So I’ve built myself a lovely gravel bike but I am finding the bars at 420mm a bit too narrow (happier on 440s on my other bike) and I am thinking about getting something else.

I had a pair of On one midge bars on a SSCX a while back which I liked, but I worry on a geared bike what such a pronounced flare would mean for gear changing.

So I am thinking about getting one of the new slightly flared style drops like maybe this

Any views on how they handle?

Go for it. Flared drops are great  Not used those exact ones. Mine are alpkit bombers but can’t really recommend those as the dropped section is a bit too short really.  Makes no difference to gear shifting but find braking on the goods easier on a flared bar.

@mechanicaldope easy to get the drops longer I have these on 2 sets of midge bars which also had very short drops.  Finished off with rubber velox plugs.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Controltech-Terminator-AC-62-AL6061-Bike-Bicycle-23-8mm-Handlebar-Bar-End-Plugs-/201490574975

Gear changing on flared is fine for me though I have gevenalle shifters not tried shimano

The appointment bombers are near as dammit identical to midges iirc. The ritchey venturemax are available in a variety of widths for not too daft money. Genetic Drovers are worth a look too.

I’ll recommend what I use, Salsa Cowbells; initially went with Woodchippers but I found the controls ended up in the wrong position. With extremely flared bars you lose the hoods position, which is half the point of using a dropbar anyway.

I fitted some Genetic Digest flared drops on my SS CX – I ride on the hoods 95% of the time and set them up that way – the angle of the hoods combined with tops means they help distribute the load through my hands far better, keeping my grip relaxed. The only time I use the drops is long or steep downhills, or tough headwinds.

Love my Ritchey venturemax

I got some Ritchey evomax 46cm, with 12 degree flare

I haven’t got the frame yet, so yet to report how they feel!

I run some selcof flared gravel bars from planet x, they are on the slightly flared end rather than extreme like cowchippers so suit you if your on the road end of the gravel spectrum rather than full on gnar. Still enough flare to get the flat section out of the way when on the drops and don’t flare out the levers too much as many others do. Come in various widths upto 44cm and only cost 15quid. They replaced some love mud bombers which were just too short on the drop as others have said.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HBSESTE/selcof-sterrato-flared-gravel-handlebar

Got some Easton EC70 AX bars recently, really rate them, massive improvement in handling/confidence off road vs regular (& narrower) bars

I worry on a geared bike what such a pronounced flare would mean for gear changing.

It’s just fine. I have Woodchippers (and wee hands) and have no problems with gear changing using Shimano STIs.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oE4xXC]P1010496[/url] by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oE5359]DSC_0144[/url] by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

First time back on drops after 30 odd years. Woodchippers came on the bike which I ride mainly on the hoods and can brake efficiently from there. Drops are a long way down and don’t really fit my ancient hunch back profile. Its not actually the drops its the reach and lack of height I don’t like so bought Venture Max to replace the Woodchippers.

Haven’t fitted them yet and thinking I will probably go straight to Jones Loops.

(The Ritchey VMs are new 44cm just sat on the shelf)

A bit of auto-promotion 😉

https://krzywekolo.wordpress.com/2018/02/03/dirt-drop-bars/

My subjective comparison of various, budget flared drops.

Personally I’m using now Funn G-Wide. Only real minus of that one is too deep drop, like for my medium size hands/fingers.

Cheers!

I.

nice one – thanks for the tips everyone

Like the look of those Woodchippers.  Where’s the cheapest site to buy woodchippers and cowchipper bars?

I’m on cowchippers on my Cutthroat. Absolutely superb. Lots of hand positions. Great for rowdy off road descents, brake levers position well and gear shifting also works well.

I bought some alpkit bombers but the drops were far too short for my big hands.

Ive bought some salsa woodchippers but haven’t got round to fitting them yet. They have a longer drop but they are very flarred and I’m a little unsure the hood position will work for me.

My friend has the cow chippers and they look like the safe option.

Venturemax are great. Go for some with the upward curve/bend (Ritchey’s ‘Bio bend’) on the drop – feels really secure when descending. I also loved Bell laps, but doubt you’d find any.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HBNIRM3/nitto-rm-3-gravel-handlebar £40

I’ve loved the idea of a set of these in 58cm flavour and fitting them to the Wazoo for well over a year, but I have no idea what “<span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”>Accessory Clamp Size 22.2mm” means in terms of simply transferring the brake levers and gear shifters across from the current Knuckleball bars.</span>

Is anyone aware of a set of flared drops with aero/flat top sectios?

I’m running bell laps but really lust after my old ea70 wing bars.

cheers

tim

Tried a couple of drops but in the end a simple cheap Mary Bar slightly angled down seemed to work. This is on a cheap old (26”) commuter though, with a stem like a giant phallus in order to get the hand position up.

Thinking (dreaming) of building up a Gryphon or Fargo in the future though, so this is a handy thread.