Bars are Salsa Cowchipper flared gravel bars.
I've noticed how far out the tips of my brake levers are but they feel spot on when riding.
I'm wondering if I put them further down the drop slightly it might bring the tips of the brake levers inwards slightly too. But they look in the right place from the side so I'm just totally confused by it.
What would you guys and gals do?
by WholeSuspicious1656
18 Comments
If you feel comfortable just keep them that way. There is no right or wrong way.
This is all personal preference
Like others have said if they’re comfortable you’re good to go. I run Sim Works To Smile bars that have a crazy flare and my hoods are at a similar angle to yours 🫡
Can you reach them easily while in the drops?
Its better this way. Better than keeping them straight up like you’re jacking two dicks off at the same time
No ur good they go on the handlebars on most bikes
I have 1st gen sram Red (similar shape minus the hydro bulge on your shifters) on Cowchippers on my cyclocross bike. Mine sit at the same height on the bar, but I angled them in ever so slightly so that the shift lever sits *just* outside the line of the drops. I’ve found that’s comfortable for braking and shifting on the hoods, and braking on the drops (never liked shifting SRAM mechanical from the drops on any bars)
Edit: looking at your pics closer, I noticed your bars are rotated further back than mine are. Mine are angled so that the bar end is perpendicular to the ground/end of the drops are parallel to the ground. This shortens the reach slightly and might put the levers on a slightly less flared section – assuming you move the levers back to maintain their current height/angle
They look perfect to me, that’s where I’d put them if I were setting the bike up!
Shifter position should be up to personal comfort. If you’re comfortable – leave them. If you’re not – move them. Don’t weigh anything anyone says here too heavily.
What did your professional bike fitter say?
Looks totally off, but if it works for you, then all right. Usually it’s very uncomfortable to ride in the drops if your brake-levers are not aligned with the drops. Pros only do this extreme thing bcs they ride aero and then you want the top of the hood to be inward relative wo the handle-bars so that you can rest your forearms on the handlebars and still get a good grip on the hoods. But I doubt you ride with 90° elbows most of the time, so this angle of the hoods is just superfluous for you.
They look weird because your bars are tilted upward so the shifters are in the wrong spot on the bar.
Looks fine to me. Flared bars like that just make the brifters stick way out to the side, it’s normal. Just be extra cautious when taking it through narrow trails, it really sucks to clip a brake lever on a tree branch.
Your shifters seem to be at a normal angle and height. Your handlebars have been rotated ‘backwards’ a lot to get them there, though. This effectively increases the drop and puts your fingers farther away from your brake levers. Are you able to comfortably lean into the drops without hand or arm fatigue and without sliding down?
As a rule of thumb, you usually start by putting the bottom part of the drops level or pointing down a couple of degrees. Then, you put your shifters in a spot where they’re level or angled slightly upwards so you can comfortably hold them and slightly brace against them on bumpy roads. This approach helps you achieve a position in which you can use both hand positions (drops and shifters) comfortably. Depending on the exact shape of the bars and where the flare starts, this may put your brake levers in an easier to reach spot, too.
YMMV, of course, as preferences differ, but this provides a starting point when your bars feel a little off.
They’re probably angled in a little too much, that’s what kicks the tips of the levers out.
HOLY SHIFT!
That’s how mine are, perfectly fine. It’s all about personal preference.
Enough tips about the bar/shifters, now asking the real question: what (wonderfull) bartape is this?