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ritchey wcs ergomax alloy handlebar, wcs c220 84d stem and wcs pavé bar tape

rithcey ergomax bars

should you ever find yourself stuck indoors on a wet and windy day, bereft of any meaningful pastime or household chores, might i suggest taking a look through the websites of the many saddle purveyors in the world. in my saddle naivety, i genuinely figured that, by now, pretty much every variation on an admittedly basic theme would have been covered by now. john boultbee brooks filed the first patent for a bicycle saddle in 1882, well over 130 years ago, and though the materials available to the modern saddler are more widely varied than was the case in the late 19th century, it's very hard to believe that there can be much more to give.

ritchey ergomax bars

and by mere extrapolation, surely the same can be said about stems and handlebars? once fashioned from steel, other than track bars, pretty much everything nowadays utilises lightweight alloy or carbon, though i'm still slightly confused as to the use of the latter, since many an alloy stem or handlebar seems to be lighter than its carbon counterpart. however, that seems to have no direct bearing on the number of each component available. in the case under discussion, ritchey's website offers a total of twenty variations of handlebar and a dozen different stems.

however, it cannot have escaped your attention that we cyclists are a fickle lot, occasionally engaged in apparently subtle games of one-upmanship. but stood in a straight-line, we'd appear as a rather motley crew; all shapes, sizes, desires and needs. and though pragmatism on a bicycle really ought to be the overarching watchword, in reality, that is rarely the case. personally, i favour the traditional classic handlebar shape as espoused by eddy (and while we're here, how the heck can the comic place mr merckx in 20th place in their top forty influential cyclists? are they all too young to remember?), but many others are in thrall to the more modern anatomic/ergonomic variations.

ritchey ergomax bars

you can, perhaps, imagine my misgivings on receipt of ritchey's upgraded wcs bars and stem, as advertised above. in my age-old naivety, for me, a stem, is a stem, is a stem. it's the sort of component you fit and pretty much forget about. few amongst us will ever offer the sort of twisting forces that might call into question our choice of stem, other than perhaps one of dubious colour. ritchey describe their wcs c220 in nine different lengths (120mm version reviewed) and suitable for use with 1.125" and 1.25" steerers. using stainless steel bolts on both the steerer clamp and faceplate, the latter offers greater wrapround on the handlebar, presumably providing stiffness and added security of grip. there's also the added bonus of reducing any potential damage to lightweight bars.

as with the majority of modern-day stem and bar purveyors, ritchey recommend matching their bars with their stems to ensure best performance.

ritchey ergomax bars

i genuinely figured that i'd be inclined to dislike the ergomax bars, even for just using the word ergo in the name. rather than offer the regular curve favoured by both eddy and myself, these feature, what i believe is referred to as a parabolic curve, with a very short flat section on the drops. this particular region of the bars flares outwards by twelve degrees. that's preceded by a flattened, aero top section, though its function is probably more intent on providing additional comfort, rather than a potential increase in speed. ritchey's website claims that these are ideally suited to a gravel-bike, sweeping slightly backwards to ease strain on the wrists and rising just a tad before the clamp section to offer a slightly more upright posture.

ritchey ergomax bars

the latter claim might well be validated; the stem offers plus or minus six degrees, and as an aging cyclist, i ought probably to have flipped it upward to ease the strain on back and shoulders. however, desperate to cling onto to the last vestiges of aerodynamicism, i opted for the negative setting. having completed sufficient kilometres to judge, i'd say i got it right. and though i'm not a strava or gps obsessive, i did fear for there being sufficient space on the central, rounded, clamp area to fit an appropriate bracket, but i'm glad to say, these fears were unfounded.

according to the fitting instructions, when tightening up the faceplate bolts, each section of the clamp ought to show the same gap, both top and bottom. however, during the fit, initially the topmost bolts would only close so far, while the lower section closed entirely. however, perseverance is an admirable quality, and coupled with a smidgeon of ocd and a dod of wd40, i eventually had everything as it should be.

despite the misgivings outlined above, in practice, these bars offer their own brand of comfort and joy. yes, the flared drops are not exactly standard fare in the professional peloton, but you and i are not party to that level of cycling. patrick lefevre of deceuninck/quick-step claims that he doesn't pay his riders to be comfortable, a questionable practice that (thankfully) affects us not one whit. i seriously doubt that comfort on the bicycle can be over-rated.

ritchey were also kind enough to send a box of wcs pavé bar tape to complete the corporate image. this noticeably enhances the comfort on offer, particularly over potholed island roads, though i cannot pretend that my bar-wrapping skills are likely to inspire the next generation.

if you feel the need for a change, particularly in the cabin area, this bar/stem combination might be the very thing you're looking for and at a particularly economic price point.

ritchey's ergomax bars are available in matt black only and in four widths, rising in 2cm increments from 40cm - 46cm. retail cost is approximately £92. the + or - 6 degree wcs c220 alloy stem is available in two steerer diameters (1.125" and 1.25") and nine lengths in 10mm increments, from 60mm to 140mm (120mm reviewed).

ritchey logic

monday 11 february 2019

twmp ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................