Shallow drop / flat top bars (Huw)

[Dr Frigo]

Huw, are these the ones you have?:

[img]http://www.totalcycling.com/productimages/fullsize/itm_lite_luxe_wing.jpg[/img]

They seem to be some of the few on which the drops extend towards the back. They are announced at 170mm drop although side to side they seemed much more shallow than mine (which I find too deep) which are announced at 165mm (seems more like 180m by measuring).

Is drop one of those measurements which criterias vary from brand to brand (center to center, etc)? Take for instance these Ritcheys, announced at 145mm - they look quite deep:

[img]http://ritcheylogic.com/web/Ritchey~Logic/Ritchey~Site/web/assets/Products/Road/Bars/WCS~Carbon~Streem/007WCSCarbonStreemLarge2.jpg[/img]

Also the flat top section on the ITM doesn't go all the way to the sides like on my current bars, which I the one thing I like about them - this allows to rest your palms while gripping the hoods with the end of your fingers, which I use a fair bit, for climbing for instance:

[img]http://hyperbolts.com/catalog/images/TK973_big.jpg[/img]

[huw williams]

Yep those are the ones

Your right tha different companies have different ideas of what measurments constitute drop - I find the only way to be sure is to get a pair in your hands.

Mine are great for resting your palms on the flat tops but you couldn't do it and cover the brake hoods at the same time like on yours - I find the drop and extension of the lower bar perfect for me

[Paul H]

How do you decide the width of your bars?

[huw williams]

Centre to centre accross the curves is best

[Dr Frigo]

Thanks. Think Paul means actually chosing the right width - from what I've read they should be shoulder-wide, ie distance from one pointy shoulder bone to the other.