Weight Weenies

So what's the verdict on integrated bar/stem nowadays? Apart from the fact that one cannot do much adjustments, they do look like a good way to shave off some weight from the cockpit.

Also read a test in a French magazine where it was found that the integrated was stiffer than its bar+stem counterpart as well as being lighter obviously due to the lack of faceplate/screws.

Anyone use one? Feedback?

Thanks!

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I don't think it offers much benefit, and they are not lighter than separate stem/bars assemblies.
Just looks cool.

You'd think they would be lighter but they're not.

Been there done that and it was slightly lighter. I think 6g lighter. I had my favorite stem/bars done by Rue and when the front plate was removed and some of the front of the stem for the bonding it did get just a bit lighter even with the extra carbon added. For the price that I paid to have this done I could have just bought a lighter bar or stem to save more than 6g. It did look cool however.

Hmm, weight is not the thing with normal integrated bars. Except the light options like the one BmanX talks about.

But stealing the thread a bit. Anyone know any good integrated handlebars with a more compact or shallow bend than normal anatomic. Want a bit shorter reach and drop. Like Deda Alanera RHM, but is there more good ones on the market? Is there any integrated handlebars with a bend like Deda's shallow or Ritchey classic bend?

http://www.applemanbicycles.com/applestemhandlebar.htm

I think the best choice is to go custom, so you have the EXACT stem length, rise and bar angle that you need.

Appleman bikes does it for $100 bucks with an EDGE stem/bars combo and it looks super clean. It DOES reduce the weight.

integrated bar looks cool, i prefer intergrated

Integrated bar in theory is stronger and lighter, but in practice it's faced with several challenges:

1. most int. bars come in winged shapes, which are very heavy, so most combos end up over 350g, easily 50g over.
2. sizes are a nightmare to stock, 4 stem lengths and 3 bar widths yield 12 combinations.
3. int. bars are fairly expensive to make. The amount of labor and materials involved are close to 40% of a frame, but you can't possibly charge 40% of the price of a frame. Therefore, many manufacturers have shied away from it. Cost of 12 moulds would kill the manufacturer.

after making sure i had the right measurements, i fitted a cinelli ram 2 integrated

as above, it's heavier than separates, but these always more flex than i liked, i get no flex at all with the ram 2

there's a newer model, ram 3, but not sure about the manta ray look

cerro - there're two options for drops, an anatomic, or castelli's vrc which is what i went for, i attached a picture

i used to ride a pair from china that were pretty much the cinelli rams, i absolutley loved them to pieces, i found them so comfortable (they were wing shaped) so i could motor up hills on the tops with such a large surface area never getting sore hands, in a sprint they were very stiff (i like my sprints ) if they were light enough i would swap my zipp sl bars for them any day. oh and did i mention they were arousing to look at?

weeracerweenie wrote:i used to ride a pair from china that were pretty much the cinelli rams, i absolutley loved them to pieces, i found them so comfortable (they were wing shaped) so i could motor up hills on the tops with such a large surface area never getting sore hands, in a sprint they were very stiff (i like my sprints ) if they were light enough i would swap my zipp sl bars for them any day. oh and did i mention they were arousing to look at?

WRW, are you able to give an indication of brand, weight and perhaps where you purchased them from?

Ta
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cerro wrote:Hmm, weight is not the thing with normal integrated bars. Except the light options like the one BmanX talks about.

But stealing the thread a bit. Anyone know any good integrated handlebars with a more compact or shallow bend than normal anatomic. Want a bit shorter reach and drop. Like Deda Alanera RHM, but is there more good ones on the market? Is there any integrated handlebars with a bend like Deda's shallow or Ritchey classic bend?

yes the FSA plasma comes in shallow as well

absolutely, they were ordered from a company called Dengfu when i brought my frame in from there. They weighed in at 380gms for a 100mm stem length with 400mm width. They were these:

http://dengfu.en.alibaba.com/product/32 ... HB004.html

I think i paid $110USD including shipping at the time, the company is generally good to deal with and between my coach and i (theremery is his name on here) we have or have owned about 6 of there road or tt frames and lots of components. In my opinion buy them, be different make everyone go WOW. they really are very pretty and are available in lots of colours

this was my actual bike they were on, have since sold the frame and have an Addict now looked sharp slammed

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cerro wrote:Hmm, weight is not the thing with normal integrated bars. Except the light options like the one BmanX talks about.

But stealing the thread a bit. Anyone know any good integrated handlebars with a more compact or shallow bend than normal anatomic. Want a bit shorter reach and drop. Like Deda Alanera RHM, but is there more good ones on the market? Is there any integrated handlebars with a bend like Deda's shallow or Ritchey classic bend?

The Most Talon compact comes very close to the Deda RHM. I ride both and love the shorter reach and the less drop they offer.