I’ve go Selcof Sterrato Flared bars but find the hooks/drops to tight for my hands especially on steeper more rocky descents on the brakes.
I think I want a bigger curve to the hooks.

The actual position in the drops/hooks is fine, I’m quite comfortable there for everything and am only using the hoods for short times for a bit of a change. Though I don’t mind being a bit wider.
Hopefully I’ve got terminology right and that makes sense.

So I’m looking at:
Genetic Flared or On-one Brian not sure if there is much difference between the two or which is more suitable?

Spank vibrocore 25; because marketing… like the 31.8 across the top to attach more junk to, but I’m not sure about the shape?

Or just go with Genetic Digest but I don’t want the bike to become a bad MTB?

Advice please

I’ve got some Genetic Digest bars on my SSCX / gravel bike – the drop section is very straight, so once you get the right angle for you, they work pretty well. However, I have the opposite problem – I mainly ride on the hoods and only use the drops occasionally.

I’ll follow this with interest, I could do with more appropriate bars on my gravel’er…

Quite like my Brian bars. Comfy enough. Not tried any other flares bars to compare with though.

I have the wide genetic digests on my Pickenflick. They’re set high so riding on the drops is really comfy. I use all the available hand positions and descending in the hooks is really secure.

The range of positions is much more useful to me than the drops on my road bike, where I use the hoods 90% of the time and really just use the drops for descending and headwinds.

I’m a fan.

If you’re using the drop position ofren or easily enough, Digest bars are great. I rate them. Feel odd to start with but imo better than a more roadie bar shape.

Have been using Salsa Cowchippers for 18 months now really comfortable

mattbee

Quite like my Brian bars. Comfy enough. Not tried any other flares bars to compare with though.

I’ve had a few flared dropbars, and I like the Brians too.

Got a couple – different widths – it’s amazing the way 2cm makes it feel completely different. It’s almost as if they were made for me… 🙂

Ritchey venturemax

^^ +1

Anyone used the Alpkit Love Mud Spitfires or the Easton ea 50 or 70 AX ones? I’m about to order something new but looking for a shallow drop (I’m feeling old and inflexible) and a moderate flare (it’s mainly a winter road bike) to replace my Salsa Bell Lap which is mounted at a slightly contorted angle to cope with more modern levers and I don’t find the drops very comfy.

I’ve got the Sterratos, Digests and Cowbells.

The Digests are a different kettle of fish to most drop bars. For me there’s only one usable hand position (others will disagree) and while it’s a very good one for off-road, the Digests wouldn’t be my choice for a mixed-use bike. Also the central 31.8mm section is extremely narrow so mounting stuff is pretty much a no-go.

The Sterratos and Cowbells are much more similar. I’ve only just fitted the Sterratos and haven’t used them in anger yet but from a quick sit on the bike in the garage my impression was that the Cowbells are a bit more ergo-shaped and a bit more “open” in the drops, while the Sterratos feel like they have a tiny bit more flare. Not a huge amount to choose between them; I’ve been happy with the Cowbells for mixed use but they’re not that far removed from a conventional drop bar. But like I say, I’ve not actually ridden the Sterratos yet…

Used to have Bell Laps which I found far too manipulated in the drops, they put too much pressure on my palms. Venture Maxes look like they’d do much the same.

Venture Maxes look like they’d do much the same.

They look like they will be awful but in over 12 months of use they have been the comfiest drop bars I’ve used in 35 years. Technical riding in the drops is much more confidence inspiring than others I’ve tried from Bontrager, pro, selcof, alpkit, on one, enve to name just a few.

Venturemax – I can’t get my head around the shape (in a similar way to those ergon grips with the palm), it looks comfortable in one position in the drops but out of that doesn’t it become to tight if you are pushing forward in to the hook?

Digest – The narrow 31.8 top section is now putting me off. I need to be able to mount at least a dropper lever, light or 2, GPS and at the moment don’t have room for a bell. Also I do want to be able to get Roady tucked, does the shape keep you up and out, I’m naturally elbows out…

Has anyone tried the Vibrocore 25?

I need to be able to mount at least a dropper lever, light or 2, GPS and at the moment don’t have room for a bell.

If I recall, I basically couldn’t mount anything to mine at all, not even something with a narrow clamp. I used a Minoura CS-500 to mount a light, and the GPS went on the top tube. So if you need the above then I’d look elsewhere.

Funn G-wide 500 are bloomin magic and duper comfy in the drops over all sorts of rough rocky stuff, but for the ultimate in monkey armed mosh mania go crust towel Rack 675mm of flared drop magic

I’ve got Funn G-wide on my Gravel bike – as the name suggests, pretty blooming wide and great for proper off-road stuff. Not that aero though!

Oh those funn G-wide are looking like they may be the thing I’m looking for!

@K I’ve got the Wing 12, but haven’t fitted them to the new frame yet.

A few years on, but still loving my Woodchippers. Can’t see why I’d want to change them (but carbon….) but then I guess I also don’t know what I might be missing. They’ve been good enough for multi-day touring, for 24 hr rides and for just generally larking about off-road.