Reliable carbon gravel handlebar

[ediryppah]

Heavier rider (85-90 kg) so a bit cautious with gravel bars from China, but there must be bomb proof ones from reliable manufacturers. Ultralight not important, just regular light.

I’m looking for tops width around 40cm with 15-20 deg flare. Slight outsweep ok but not too much.
115-125mm drop, >75mm reach. I actually don’t mind 90mm handlebar reach so might look into flared road bars.

But my main issue I don’t know what bars are considered good with good QC.

[Uberflo]

So what’s your budget?

[federic000]

zniino has two or three models, I use the one with 25 deg flare and 102mm drop since one year

[ediryppah]

So what’s your budget?

I mean I’m looking at China options for lower cost, so absolute max €150 but preferably sub 100. Otherwise might just buy more local.

zniino has two or three models, I use the one with 25 deg flare and 102mm drop since one year

Can’t find one of them that sort of matches my spec though, but thanks for the recommendation.

[Tijoe]

I usually weigh around 90 KG and during spring, in the 95kg range.  I have been running these bars (in the attached link), on 3 different bikes since 2020 and have had absolutely no problems with them.  I have them on my primary gravel bike, on a hybrid road bike I use for gravel roads and my old Merlin I use in the spring for riding the Sun Road in GNP.  (I do not baby my gravel bike and we often find ourselves on terrain that would be far better on a FS MTB.)

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800808580660.html

[ediryppah]

Just by spec what I’ve found that would kind of suit me:

RXL SL
380/458 hoods drops (15deg flare)
77 reach
110 drop

I’ve read some not so nice things about their road aero bar so cautious though.

[ediryppah]

I usually weigh around 90 KG and during spring, in the 95kg range.  I have been running these bars (in the attached link), on 3 different bikes since 2020 and have had absolutely no problems with them.  I have them on my primary gravel bike, on a hybrid road bike I use for gravel roads and my old Merlin I use in the spring for riding the Sun Road in GNP.  (I do not baby my gravel bike and we often find ourselves on terrain that would be far better on a FS MTB.)

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800808580660.html

A bit too much flare for my taste, even their 25deg flare.
But I have never tried a bar with such high flare, so what do I know. Maybe it’s nice.

[Tijoe]

A bit too much flare for my taste, even their 25deg flare.
But I have never tried a bar with such high flare, so what do I know. Maybe it’s nice.

My understanding is that the flare is dependent on your gravel bike usage.

- Go with a wide flare if you prioritize descending control and higher speed stability on rougher terrain.
- Go with narrow flare bars for more aerodynamic position on the hoods and if you are riding more asphalt and smoother gravel roads.

I started with no flare and then narrow flare when I first purchased my gravel bike, then migrated to the wider flare bar when I discovered how much fun is is to use my gravel bike on groomed singletrack trails with lots of turns and burms and on rougher high speed long descents.

[klindsey00]

I'm running kocevlo bars that are like 38cm tops 40 drops, so far so good, mostly ride road but do some light trails and gravel roads. I'm 90kg and I have no other carbon bars to compare to but I find them fine.

[ediryppah]

My understanding is that the flare is dependent on your gravel bike usage.

- Go with a wide flare if you prioritize descending control and higher speed stability on rougher terrain.
- Go with narrow flare bars for more aerodynamic position on the hoods and if you are riding more asphalt and smoother gravel roads.

I started with no flare and then narrow flare when I first purchased my gravel bike, then migrated to the wider flare bar when I discovered how much fun is is to use my gravel bike on groomed singletrack trails with lots of turns and burms and on rougher high speed long descents.

I think it’s mostly personal and I just don’t like having my hands too wide apart. It’s good for a sketchy descent or any technical section but I’m riding in the drops a lot in general and having my hands too wide apart doesn’t feel good.

[Tijoe]

I think it’s mostly personal and I just don’t like having my hands too wide apart. It’s good for a sketchy descent or any technical section but I’m riding in the drops a lot in general and having my hands too wide apart doesn’t feel good.

Perhaps try narrower bars, this is the general trend these days for flared bars. 

I found this video that explains the current flared bar trend.