Salsa Cowchipper - Key to Happiness?

[Steve]

Determined to run drop bars on my 2025 Sam I have wound up in full $$$hopping mode (my wife has even begun to give me a little side eye when the packages arrive). I've posted a bit about this previously, but thought I'd share what I've arrived at.  For context. my goal has been a setup that competently handles forest roads and moderate trails, and is comfortable for at least several hours of riding.  

Brief recap: 

- Tried a Nitto 132 Grand Rando bar with a 50mm Technomic stem. Comfy but poor handling on chunky surfaces, especially when climbing.

- Swapped in a 52cm Noodle. A too much reach to the hoods and the drops ultimately proved to be too deep. This was with the bar a good 5cm above the rear of the saddle.

The pics show where I'm at currently- and hopefully the endpoint. 52cm Cowchipper with Crust x Nitto "BJ" Stem. The flats are about 6cm above the saddle and the drops 6 below it. (and yes, evidently Crust's name for the stem is as off color as you may have suspected)

Steve in AVL

[Garth]

I must say that current Ritchey bars that have the top middle section swept back 4.6 deg. and ovalized(ergo-aero it's called) feel what I call "just right". Well thought out. To me Ritchey bars have surpassed Salsa for ergonomics in hand in most every way. While I ride Skylines, the Comp Venturemax has the same flare as the Cowchipper but with only 102mm of drop. I have no idea what the Bio-bend drops feel like, but I'd bet it's good. The Classic(Silver) Venturmax does not have the ergo-aero top. With these you won't need any ergonomic aides on the tops, nor will they fit. Do study the details and tech drawings of how they are measured.  ttps://ritcheylogic.com/category/handlebars?page=1

[larson....@gmail.com]

I am a fan of Salsa Cowchippers and the Ritchey drops. I have tried the Ritchey Venturemax and Corralitos and find both comfortable, and as Garth says, the slight sweep of the flats is very nice. I did like the feel of the Bio-bend, not so much the aesthetics. I could probably ride any of these three going forward and be comfortable.

Randy in WI

[Steve]

Garth - that Classic VentureMax does look like it would have worked well for me. Incidentally, it no longer appears on Ritchey's website but is still available from several online vendors. I happen to have a Comp ErgoMax (flat black finish) that I considered trying but stumbled across the Cowchipper at 1/2 price and grabbed it on impulse. So far, I'm pleased with it, both in terms of function and aesthetics.  The Crust stem is a bit funky looking but my ancient and battered shoulders seem to appreciate the short reach it provides. 

Randy, I'm of a similar mind; I could probably be comfortable on any of several "ergo" style bars. The plethora of choices borders on overwhelming, but now that I know what works for me on the Sam I have benchmark for comparisons. 

[atreya...@gmail.com]

The only drop bars that I can ride is Tumbleweed Big Dipper. They have short reach and shallow drop while looking aesthetically pleasing. https://tumbleweed.cc/products/bigdipper