Your preferred handlebar for longer rides

[Chris K]

Just a general question to the group: what handlebar do you like best for rides longer than say, 15 miles?

I assume many of you would say drops. So to refine the question a bit, what non-drop bar do you like best for longer rides?

Personally, almost all of my rides are in the 2-15 mile range. I run bike errands and/or commute by bike in the city most days, accounting for most of these miles. For this mileage and use, the Billie bar is a proven winner for me. However, this summer I took a few 20-30 mile rides further afield and felt myself wanting something different. Part of my problem is I only have one bike - an around-town errand bike that is being asked to go on longer rides on both pavement and gravel, and hills start to come into play. The other problem is I want to stick with MTB levers and shifters. I don't want to do a drop bar conversion. I did pick up both a Choco and a Wavie to try out. No significant miles ridden with them yet though.

Anyway, I know it comes down to personal preference and many other factors. Nonetheless, I do wonder which of the Rivendell handlebars emerge as favorites for longer riding?

[Brian Turner]

The bars I've found most comfortable for longer days in the saddle (which I define as 40 to 65 miles) are as follows:

Salsa Cowchipper 48cm (flared gravel drop)

Velo Orange Grand Cru Randonneur bars 48cm (more traditional drop but with a bit of flare and a very slight rise / sweep in the ramps)

Jones Loop bars 66cm (adventure-style bar with a nice sweep)

I've also used Tosco / Bosco style swept-back bars, but like you, around 30 miles and I start to wish I had a different position.

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[Doug H.]

I've ridden drops, risers, straight bars and bullhorns on 15 plus mile rides. My favorite are the Tosco bars that are currently on my Clem. I think it may depend on the bicycle and your personal preference but for me upright riding with a position to lean forward to occasionally stretch my back is ideal. I also like ergonomic grips.

Doug

[greenteadrinkers]

A few weekends ago I rode the 40-mile option of the Dustflinger Midi route of the Red Leaf Rambler here in Western MA https://www.hampshirebicycleexchange.com/shop-rides/redleaframbler2022 on a Tanglefoot Moonshiner with Choco bars. Route had a lot of elevation and some super chunk parts, the Choco bar felt great!, that said, I do wish it swept back maybe another inch. I would love to try out a Billie bar. Oh - I'm also using an indexed SRAM grip shift with a 1x set-up, works like a dream.

Best, Scott - Amherst MA

On Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 3:57:20 PM UTC-4 brok...@gmail.com wrote:

[Mackenzy Albright]

I've done *longer* 15-70 miles on albatross, losco and bullmoose bosco with much success. most bars (notably drop) irritate my neck and shoulder any distance. I just got some toscos and am excited to try those out. 

[brizbarn]

I really like my Sim Works Little Nick bars.  A basic flat bar, just a bit wider than traditional ones.  Comfy for 30ish miles at least, and probably many more. 

[David Person]

Nitto Choco's mounted inverted.  Favorite hand position is forward of the brake levers at the bend.

[Eric Marth]

I've done rides longer than 70 miles with Nitto Albatross and Billie bars as well as Crust Ortho bars. All three are swept-back bars with functionally similar shape, all were comfortable. The thing that makes these bars comfy and functional for me is the grip position that is between the grips and the hooks. That forward position is great for switching things up, digging in to ride with more power and especially for climbing. If I didn't have this secondary grip position I couldn't use these bars. 

I've also done greater distances on Nitto Noodle drops in the 48cm variety. 

[Richard Rose]

I am happy to report that the 55 wide Bosco has proved itself for me. I routinely go 40’ish miles of mixed surface & as far as 60. I have felt as fresh at the end of these rides as at the start. I have no doubt that it (Bosco) is but one component of the Clem recipe; geometry, long & high stem, plush tires.., it seems a perfect blend.

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 20, 2022, at 3:57 PM, Brian Turner <brok...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Ryan Frahm]

I have been waiting what feels like forever for those Billie bars to come back in stock Eric! I like the Better sco quite a bit, but the forward position isn’t great for me. Still very comfortable overall though. Just can’t wait to try the Billie! I have the Albatross on my Clem H and they are great, slightly more width and room to move should make them even better. 

[larson....@gmail.com]

In the past I have ridden mostly with drop bars and still do. I have done some touring with Jones loop bars, and like them very much. This spring I built up my first Riv, an Appaloosa, and chose Billie bars. I have come to believe these bars are the most comfortable of any bar I have tried. I have ridden up to about 60 miles, usually mixed terrain, and have no soreness in hands, shoulders or neck. I think that the flex in these bars with a quill stem is one of the factors. I tried bullmoose bars and liked them for off-road riding, but much stiffer and overall less comfortable for me.

