It starts with a casual observation. You hardly even noticed when it happened, but something shifted in your mind. A bit later the same observation is made again, this time in a slightly different context. It happens again and again and the observations layer atop one another like sheets of tracing paper that, when flattened together, form a complete picture.
And so, having gone almost completely unnoticed, an obsession is born.
My obsession over classic-bend bars has been developing slowly over the last two years or so, fueled by three principle factors (mimicking the pros, form, and function), and buffered by another (investment). The fuel for the fire included the observation that many of my favorite pros ride classic-bend bars, the FSA K-Wing bars I was riding didn’t allow for a very smooth routing of the cables from my Ergo shifters, and I was not satisfied with the quality if my shifting. On the other hand, I liked the scalloped area that the K-Wings offer, and I was reluctant to move away from a bar that I spent quite a bit of money on, especially for a bar that would also represent an investment and which I wasn’t sure I would like any better. However, those same scallops caused sharp bends in the cables which adversely effected shifting performance. Not to mention, I haven’t seen a pro riding K-Wings since, well, ever.
The classic-bend bars have been weighing heavier and heavier on my mind recently; my shifting has never been as good as I think it should be, and I have become increasingly convinced that the problem was the cable routing and that classic-band bars would likely resolve the issue. Also, both Brett’s and Marko’s latest build projects involved classic-band bars, and I love the look they offer. Add to that to the fact that I’ve recently grown especially tired of the angular look of the K-Wings, particularly in marriage with my 17-degree stem, and you’re asking for trouble.
Yesterday, a flurry of text message exchanges with Marko over bars sent my obsession over the precipice. That, combined with a particularly frustrating day at the office turned obsession into action; the Hand of Merckx guided me into a chance meeting wherein I ended up with a like-new 3T Rotundo Pro bar for less than half the retail value. No shipping, no waiting, just good-old-fashioned instant gratification. Impulse buy satisfied and bar experimentation available at a palatable cost, I disappeared into the basement to labor on my machine for a few hours to install the new bars. And, although rainy weather today will keep me from riding Bike Number One, shifting performance on the work stand showed a considerable improvement in the crispness and speed of the shifts, and sitting on the bike in the workshop seems to validate that the classic bend is indeed very comfortable. Both of those test seem pretty conclusive, obviously. And, most importantly, it looks Pro.
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I have seen pros from Skill, Rabobank, Astana, Caisse d'Epargne and Katusha riding with flat carbon bars. Different riders in the same team use different bars and different ways of taping. Also compact bars seam to be more popular. It is just personal preference nowadays.
By the way: taping the flat area is not cool.
I learned early on that traditional-bend bars make my hands numb while in the drops. It's they way your (my) palm has to bridge that gap in the curve. Besides the numbness, I never found them comfortable to begin with. I've always stuck with anatomic type bends since.
But that's not to say they don't look good. I have always appreciated the aesthetics of traditional bend bars. And I have seen a few anatomic bars take the concept too far, looking like something akin to a Mektronic lever.
For me, it took one moment of a paw placed on the Ora wing bars with the finger indents to say, "This is the greatest bar ever." But, I still taped the flat. Sorry Paco. It's just that people who don't, seem like they are trying too hard. "Oh, I've got carbon bars. Look at me." And I ride the tops which feel good, with tape to cushion and absorb like tape is meant to do. There should be a rule against trying to show off at the expence of function.
The carbon bar I use for a year now, absorb shocks so much better than the metal bars I had before. I don't miss the bar tape on the flat area on bad roads without gloves. I also use thinner tape than I did previously with the metal bars. When you don't need it, it will save you some weight. I still have to go 163 gram to meet the 6800.
A rule to show of in expence of function? Are you one of the three riders in the peloton that doesn't turn his head to that large window just before the corner, to get saver through the corner? A little bit of showing of is our nature.
Yep! Whatever. What matters is which bar/tape combo fits your hands/arm/torso length/need for attenuation of road vibration...to let you dish out the most V. Anything else is posing. Don't like the feel of your shifts because of the cable routing? Di2.
@Paco
Absolutely; and lots ride anatomic bars as well. I've not seen any riders using the K-Wing in particular, though, since Gibo Simoni stopped riding them back in...well...whenever that was.
The taping preference is interesting; your point about taping the tops caused me lots of consternation; I hated covering up all that beautiful carbon, but in the end, found the tape to be much more comfortable than the plain carbon.
@Gillis
It's funny you mention Mektronic; I rode that at some point as well. It sucked. Completely. I also at some point rode Scott Drop-Ins complete with the Lemond-style half pipes taped into the drops to give an anatomic section.
The anatomics have gone a bit far, I'm afraid, which is part of my reaction to go back to the basics. They have the look about them that we'll be able to identify their time period in a decade or so and say, "Oh, right. that period.
In fact, this marks the first time in my memory that I'll have riding round drops, so I'm very curious to see how they go.
@nvvelominati
It's interesting you mention the Ora; I think you're the first person I've come across who likes those bars. Another example in my mind of what a crazy design looks like. But shit, if you like 'em, awesome. My Velomihottie rides 3T More's on one bike and FSA K-Wing compacts on another, and while both of those are much more subtle in design, she swears by them.
Hm...
@Paco
Double hm...well played. The Rules are (almost) all about aesthetics in one way or another. But showing off is unsophisticated and garish, like Cavendouche. Vanity is entirely different.
Self-absorbed admiration of one's own vanity, now there's a concept I can get behind. I would not be able to offer a strong counter-argument if someone accused me of choosing my routes specifically to maximize my exposure to big shop windows so I can get some good looks.
If you are interested in shaving weight, drop the flat bars; even the alu bars are noticeably lighter than the K-Wings.
But here's a question that's been on my mind - I am riding a full carbon bike, carbon fork, carbon steerer...how much vibration is left around to be absorbed? I've noticed enough Pros riding alu bars that I've become quite curious as to the reason. I'll be interested to feel the change in ride quality.
@Durishin
Indeed.
Touche, although I have to say that I'm unconvinced, mostly because I haven't dished out the $3k or whatever it is to try it out. If you have a set to donate, I'll happily give it a try and let you know what I think.
It does seem to take a bit of the art out of riding, though, doesn't it? I savor the satisfaction of executing the perfect shift...I enjoy the process of tuning my bike. I take pleasure in having everything adjust just right.
Love the big windows.
Nicely done! I wish I could claim as productive a Friday (I called a student intellectually homeless, but it hurt his feelings"”for the record, I was right).
It's this kind of talk that brings out the Cognoscentus in me: if you're gawking at reflections in shop windows, you clearly need to HTFU. I ride out in the country. No windows. Lots of isolation. Lots of pain.