In the days when names like "Merckx" and "Gimondi" or "Poulidor" were the inspiration for road bike handlebars, there was little need to worry about the choice. In the meantime, not only have the shapes become more complex, but their names have also become more complicated. This can be frustrating when looking for the right bar - especially if the terms and dimensions are not clear. From a sober point of view, the tasks of a handlebar are straightforward, but an unsuitable model can, in the worst case, restrict riding pleasure with hand and back pain. What you constantly have in your hand and in your field of vision should fit in every respect. It's not just engineers and orthopaedists who make a science out of it; handlebar shape and adjustment are also a sensitive issue for technical aesthetes. In the TOUR test fields of the past two years alone, five handlebar manufacturers dominate the market: 3T, Deda Elementi, FSA, Ritchey and Syntace. We have once again analysed their models in detail with regard to shapes and dimensions.
Basically, the current variety of shapes and dimensions is great for road cyclists to achieve a perfect riding position. In addition to the width, the important handlebar dimensions for this are called "reach" and "drop" - in German, these are the handlebar depth and handlebar height. The handlebar depth reach describes the pre-bend from the centre of the upper link to the foremost point of the bend, the handlebar height drop is the vertical measurement from the upper to the lower link, measured between the centres of the tubes. The current models vary in handlebar depth by up to three centimetres - in combination with the stem, this results in considerable leeway for the riding position on the bike. The radii of the handlebar bends and thus the drop, on the other hand, usually remain constant even with different handlebar widths. Only with Ritchey's "Logic II" series does the curve increase with the width; the Syntace carbon models are slightly longer and lower in XL. However, the drop of a classic "Merckx" shaped handlebar, where the lower bar was 16 centimetres lower, is no longer achieved. The 123 millimetres of the 3T "Ergonova" series can be compared with special compact versions from FSA and Syntace.
We come across three basic shapes again and again: "Classic", "Anatomic" and "Ergo". The classic, round curve is a shape that has been tried and tested for decades - probably also because it is still very popular with professionals. The argument: with the uniform radius and constant tube diameter, the handlebars are more flexible to grip and the brake levers are the easiest to reach from the lower handlebars. However, the choice is already slightly limited: FSA and Ritchey only offer aluminium models. The most widespread is the anatomical shape with alternating radii and straight grips, which is also optimised for shift brake levers. The latest variant, known as the ergo or wing shape, attempts to combine the advantages of both with a radius that increases towards the ends of the handlebars.
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