjoy.

+1 on the Civia Emerson. i also wanted silver compact, and add in the 26.0 size, there aren't a lot of options. They're also pretty inexpensive.

It's a pretty nicely designed shape, and comfortable. The only thing I would change about the design is to have the cable-routing channel continue further towards the stem. But that's not a big deal. the bars are definitely worth checking out, and would look right at home on a LHT.

Handlebars are a very personal thing. I find I like fairly plain jane Nitto 115 bars.

Use some sand paper to make the exposed areas silver.

Regarding fit, I really like the feel of the oversized specialized bar. Wouldn't it make sense to start with the bar I like and adjust the fit from there?

I am caring less about the color. I don't think black would look so bad and as you say most of the exposed black will be covered. All things being equal though, I like the look of the Soma Highway 1.... so I have choices. Thanks.

Thanks for the clarification. This helps... One more question, will a bar with an oversized center such as the Soma Hwy fit in the stock LHT stem? (I prefer the oversized center).

Can you measure what you have? 26mm is not oversize..
So, new stem. probably black too.

No, stock stem is 26.0 mm, see specs tab:

https://surlybikes.com/bikes/long_haul_trucker

It'll work - for an unknown period of time - until the bar snaps in two while you're riding.

It's always a bad idea to remove material from the wall of thin tubes (all tubes are thin-walled). Sanding the center section of a handlebar strikes me as a VERY BAD IDEA. I doubt many people have ever done this, or at least would admit it. Looking for a handlebar and a hospital out in the boonies is never a fun time.