It starts with a casual observation. You hardly even noticed when it happened, but something shifted in your mind. A bit later the same observation is made again, this time in a slightly different context. It happens again and again and the observations layer atop one another like sheets of tracing paper that, when flattened together, form a complete picture.
And so, having gone almost completely unnoticed, an obsession is born.
My obsession over classic-bend bars has been developing slowly over the last two years or so, fueled by three principle factors (mimicking the pros, form, and function), and buffered by another (investment). The fuel for the fire included the observation that many of my favorite pros ride classic-bend bars, the FSA K-Wing bars I was riding didn’t allow for a very smooth routing of the cables from my Ergo shifters, and I was not satisfied with the quality if my shifting. On the other hand, I liked the scalloped area that the K-Wings offer, and I was reluctant to move away from a bar that I spent quite a bit of money on, especially for a bar that would also represent an investment and which I wasn’t sure I would like any better. However, those same scallops caused sharp bends in the cables which adversely effected shifting performance. Not to mention, I haven’t seen a pro riding K-Wings since, well, ever.
The classic-bend bars have been weighing heavier and heavier on my mind recently; my shifting has never been as good as I think it should be, and I have become increasingly convinced that the problem was the cable routing and that classic-band bars would likely resolve the issue. Also, both Brett’s and Marko’s latest build projects involved classic-band bars, and I love the look they offer. Add to that to the fact that I’ve recently grown especially tired of the angular look of the K-Wings, particularly in marriage with my 17-degree stem, and you’re asking for trouble.
Yesterday, a flurry of text message exchanges with Marko over bars sent my obsession over the precipice. That, combined with a particularly frustrating day at the office turned obsession into action; the Hand of Merckx guided me into a chance meeting wherein I ended up with a like-new 3T Rotundo Pro bar for less than half the retail value. No shipping, no waiting, just good-old-fashioned instant gratification. Impulse buy satisfied and bar experimentation available at a palatable cost, I disappeared into the basement to labor on my machine for a few hours to install the new bars. And, although rainy weather today will keep me from riding Bike Number One, shifting performance on the work stand showed a considerable improvement in the crispness and speed of the shifts, and sitting on the bike in the workshop seems to validate that the classic bend is indeed very comfortable. Both of those test seem pretty conclusive, obviously. And, most importantly, it looks Pro.
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@frank
Hmmmm, we're talking about cycling soul here. Cinelli could make rubber dog shit and it would have more cycling soul than FSA.
Was chatting at my local coffeeshop the other day with the owner about the same issue, and I referred to them as Hasidic handlebars.
Well played. Very well played. Of course, lots of cowboys got shot that way. And how'd that turn out for the Romans? I should also stress that I advocated resting the bike in the lower gears, only photographing in the higher. But you make a good case. Again: well played.
@Steampunk
Hasidic handlebars! Brilliant.
You can still get Benotto Cello Tape new, here - http://www.bicycleclassics.com/bartape.html
Twice in the last month, bike mechanics have asked me "Do you use the drops?"
Both times, I've had no idea how to answer that question, or why it would even need to be asked. OF COURSE I use the drops! Doesn't everybody?
I mean, how do you stomp into a nice long flat section or even a downhill if you stay on the hoods the whole time? I guess classic or anatomic doesn't make much of a difference if you never use the drops.
My new bike came with 3T Ergonova bars, which I'm finding to be quite comfortable. Old (rain) bike has classic bend, but going anatomic would involve switching out the threaded quill stem, at which point I should probably replace the frame that's too big for me, but if I'm doing that, I may as well go for a whole new rain bike altogether. Spouse approved, so Rule 12 it is.
@Cyclops
@michael
@frank
I may have mentioned this in Il Gruppo Progetto but I'll do it again, the ebayer I snagged the Cinelli bars and stem from for the latest project has rolls and rolls of Benotto tape for sale, cheap. Incredible all the awesome old bling that seller has.
Cyclops, I beg to differ on your opinion of FSA. I ride FSA cranks, bars, stem, seat post all on Bike #1 and am very happy with it. Although, as frank alluded to in this article, I will be swapping out the K-wing bars for some Rotundos as well. After riding the Cinellis on the new rain bike and feeling the magic of the classic bend, I too am ditching the k-wings. The K-wings will find a home on the cross bike, replacing, you'll be happy to know, some shitty bontrager bars that came on it.
Other than that, this thread is hilarious. Being computerless all weekend, my phone just didn't do it justice.
@frank
An entry attributed to me in the lexicon? Sweet!
Yeah, that Fizik tape has a nice retro look. I dig the white, too. I've been tempted to switch to that, but dirty bar tape looks horrid, and I don't want to have to rewrap more often than needed so I stick with the black tape myself.
@mcsqueak
Dude, the microtex is magical. I rode an entire year on one wrap with no cleaning. It stays white, despite riding in Rule 9 conditions. For white tape, it's microtex (or Benotto) or nothing.
Sorry pacrat, not Nevada, I'm North Vancouver, BC. Every ride is a hill ride. My ride options are to ride up any of the local mountains. In the rain. Like Frank in Seattle. No spinning either since we also don't get snow until the mountain top elevation, so year round riding it is.
I made an account just so I could say how down right sexy that bike is. A+, (top gun high five)