MMmmmm Compact Handlebars...

[Fab Foodie]

...never got on with the "Anatomic" bars on my TCR. I have the bars low 'cos that's how I like them, but found that staying in the drops for more than short periods was uncomfortable, the drop was too great and to reach the brakes my forearms needed to be parallel with the ground and my belly prevented that. Furthermore, actually using the brakes on the drops was uncomfortable. Coming down Ventoux last summer I thought my forarms would sieze-up with the effort.

Saw some compact bars with short reach and drop reviewed in C+ last year (Pro-PLT Compact IIRC) and was umming and ahhing a while. Well I saw some similar FSA Omega bars on Parkers when I was buying my PR2's a few weeks back. Well yesterday I got them fitted and between storms had a few quick sprints around the block to get-em set-up properly.

ACE! Big improvement, can reach the brake levers much more comfortably, sitting in the drops is now really comfortable, it all falls into place and the bike feels much more part of me than it did before. Just managed to re-use the old bar-tape as a temporary job until happy with set-up.
Now I want a long ride or even better club-night to see if I can stay in that slightly better aero position!

Although slightly heavier than the old bars, it's £20 well spent!

 

[k-dog]

I've been fiddling around with bars recently and have found that too - was sitting on a new Trek and the bars felt great - a slightly shallow drop and the levers were just there near my fingers.

I guess it's horses for courses then?

 

[Fab Foodie]

I've been fiddling around with bars recently and have found that too - was sitting on a new Trek and the bars felt great - a slightly shallow drop and the levers were just there near my fingers.

I guess it's horses for courses then?

Like everything in life I guess, the devil is in the detail. A small change of bar shape and my bike feels much better fitted.

 

[girofan]

The anatomic bars on Giant bikes are the pits. The drop is too great and the stubby ends leave you nowhere to place your hands. As for the anatomic angled section, whoever designed them must have double-jointed wrists!!
Go with FSA, bars for humans.

 

[GrahamG]

Thanks for the review, I was looking at those myself - I've small hands and have struggled to get comfortable on several different sets of drops (Cinelli Vai's were the worse). Are the hoods fairly flat/level so you're not sliding down them to the brake hoods?