Looks like this hasn’t been discussed on here in a few years, maybe a better discussion for WW than here but use this forum more.
At some point, I’m planning to swap the 38cm bars on my SL8 to something narrower, I previously rode a 36cm bar and feel I could probably tolerate something narrower than that even (I ride a 49cm bike).
Non-Chinese cockpits are more than I would want to spend but the Chinese cockpits and Western brand bars are similarly priced.
Options I have looked at in the past include the
Enve aero bar 40 (35 tops, 40 drops)
Coefficient RR bar (36 tops, 38 drops) DJ uses this bar
AeroCoach Ornix (325mm tops-375mm drops)
EXS Aero cockpit (36 tops, 38 drops)
Farsports F1s (36 tops, 38 drops) Is this discontinued and replaced with the more expensive F1X? If so probably wouldn’t go F1X as its like $100 USD more expensive than the other options.
Lamda Cross Wing 33 tops, 40 drops a little wider than the Aero Coach but a significant drop from the 35-36 options, might find its too much of a flare though?
I’m currently trying to increase my tolerance for riding in aero hoods position rather than the drops so currently doing stretches for as long as I can tolerate in aero hoods followed by a few minutes in the drops before a break on the hoods and then back to aero hoods and so on.
My previous road race bike which will become a trainer bike has 36 tops, 40.5 drops bars on it and I find them super comfy. As a tiny guy I find the 40s on my current trainer bike awkwardly wide, makes me roll my wrists in (previous to the 40s that bike had 42s stock and I hated it, it was my first road bike but the wide bars felt like driving a bus.
Not buying a new bike this year so will be focusing on tweaking my Gravel/CX, XC and RR bikes to dial them in a bit.
I also replaced some nice carbon PRO aero vibe bars (spendy) with the alloy pursuit version mentioned above because I like the 36 width and these are strong bars (not flexy like some narrow bars like the Zipps). I wanted to be narrow and comfy without spending a tonne.
However, you have to get creative if you’re in the US. I found mine on Amazon from a shop in England. The EBay seller cancelled the order when they saw I was in the US. You can probably find them somewhere, though.
I just picked up a set of the Coefficient bars in 40CM. Just did some measuring on the hoods (105 Di2), and based on how I have everything set up I get: 42CM drops, 38 at center of the hoods and 33 on the top of the hoods. Everything measured CC.
Hup children sized bars. available in 32cm and 34 cm and all the way up to 40 cm. hoods or tops are the same measurement as there is no flare.
I have 2 of the 32 cm. the bars are smaller in diameter than usual so do keep that in mind.
Cheap, easy to swap out and comes in much smaller sizes than anything out there.
also side note, the reach is 60 mm and the drop is 100 mm so stem height and length may need to be adjusted accordingly. id recommend it for ppl who want to spend more time on the drops but find it uncomfortable for long periods but probably not for racers who are used to being in the drops.
A local, well regarded bike fitter is like 6’ tall with I think 32cm bars and says he likes it.
Going from a 42 on my old bike to a 40 felt horrible to me, but I know it’s faster so I put up with it. But I still don’t feel like I have the control I want, especially sprinting (sadly, I’m not a sprinter).
