I’ve been looking at new bars for my surly pacer and found the Thomson kfc cx carbon drop bars and they look pretty good and £150 is Defo a possibility with a couple of months of saving just wondering about real world experience anyone got them using them hate/love them?

I’m interested in these too.

The Thomson flat carbon bars on my XC bike are the nicest I’ve ever had – somehow less flexy AND less buzzy than Renthal or Easton.

How did I not know that Thomson made drop bars?

I only noticed a couple of months back when placing an order for some bits and was flicking though to find oddments to make the minimum order.

Really want to try a pair but big investment for something I might not get on with.

I was going to buy these a month or so back for my CX bike until some one pointed me towards SALSA Bars, There are a few to choose from, I went for the Cowbell 3 and at £50 are a bargain,

I’ve got Thomson stuff on the X bike so these seemed like a natural option, Mines an old Alloy frame though and not really warranted by carbon so i’m happy with the Cowbells.

After chatting the other night XYETI dude I order some cowbells for gravel/touring bike gotta be said they ride and feel nice was a good shout dude.

Think I might have to bite the bullet and get thomsons and let everyone who wants to know what there like how I get on with them.

Dan, I,m glad your enjoying them, that means you gotta take extra care when lacing up my Archetypes 😛

Their nice and cost a third of the Thomson Bars and there isn’t that much of a weight penalty, I like the slight Flex on the drops and the flare.

Sorry about the hijack but re the Salsa Cowbell bars, is there enough of a flare to give extra control off road or would you recommend stepping up to the cowchipper for that? I’ll probably end up riding as much road as off road so am undecided.

Hmmmmm, I’d say step up to the wood chipper if you are riding more off, the cowbell is a gentle flare which is more noticeable looking straight on at the bike, the main plus point for me is the width as I was getting stiff shoulder and tight neck ache. This has rectified my aches, I bought the widest ones. I’ve found myself riding more on the drops on road when my hands ache from the hoods,

On a road bike I’d fit Cow Bells, on a CX personally I’d go for the wood Chipper, so I dropped a bit of a bollock, especially after wrapping with Lizard Skin DSP tape that the good folk on this forum recommended.

The wood chipper is a definite sweep outwards, and most importantly they look good, especially on a cross bike.

Mind you, I’ve had some comments from rude roadies at cafe stops re the bars so they can’t be that tame, I could post a pic but I haven’t got the technical know how to even cut and paste a quote so there’s no way your getting a photo

I’ve just bought some Thompson KfC bars, collect Monday.

They’ll go on my CX’er, I’ll post pics once on next weekend.

Look awesomnez..

Hey Dan, I hadn’t realised I’d replied to your post after we had spoke, Doh,

Anyway, if I send you pics can you post em?

I still haven’t figured out how to post pics here lol if it was auto cad though I’d be fine.

Did those spokes turn up yet?

Yep all 24 boxes of them lol

Deep Joy 😆

I’ll bob em in the post on Mon, STILL Undecided on Ally Nips ? for durability i’m still thinking heavy duty Brass DT Jobbies, Sorry for romping all over the thread BTW…….

No worries I have black and silver brass in stock too dude

Cool, But are the Black anodised? will they not corrode, I’m temted to do Turqoise ally but dont want to be stripping nipples on the rough stuff,

Silver Hubs, Silver spokes Black rims……..? Prob the Black nipples……

The black ones are plated brass that’s been blackened so shouldn’t corrode like alloy can with alloy nipples it’s ok as long as there built right and kept clean.

Does Katie actually use them?

Thanks xyeti, what about the cowchipper which is somewhere between the Cowbell and woodchipoer?
Supposed to be closer the the Cowbell so might be pretty spot on. Roadies worrying about your bars? Who’d have thought it.

I know tis a first for me to worry about what bar and to be fair it’s more or less a fashion thing as I’d like matching Thomson kit as I normally have a mosh mash of what ever works when it comes to cockpit and seat post lol but at the same time if the ride quality is pants I’d rather avoid!

Well Katie used Zipp though 2008-11 so maybe now she does.. Wouldn’t expect she’d put her name to stuff she doesn’t use.

Anyway I chose it because I’ve been looking for a Carbon bar to fit on my CX’er and this looks nice and is fatter than most, if it’s no good I’ll not fit it and send it back..

I’ll let you know.

Bikebouy if it doesn’t suit you give me shout dude as long as there 44cm that is lol

kamikaze, Actually Yes Cowchipper would be the ones as the woodchippers are a bit severe, have a look and see i could always do you a swap if they are wrong, And yes The Roadies,,,,,,,,,, Asking if they get caught up in other riders in the Peloton,

I asked what a Peleton was 😆

I’ve got the Thomson bars on my roadie and on my new CX bike (Spesh Crux). Both are nicely made and soak up road and trail buzz. If they’re any better than the likes of Easton or Enve I couldn’t say but I am happy with the shape and comfort.

Thanks xyeti, won’t be getting then for a while if I do. Would really like a carbon option for the flared bars but can’t seem to find any.

I know, I had the same problem, that’s how I ended up with these, if it were a Santa Cruz Stigmata or some other exotic Carbon Fibre steed I’d have put carbon bars straight on there. I couldn’t see the point of forking out for exotic bars on an old ally frame, mind you I’m seriously considering ENVE forks.

I picked up my Thompson CX bars yesterday, came in a fancy pants bag (which will come in handy for tubes etc.)
They look lovely, they feel stiff, they’re very shiny, drop looks right for me, I’ll put hem on the bike this weekend.

And they’re on..

Blimey they’re nice. You can see the size of the bars have been kept all along the tops from the stem head, i’m using Zipps 3mm bar tape too.. so this is making for a really nice handful of bar when on the tops. You can’t see it but as the bar bends to the shifters it thins out quite a bit, allowing for a really comfy position when on the hoods.

I like them a lot, really.. a lot.