America's #1 Balance Bike Destination

America's #1 Balance Bike Destination
America's #1 Balance Bike Destination

Friday, January 22, 2010

Equipment changes

Is it true that most guys use 44 cm handlebars? It astonished me to discover that the busted carbon bars shown below are 40cm center to center.

A team mate has a spare set of carbon 44s which I am being encouraged to try out. Common sense tells me that this enhancement offers sprinters and climbers more leverage, assuming that the bike is being rocked side to side using the arms. For the low price that I can get these 44s, it’s worth trying them out during the winter before the racing begins. My bigger concern is having enough room to maneuver through tight spaces. I do believe that I’m built to use 42 but I’ll try these out for short money.

Other news: I’m re-engaging my yellow carbon EPX for the road races. Longer wheelbase, longer cranks, Rolf Vector Pro tubulars, Campy Chorus and it’s in pristine condition. The LOOK 486 is feeling it’s age and looks a bit dated. I’ve also laid it down pretty hard on two occasions. So I’m in the hunt for a newer bike to use in the crits, sized 55 or 56 cm. Who’s selling? Any used Litespeed Archon frames out there? Cervelos are nice too.. TTYL.

4 comments:

solobreak said...

After almost twenty years on 44s, I switched to 42s last season. Wide bars may be more comfortable for climbing and long riders, but narrower is more aero and thus slightly faster.

You have unusual taste in bikes.

IMA said...

I got the epx on Ebay very cheap. My aluminum SOMEC needed to be replaced (cracked head tube) and I wanted to get a carbon bike for low dollars.
The LOOK was a demo bike which I bought complete for a very good price- it's in it's fourth year.
Yeah I'm willing to try titanium, and the Archon really turns my crank. I love the idea of having a bike with no paint to worry about chipping or scratching.

solobreak said...

I think ti is a good move for all seasons riding, but I would buy it new unless it were dirt cheap. The warranties are non-transferable and a surprising number of them seem to break. Check out the new Moots too. Less gimmicky than the Archon IMHO.

gewilli said...

curtis has a motto:
widest bars possible for cross
narrowest bars possible for road

basically for reasons solo touched on, as far as leverage goes, if the best sprinters in the world can win on old vitus frames that are as stiff as a noodle, sprinting power from the upper body is much over rated, leg speed and strength.