Find the full press release here. Something that often bothers me about more dramatically flared bars is that the brake hoods sit at an awkward angle. The Enve G Series bar is available in four widths that measure 42, 44, 46, and 48cm center-to-center at the levers, which translates to 54, 56, 58 and 60cm at the drops. But after 5-6 hours of riding I noticed that I didnt have to shake my hands out to get the blood flowing in them again. The Dirt drop (HB-E130, HB-E131) is available in 440mm and 460mm widths, each with a 25 flare. How about Ultra-wide? Thus, flare was born. Me neither. The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. All photos and specs here are of the 440mm model. Sweep and rise arent as prevalent in gravel drop bars, barring a few of the more creative options. The bar offers a healthy 25 of flare, and is available in five widths from 420mm (medium) to 500mm (XXXL). Its constructed from triple-butted 7050 alloy, has a 4.5 backsweep, and comes in four different widths; 400, 420, 440, and 460mm. Its made in Taiwan out of 7050 heat treated aluminum and has a 26mm clamp area (so youll need a shim for modern 31.8mm stems). After all, if we were to mount, wrap, and review every permutation on the market, it could take a lifetime. Like the other Ritchey gravel bars, the Butano also comes in a heavier and more affordable ~$61 Comp version, as well. It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. With that, we tried to include as many bars as possible that fit into the gravel bars and flared category without overwriting on exact duplicates or including bars that are hands-down road-oriented. Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational), Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling, Track Cycling: Velodrome Racing and Training Area, Condor Cycles - quite possibly the best bike shop in London. Why 16 degrees? Unidirectional carbon fiber is twice as strong and twice as stiff as woven carbon fiber, ensuring you maximise every ounce of energy. Two widths, exceptional feel and great control. Perfect combination of sweep and flare. They come in four widths, are made from 6061 aluminum alloy, and are fairly affordable at $65 USD. The bar is available in two alloy models, the lighter Service Course SL 70 XPLR (shown here) and the more budget-friendly Service Course 70 XPLR. A larger drop (>120mm) pulls the rider downward into a more aero position. Logans review: I love this handlebar. I ride in the hoods much of the time, or with my hands resting on the bar curve just behind the hoods, so this piqued my interest. Not only do wider bars offer much more off-road control, they open up your chest and provide additional hand real estate. Its also super comfortable. Its not quite as unconventional as the Towel Rack, in favor of a more classic profile with just a small amount of (unspecified) flare. Archive -
The Far Bars have a 21 degrees of flare, drop of 110 mm, and reach of 76 mm. Unlike dirt drops of years past, these allow you to have a normal hood position in addition to an easy reach to the brake levers from the drops. This aluminum bar is available in 420, 450, or 480mm widths and has a 12 flare. This makes a palm-friendly, ergonomic hand perch just behind the hoods, which is my preferred position on drop-bars when riding long and relatively flat stretches. Moreover, I completely get along with the shape of these bars. The Cowbell, Cowchipper and Woodchipper Carbon are each about 75g lighter than their aluminum counterparts. Theres a lot to love about this trend. Drop is the vertical distance from the horizontal stem clamp area to the bottom of the bars drop extension. The bar is also recessed for cleaner, more comfortable, cable routing. The Farr Aero Gravel Bar is a unique, one-piece handlebar that incorporates more hand positions for long distance gravel riding. The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. Find our first look here. The Shaka has a 31.8mm clamp sizevs Towel Racks 26mm clamp areawith 78mm of reach and 128mm of drop. It features a massive 50mm rise, a shallow drop, and fairly short reach. Once I discovered wider bars, my tastes changed, and I quickly realized why its becoming a trend. The Gravel Bar from Germany-based Beast Components is their take on the perfect gravel handlebar. The drops are so long that theres enough room to run grip shifters and flat bar levers, if you so desire. Widths over 440mm are crucial, and widths over 460mm are becoming the norm. Issue 06 examined a diverse range of topics, including embracing aloneness, rekindling a sense of adventure, grappling with failure, and many more Issue 05 is a bit different from the others before it in that the pandemic left an unmistakable mark throughout its pages Issue 04 explored themes from hair-raising tales of perseverance, to stories of lighthearted misadventure, to meditations on culture Gravel bikes are surging in popularity, and dirt-specific flared drop bars are following suit. We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. It