Handlebars -will I notice 50-60grams?

FSR_XC

I want some new bars. Going from 42cm to 44cm C to C.

I can't afford to spend a lot and want to keep a similar reach & drop as I already have, so I've narrowed it down to 2.

SPECIALIZED PRO ROAD ERGO ALLOY BAR

ITM Lite Luxe Wing Shape Handlebars

The Specialized bars will be the wider version of what I have already, but I quite fancy the ITM ones. These are 50-60g heavier though.

Any opinions?

fnegroni

60 grams will be felt by an experienced rider.
Although if you think a GPS computer is around that much... maybe it's not such a big deal!
Try strapping an extra 60 gram weight on your current bar and see.

I wish we could do the opposite so easily.

redddraggon

Ergo bars :?

tenor

60 grams is nothing compared with having a comfortable bar riding position.
FSA all do a wing-type bar, if that is want you want.
Everyone has a different preference and I have found that shallow drop classic shaped bars like the Deda 215 do the job nicely and at 215 grams are about as light as can be had for reasonable money.

Monty Dog

A difference in stiffness might be noticeable, but 50-60 grammes is laughingly negligble - anyone who says they can is either a hack, journo bike tester short on words or is just trying to convince the expense of a lighter bars. I'm not a big fan of many ergo bars too - to deep a drop and not enough bar to hand onto - seriously suggest you look at something like FSA Compacts or 3T Ergosum if you want a 'better' handlebar, particularly for riding on the drops.

cougie

60 grammes on a bike ? Thats the weight of a mars bar.

Assume the bike is 17lbs = 7.7Kg

So 60/7700 = less than 1%.

Nobody would be able to notice that difference.


If you factor in the weight of the rider on the bike too - then you'll see how small it is.

fnegroni

The weight of the rider is irrelevant: it is the weight multiplied by the distance to the fulcrum: i.e. the contact point of tyres to the road.

60 grams on your head can be felt. 60 grams on your shoes will be felt. 60 grams on your BB most likely not.

As I said, try for yourself. Strap a mars bar on you handle bar and see.

nasahapley

What Monty Dog said. 60g will constitute less than a tenth of one percent of your average bike/rider combo - nobody could notice that. Any miniscule advantage from lighter weight could so easily be counteracted by having your tyres slightly off the optimum pressure, having slightly loose clothing etc - it's just not worth worrrying about.

Fnegroni - I don't really understand your point about the 'distance to the fulcrum' - we don't use our bikes as levers so how can the contact point with the road be a fulcrum?

cougie

And what if you dont ride Fulcrums ?

(ha - see what i did there ?)

BigJimmyB

Hold a bag of crisps in each hand - you won't even feel 'em.

60g isn't worth worrying about - have a good pee/crap before you ride and you'll lose more weight

FSR_XC

Thanks for the replies.

With people saying I wouldn't notice the difference, I was thinking about ordering the ITM Lite Luxe wing . . . . . until Reddragon's comment.

The Deda 215 look nice & the dimensions look good, but I need O/S bars.

I have noticed a few mixed reviews of the ITM's I mention. Anyone got them (or similar)?

Other alternatives (below £30)?

redddraggon

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/FSA_O ... 360036373/

fnegroni

nasahapley wrote:

Fnegroni - I don't really understand your point about the 'distance to the fulcrum' - we don't use our bikes as levers so how can the contact point with the road be a fulcrum?

On a road bike, this does not apply.

But on a mountain bike, where you have to be able to flick a bike from one side to the other, you notice all the weight: the farther from the contact point, the more effort to get it to flick to the other side.

Try for yourself: place a 1kg bag of salt at the base of the fork, and ride. Then shift it to the bars and ride it.

1kg will obviously be felt, to highlight that the position of that weight changes the baricenter of the bike. The higher the point, the more effort it takes to shift it from side to side. In MTB, it is always better to have a lighter stem/bar combo than a lighter fork.

redddraggon

fnegroni wrote:

nasahapley wrote:

Fnegroni - I don't really understand your point about the 'distance to the fulcrum' - we don't use our bikes as levers so how can the contact point with the road be a fulcrum?

On a road bike, this does not apply.

Why bother mentioning it then?

Ste_S

I've got the ITM's and I quite like them. They're sort of half ergo/half compact - a shallow drop with plenty of bar to hold onto but with a very slight ergo type bend just below where you'd put the levers. The flat top is quite comfy to ride on too.

eh

Fan of Deda 215 here as well, don't Deda do an oversized bar called the Newton or something?

fnegroni: 60g even on mtb isn't noticable. My front light probably weighs more than 60g and I don't suddenly find I'm hitting trees rather than going around them.

Bhima

You may feel it when turning the bars - but probably not when you're going in a straight line.

So if one is 300g and the other is 320g, you'll be using 6.6% more energy to move the heavier bars (assuming your wheels weigh nothing). On a road bike, rarely do you need to steer the bars radically and it doesn't take that much energy to move the bars anyway, so it's probably pointless. :?

I personally would prefer the bars which are stiffer - so that when you are out of the saddle and pulling the bike with your upper body, your energy is transferred more efficiently.

fnegroni

redddraggon wrote:

fnegroni wrote:

nasahapley wrote:

Fnegroni - I don't really understand your point about the 'distance to the fulcrum' - we don't use our bikes as levers so how can the contact point with the road be a fulcrum?

On a road bike, this does not apply.

Why bother mentioning it then?

To waste your time, honey... :roll:

leguape

FSR_XC wrote:

Thanks for the replies.

With people saying I wouldn't notice the difference, I was thinking about ordering the ITM Lite Luxe wing . . . . . until Reddragon's comment.

The Deda 215 look nice & the dimensions look good, but I need O/S bars.

I have noticed a few mixed reviews of the ITM's I mention. Anyone got them (or similar)?

Other alternatives (below £30)?

If you want OS get a Deda Newton Shallow off Ebay. I got mine for 25. Or the PRO shallow bars which aren't much over 30 quid.

grantus

I got ITM Luxe lite bars from Ribble for around £15 in late October last year. I liked them. Nice flat tops and very comfy. I don't do much riding on the drops so can't really comment much on that aspect of it but they look a lot more expensive than £15 if you're into that kind of thing

il_principe

eh wrote:

Fan of Deda 215 here as well, don't Deda do an oversized bar called the Newton or something?

Yep - I've got Newton's. Very happy with them.