Best Bars for Campag Ergos

fred22

I know that bar shape is down to personal preference but I have recently bought a pair of 3t Ergosum or Ergonova and finding that the distance from brake levers to bars is just a bit much. This is because the bars have a shallow drop and so they start to curve back quite steeply from the horizontal top section. Overall no problem with the shape of the bars themselves, its just when in the drops trying to the brake levers its a wee bit too far to inspire confidence or promote comfort. And I do try and ride in the drops..

Does anyone have any suggestions about bars "made for Campag", this could turn into the same sort of quest as finding the perfect saddle. Was the classic shape bar any better

Thanks

magliaceleste

I've found Deda Presa / Zero 100s and RHM01 to be perfect as I have smaller hands.

They have a more traditional rounded shape. Ergo bars just don't work right because of the flat section in the drops.

graham_g

Have a look at Ritchey WCS range - they've got a new 'ergo' shaped bar that looks to be a blend of the newer fangled 'compact' shape and the older 'ergo' shape. Also, try moving your shifters a little further down on the bar; there seems to be a recent trend for them to be mounted quite high which I'm not saying is right or wrong but may exacerbate issues such as this.

rokkala

Deda Zero 100/Presa or Easton EC90 SLX.

Sammyw23

I have small hands and my FSA Wing/Wing Pro Compact Bars have been fine with campag ergos.

fred22

Thanks for replies, I have some traditional curve PRO PLT bars which I think would be better suited than the 3T's I've just had put on.
I'll try these

Coach H

Sammyw23 wrote:

I have small hands and my FSA Wing/Wing Pro Compact Bars have been fine with campag ergos.

+1 I have FSA Wing Pro on one bike and 3T Ergonova on the other and prefer the FSA's as for me the tops transition better into the hoods. Reach is OK on both and I have small hands.

fred22

Its not the tops, its the reach from in the drops to the levers

Hope you can see from the pic that the bars curve away sharply from the shifters meaning that if I want to put the brakes on whilst in the drops I can just reach the levers with my finger tips. I'm hoping that the traditional curve will go more vertically downwards before curving back if you get me, thus allowing me to reach. And I havent even got small hands so I dont know how people cope with 3t ergo bars and campag..

g00se

I don't think this is Campag specific, in honesty, ergo levers seem to roll back more that SRAM and STIs. And the 'recieved' knowledge is that ergos are better for smaller hands.

In this picture of your bars:



It looks like the point of the curve where your ergos attach is pointing further 'up', compared to some other compact bars, so they won't tuck under enough (even though those bars do turn under sooner than other compacts. Also, and I know's it's a personal preference , but the flats of the hoods are pointing upwards compared to the top of the bars - so that's going to take the levers away from your fingers. You could try just moving the ergos down a fraction and maybe rolling the handlebars up a little bit?

I'd look for bars which 'drop' is steeper at the point where you attach them - and maybe mount the ergos a little lower down. Also, if the bars sweep back less on the bottom of the curve - the reach will be easier too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EWM0KTdCOY

g00se

I've got some cheap Reparto Corse (Bianchi OEMs) compacts that are similar to the FSAs. Pic below.

Also, though I may be teaching you to suck eggs, when I first set up brakes, I always got the pads as tight to the rims as I could, so the smallest amount on leverage would stop the bike. From the advise of my brother, I backed the calipers off a bit so that there was a cm or two of play in the levers before the pads bit. That way, you can use your fingertips to pull the levers in to a firmer grip before the brakes start to work.

fred22

Thanks for your replies, I see what you mean G00se about moving the shifters down a bit on the bars though I'm still not sure it would make enough difference.

I'm convinced that a set of traditional curve bars would be better as there is a longer vertical section before sweeping back, as you say "if the bars sweep back less on the bottom of the curve - the reach will be easier tooW

Off with them and back to the old school bars I say, watch the classifieds if anyones interested in some 3t bars next week

g00se

Unrelated, I just saw these bars and thought of this thread. They may be a good compromise between compacts and trad ones:

http://www.probikekit.com/uk/contact-points/bicycle-handlebars/cinelli-vai-palm-xl-handlebars.html