features Ritcheys trademark Evo-style flat top sections to help support your hands, as well as a gentle backward sweep for a more natural hand position when riding the tops. TJ Kearns take: The main reason I bought the Dajia Far Bar for my Salsa Fargo is that they came in a 480mm width, which was one of the widest options at the time. Weight specified for 440mm model. The flat has a slight sweep for comfort and the flare is nicely between roadie none-at-all and silly. Best of all, there are now quite a few options on the market. For example, a 29 flare (as used in the diagram) has a pretty dramatic outward angle to the drop. Certain grades of aluminum bend easier than others but I wouldn't call any aluminum elastic, at least not compared to certain grades of steel and stainless steel. Theres no doubt that gravel bars (and drop bars in general) have been getting wider for a while. When riding in the hooks I want to be able to stay reasonably upright and comfortable to see technical terrain coming up, so the shallow sloping drop and short reach work both on and off road. Prior to that, I simply found the Woodchipper to be a little too much. As seen on his 2019 Editors Dozen, Joe Cruz found the Wing 12 Vibrocore bars to be quite effective, and he noticed the difference immediately. For a lighter and high-end version, check out the WCS Beacon which retails for $109 USD. The brake/shifter position should be canted downward slightly, resulting in a 2025 downward angle of the drops. They also offer a non-ergo version with a 35 flare and 460mm width for the same price. China, Titanium Integrated Handlebar/Stem Titanium integrated handlebar/stem units provide aerodynamic gains by eliminating cylinder shapes, which yield 10 times the drag of aero shapes of the same, Titanium Rise Bars Titanium Rise Bars fits perfectly on freeride or all-mountain bikes or on stylish titanium mountain bikes. And considering that most people keep their hands in the drops while negotiating steep, loose, off-camber, or more technical surfaces, shallower, flared, and outswept drop extensions offer more control in this position. Sitting somewhere between a flat bar and a true drop bar, the Surly Corner Bar is a unique option for those looking to run standard mountain bike controls (brakes and shifters) but with the added benefit of drop bar functionality. Love Mud Bomber shown next to Alpkit Spitfire. Reach is how far the handlebar extends forward from the stem clamp area. Its kinda like taking 5 psi out of your tires, said Pete Hall, Salsas engineer. Drop bar widths are almost always referenced as the width from hood to hood. Not a huge amount of savings, really. The triple-butted 7050 alloy VentureMax comes in five widths and is measured at the initial bend rather than at the hoods. Their team took body geometry and mountain biking theory to address pain points and discomfort they have experienced while riding gravel bikes. The Walmer Bar is now the widest drop bar on the market and has some interesting angles. The Corner Bar is made from custom-butted 4130 CroMoly steel, coated with an E.D. Like $400-expensive. The Sim Works Wild Honey Bar is updated from NITTOs B135. And thats considering the fact that I had about a dozen on hand while working through this Gear Index. Advertising -
The Junebug is available in polished black and silver. A shallower drop (<120mm) might be considered more comfortable and easier to transition in and out of. Thomson Alloy Bars come in three flavors, one of which is the flared Dirt Drop version. The Pro Discover 30 Degree Flare Bar features 30 of flare for even more control and stability than the Medium Flare option. Weight specced for 440mm standard model. The Oyster Bar handlebar is marketed as a Bicycle Handlebar for Long Rides. This new steering apparatus claims to be ready for gravel and bikepacking, and blends flat bars with drops for even more hand positions. Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? So, now I have a few new favorites. This is purely down to the combination of carbon fibers, the resin material, and the properties of carbon fiber. Not only are gravel bars becoming wider, theyre getting more flare, outsweep, and other dirt-friendly features. Not long ago they released their updated Aero Bolt-On handlebar extension, quickly creating additional hand positions and the potential for a tucked aero position. Also note that many modern gravel bars have a less rounded "hook" shape to create a dominant drop grip. As he put it, Narrow drop bars will only be a memory for riders like us in a few years. After riding some of these bars, we think he might be right. The Superghiaias unique flare is size specific, making it optimized for smaller hands on the 40cm and bigger hands on the 44cm bar. NH>nr~nX$0MoYF [mYf,[p{[W{hM:uw5iU(JCFCrG GIxs2m9-g-C(O78B\1s`(wsb 7J/ahz"cuu8 ,t(h.lIMf73Df(,[yHn,8 gqUJ#vm}V,RvG?u&8x+ ZR|9_^$Lapm@s0x4tBQ)#VOwVBJ%LY50cfJ; Note that all of these bars have a little bit of flare or something unique that makes them well-suited for off-road use.
