road bar setup Q

[Elliot M]

quick one - assuming a normal shaped bar, are the top corners as they curve away from the tops supposed to be flat, before they bend down to the levers?

or are the bottom straight bits supposed to be flat?

[Andrew G]

As Marco says I think personal preference is the main factor. Also may depend on if you use Campag or that other one, and of course the bars themselves.

I have a very slight drop on the top but this naturally gets flattened out with the Campag ergos. I also find having the end of the bars, after the ergonomic bend, flat very comfortable for barrelling along when you don't need to reach your brakes. It allows you to drop down and rest comfortably as you hands just meet the bars naturally without bending your wrists.

Try experimenting when you next change your bar tape, just hold the cables in place with a bit of insulating tape.

[Mike I]

Here's the theory according to 'Bike Fit' by Arnie Baker MD.

The bottom of your bars should point to roughly the mid-point of the seat stay - so about 10-15 degrees from parallel with the ground. Brake levers should be positioned so that their tips are in line with the bottom of the handlebar drops.

This should place the hoods in a comfortable position.

This is fine as far as it goes, but it must depend on frame geometry, bar shape and type of hood. My bars actually point nearer the rear axle (lifting the hoods up a bit), but I use a traditional round shape with a shallow drop so my stumpy fingers can reach the brakes.

Personal preference it is then.

[Ian A4size]

If you look at many of the pros set- up nowadays they have the bars

turned up a fair amount, so making them a little more comfy when riding

on the hoods, its all just a matter of personal pref and there is no hard

and fast rule. Just you wait, a pedant will be along in a mo!

[Andrew G]

Lookout pedant alert.
[quote]If you look at many of the pros set- up nowadays they have the bars

turned up a fair amount, so making them a little more comfy when riding

on the hoods

[Elliot M]

Cheers guys. I'm moving from an ergo bars to a shallow drop classic bend for the same reason as Mike - stumpy fingers! Also trying a wider bar to see if it gives me more confidence on descents. But yes I should experiment riding a few miles with an allen key before putting the bar tape on...

[Ian A4size]

Now the stumpy fingers thing has been mentioned... try 3T Morpheus bars

or if its a flash bike the bio-morph, these are all shaped to bring the levers

closer to the hand. Yes they do!

[Toks]

I read Ian's posting all in one chunk. Excellent! Is he for real though or is he taking the Micheal

[Ian A4size]

Just trying to be helpful Dr! I will try to post in Braille shortly.