[David Pulsipher]

Albatross for everything. Have done four day tours with them, and short rides. Everything in between. Super super comfortable.

[Chris K]

Thanks for the replies. I guess the answer is... all of the above!

Billie, Choco, Albatross, Bosco, and some non-Riv options.

[Corwin Zechar]

Late to the party - but....

My favorite non-drop bars for any length ride are Albastache. Close second are Mustache bars. Not much difference between the two. Albastache are a little wider and have slightly less drop. I find it hard to tell the difference when switching between bikes though. Mustache bars can be had from suppliers other than Riv.

Corwin

[Jason Fuller]

I am quite comfortable on my Nitto Wavie bars with Ergon GC1 grips for 100+ km rides - one very good hand position can be better than several less-than-optimal positions.  Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever experienced numbness with this setup, but I do sometimes with really long rides on Noodles (but at least 80 km before it happens).  I should try a brevet with them sometime!  

[Chris L]

It's been years since I've ridden more than six or so miles, but even for that length, I much prefer to have the larger (72"???) Jones Loop Bar.  I've never been able to get comfortable on drop bars but the Jones bar provides the same two upper positions, comfortably.  

[Josh Brown]

Hey David can I ask about your stem setup?

On Thu, Oct 20, 2022, 6:49 PM David Person <cycli...@gmail.com> wrote:

Nitto Choco mounted inveDSCF0067 copy.jpegrted.  Favorite hand position is forward of the brake levers at the bend.

On Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 3:34:39 PM UTC-7 brizbarn wrote:

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[Luke Hendrickson]

Bullmoose 4 life

On Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 4:21:28 PM UTC-7 rmro...@gmail.com wrote:

[Patrick Moore]

Forgot to say I trimmed about 1" off the narrow end of the Ergons and double-taped taped the gap between ends and (drop bar) brake levers installed just aft of the curves so that I get continuous comfortable hand positions within easy reach of the brake levers from very ends of the bar to the hood areas themselves (no hoods; can't find them for Shimano 600 AX, otherwise these would be on a nice road bike. I chose road levers because they fit the curve of the bar and give full brake lever access along all bar positions. Bell now installed next to yellow tape.)

On Thu, Oct 20, 2022 at 4:53 PM Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:

I don't have a bar to recommend, but I do recommend a grip. Over decades of trial and error, I've found that all bars that are not standard, non-anatomical drop bars hurt my sensitive left palm. But when installed a MAP Ahearne bar in 2021 I also installed Ergon anatomical grips and between those and cutting 8" total off the ends of the bar I have been surprised and very pleased at how comfortable the setup is. I still think of replacing it with a wide drop bar, but the Ergons and the shortened bar leave my left palm alone on rides up to 15 miles, and even cut down give better control on sketchy, slanted, narrow and bumpy ditchside paths than drops.

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

[Patrick Moore]

I don't have a bar to recommend, but I do recommend a grip. Over decades of trial and error, I've found that all bars that are not standard, non-anatomical drop bars hurt my sensitive left palm. But when installed a MAP Ahearne bar in 2021 I also installed Ergon anatomical grips and between those and cutting 8" total off the ends of the bar I have been surprised and very pleased at how comfortable the setup is. I still think of replacing it with a wide drop bar, but the Ergons and the shortened bar leave my left palm alone on rides up to 15 miles, and even cut down give better control on sketchy, slanted, narrow and bumpy ditchside paths than drops.

On Thu, Oct 20, 2022 at 1:25 PM Chris K <cmka...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Chris Halasz]

One more vote for Albastache bars. 

Recently rode a couple days through wine country in Paso Robles, CA. Each day was about thirty miles, and particularly enjoyed the bars after adding these drop bar grips from Redshift (a nod to Craig Montgomery for always adding grips on his drop bars) - Patrick, these are similar to Ergon grips, but for drop bars - not quite as nice as Ergons, but they make a huge difference. I understand there's a trick to removing the sleeve from rubber Ergons. I haven't figured that one out yet. 

The Albastache bar has about six inches of fore-aft real estate, just right for me. I grip by the hoods for a slight tuck, the bar ends for upright, and join the thumb knuckles at the stem on long climbs. I personally found the (approximate) nine inches and eleven inches of the Chocos and Toscos, respectively, too far in fore-aft motion - too stretched and then too far upright on my Sam. 

Cheers, 

Chris 

SB, CA