Woodchipper Bars bend along three planes with a 25 flare angle and a 38 drop angle that add up to a compound flare thats more pronounced than many other gravel bars. It features flattened curves at the top-bend transition. Another term often confused with flare is outsweep. With 6 of added backsweep, G-Wides are designed for maximum stability and confidence on sketchy and technical terrain. 1hupB/0l-5 KMQ#(\h9Hj8Re*heKouGO7T
%zmu+ All Rights Reserved. Classic-looking and lightweight titanium seatpost. Unfortunately, they dont make it any wider than 440mm. This was specifically designed to run the EXP Series Anything Cradle and aerobars at the same time, according to Hall. It could also have to due with the constructing of the bars. Like our other Gear Index lists, find the ones weve tested toward the top of the list with a T icon. Its made from heat treated aluminum, features a 7mm upsweep, and is available in silver or black. Brompton Straight / Flat Handlebar Titanium S-Type, High quality titanium brompton, scooters, bikes with low price. For all we know, they very well could be made in the same factory with the same layup mold. Unlike the original Condor bar, the Condor 2 has zero backsweep. We are currently trying out this bar, so stay tuned for a review. Durable and comfortable alloy gravel bars. It has a 10 flare that is suited for gravel and cyclocross style riding, a 6061-T6 butted alloy construction, and flattened drops for a more comfortable hand position. The Cowbell is much more road oriented than either of the Chippers but still has a little flare with gravel racing in mind. According to On-One, theyre meant to be ridden in the drops much of the time with full access to the brake levers. Its constructed out of AL-6066 with Shimano DI2 integration and a shallow bend for a comfortable ride in the drops. Weve also compiled a full list of gravel bars with complete specs and loads of photos, including some that have been reviewed. It was later reworked and released as the Crust Towel Rack with a max width of 675mm at the drops. At 520mm wide, with a 24 flare and 4.6 back sweep, it looks ideal for anyone looking to tackle some serious drop bar adventures but doesnt want to fork out the funds for a more expensive option. The bar is made of 7075 alloy and according to the Chris in the comments below, the main reason I love it is because the lack of a hook shape in the drops, and thats not something thats pinned by numbers. According to a commenter, this is the the exact same bar as the Dajia Far Bar, which is by OEM Satori (its the Boondocks bar in their catalog). The Origin8 Gary Ergo Sweep OS bars have a double butted AL6061-T6 construction, massive 30 flare, and a 5 back sweep that results in a pretty unique bar shape that looks comfortable for off-road use. Its also one of the more eclectic bars out there. There is also a 12F version with 12 of flare. Terms of Service -
They are quite dreamy. It features a 5 backsweep and 5 downsweep that Deda claims to be appropriate for multi-day rides and bikepacking, as well as a 10mm rise to help increase the stack height. The oddly shaped Coefficient AR (All Road) Bars shape is designed after feedback from professional bike fitters and amateur and professional cyclists. Its not always a problem as different bars are angled and tweaked differently, but sometimes the bend at the point of flare exaggerates the angle of the levers, making grabbing them from the drops a little awkward. Maintaining the same measurements and design as the beloved Cowchipper (see writeup above), Salsa introduced carbon versions of several of their bars in 2018. With a width of 52cm (64.7cm total width), the WCS VentureMax XL is a full 6cm wider than the standard version, making it ideal for bikepacking, or those situations that warrant some extra stability. Features * MaterialUltra-light Ti-6Al-4V Titanium Alloy, normally, Titanium Flat Handlebars Titanium Flat handlebars provides excellent vibration dampening characteristics. Later, UK-based On-One released the Midge Bar, which kept this oddball niche alive for a few more years. Weve ridden thes bars all over and they are a good option, but given their eclectic shape, they might not be for everyone. According to Curve, Theres little room for anything else if Walmer Bars are crossing.. But its hands down (no pun intended) been my favorite drop-handlebar for 2019. The ErgoMax also features drops with a 12 flare and comes in a more budget-friendly comp version and a higher-end carbon version for $314. *CST wheelset about 170g * Material: Titanium, PP Sleeves, PU, Brompton Flat / Straight Handle Bar TITANIUM S-type Features: * Its for standard S type Brompton, With a consistent sidewall thickness of 1.1mm the handle bar. All rights reserved. Each issue features a collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography. Its available in three different widths, features a nice 16 flare and 3 back sweep, and is said to be the most comfortable while riding in the most common hand positions; in the drops and in the hoods. You can then expand each one to find more specs, photos, weights, links, and details. Its a compact road bar with a 130mm drop and 75mm reach, and a groove for clean cable routing. The VentureMax also comes in a heavier and more affordable ~$54 Comp version, as well as a lightweight carbon version for $314 with fully internal cable routing, drilling for a Shimano junction box, and a 38x20mm aero top wing section for more comfort. The Kickstarter funding was unsuccessful, so not sure if these will see the light of day. 2006 Comeplay titanium bike. I cant say that everyone will, because its insanely expensive. The alloy EA70 AX, EA50 AX, and carbon EC70 AX bar utilize the same top shape, reach, and ergonomic drop shape as Eastons MCD road bars, but add 16 of flare.