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I find the bars on my cx bike are not particularly comfortable and having done some research, possibly some shallower drop bars, such as Cowbells, Cowchippers or Midge are in order.
Midge - even though in lurid gold, are the cheapest.
Any real life comparisons of them on here, which are better or do I want to spend the 50 60 quid for the salsa ones?
Salsa are good, a longer hand length on the dropped part than the Midges.
I have some black Midges you could have for a few quid + postage. A few marks from getting brake levers on. I used them to try out the idea of flared drops before buying the Salsas.
Cowbells are ace.
Put Midges on my CX/commuter and they feel fine on the road or in the woods .
are you after shallow drop, or specifically flared drop?
^ I don't know.
both maybe? I just know the ones I have aren't right for me, and shallow flared drops appear to be the answer.
For CX i run cowbell's. Shallow, short (forward reach) and long drop sections with a little flare for comfort.
The midge are a much different beast, many like them but i have big hands so the short drop section was restricting. Also the extreme angle of the flare didnt suit me (same with woodchippers) but thats a very personal thing, you'll not know until you try yourself.
Not flared but the Planet-X Strada bars and the Deda RHM bars are both a very nice compact shape, I've used both on and off road and like them a lot.
I like the cowbell shape, it's very similar to my old Nitto Randonneur bars but with a slightly shallower drop.
The woodchippers I can't get on with as well due to the more extreme flare outwards (horizontally) on the drops.
My current favourite is the bars that came on my AWOL, they're almost exactly what I would have specced if you'd asked me, annoyingly though I wouldn't mind a 44cm version but they're not available aftermarket 😕
The PX Strada bars mentioned above are actually not a bad call, I have some 44cm ones, they're not flared but the shape is nice and compact.
Sadly bars can be a bit like saddles, you have to try them to find out what [b]you [/b]like, and you have to spend a fair amount of time on them to know as well, you need to give yourself long enough to tweak angles and position of the hoods as it's as much a system as it is a bunch of individual components, get practising with the bar tape wrapping 😉
Hmm, on ebay just now looking for second hand so I don't end up spending a fortune.
I want some of those gel inserts as well for under the tape.
what comfort issues are you actually having?
have you ruled out possible adjustments to you current setup?
Once I get the bars I'll drop it at my local shop and have him fit them, flip the stem, redo my outers which are too tight to flip the stem. I know my seat height to bar drop is quite high, but it feels comfortable pedaling it for an hour or so on the hoods, just in the drops is a bit much a few kms is ok, but after that it just annoys.
PX Strada's in 44mm size are £10 currently [url= https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HBPX6061SD/planet-x-road-bar-strada-shallow-drop ]here[/url], they're well worth a shot at that price. If you want a budget way of adding padding just put a strip or 2 of old tape on the tops and/or drops of the bars to get a feel for how the gel inserts would work.
I wrap some old inner tube around the tops before the bartape.
RIght I'm stopping now, I appear to have gone a bit wild and bought loads of things.
I won't be able to return any either as they will be hauled out here with a relative in their suitcase.
Good excuse to build another bike from spare parts though
They make normal roadie bars with more or less drop - you don't need to go niche. Are you aware of this or just looking for an excuse? 🙂
FSA Vera drops - quite shallow, like them.
If you are near London and want to borrow a set of ritchey drop me a line, pm in profile
ajantom - I sent you an email regarding the midges