Zipp Contour bars

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I’ve found that handlebars are a more a matter of personal preference than I thought they would be. I have about 2 or 3 bar options to ride around at the house, ranging from Kieran bars (no thanks), to classic pea shooters, to different manners of anatomic bends. I have found that anatomic is very much in the eye (or CAAD drawing) of the beholder.

@##=#<2,L>@##=#In yet another chapter of the schmalz cycling saga, we now move on to changing the last contact point on my bicycle, the handlebars. Due to my highly exalted position as an internet legend akin to the kid that danced around with the broomstick light saber (who am I kidding, he’s much more well known), I was able to weasel my way into getting a set of bars that retail for around $250. The Hiltons sisters are famous, and I get wonderful bike stuff for free. Life is just not fair.

But I digress. The arguments for carbon bars are the possibilities for shaping and the ability of the material to absorb vibration. Weight as compared to a set of aluminum bars is a little less, but there are aluminum bars that are comparable in weight, so let’s just call the weight issue a “push.” You personally may feel more comfortable with metal bars as opposed to carbon, but I don’t think either one is more predisposed to any sort of failure. I think if you crash either one, you will probably have to replace the compromised bar. The biggest difference in that instance would be parting with $250 as opposed to about $75.

Now that we have that out of the way, how about we get to how these bars actually feel when you ride them? It’s hard to gauge how much the bars dampen vibration without being able to ride a set of aluminum bars side by side with a set of carbon bars. I get the sneaking suspicion that people who think they can tell the difference in bar vibration are either sensitive to tremors to the point where they should be used to predict earthquakes (like those rodents in California), or they are talking out of their posteriors. Either way is fine with me. Personally, I couldn’t tell if there was less vibration, but I do know that I’ve been having a twinge in my shoulder recently that I believe was vibration related, and now I don’t have it. So, these bars are either easier on the body, or they have magical restorative powers. I’m tool lazy to build a proper shrine, so I’ll assume that they dampen vibration.@##=#<3,L>@##=#

As an aside also, I am so grateful for companies printing the positioning marks on their handlebars, which is a “sliced bread” type of innovation. Most bars makers do this now, and I’m not sure where it started, but I would like to say how thankful I am for this time saving innovation, now back to the nonsense, um, scratch that, I mean review.

Hand position-wise, I find that the flat top position is very nice, not too wide, not too small and very comfortable. They don’t have those finger dents things, but I wonder if finger dents are a good idea. The reach on the bar is 85mm, 6 mm longer than my previous bars, and unbelievably, I can notice it. It not bad – it’s just different. The degree that the bars drop from the tops is 28 degrees and it seems a little severe to me, I would like the angle a little flatter and this is a personal preference. Once again, I am surprised as you are that I noticed that. The bottom ends of the bars are shorter than I’m used to; compared to “pea shooters” they have a shorter straight end. I would add some length to this area, because I like having that extra position. That’s a personal thing once again. I also prefer Miller High Life, but that’s because it’s the Champagne of Beers.@##=#<4,L>@##=#

Time for hate
Firstly, they are $250 handlebars, that seems like a lot, but it’s fast becoming par for the course these days. Secondly, they don’t have a “pea shooter” position, if that means a lot to you, well then these bars might not be for you.

Where does this leave us?
Very nice bars, well constructed and thought out like all Zipp products. The cost is for the shape and vibration dampening, if it’s worth it to you, start saving.