Campag - trouble reaching levers in drops

Hoping someone can recommend some new bars that will solve the problem I currently have of not being able to reach my campy ergolevers when I am down in the drops. I am currently using Easton 50 handlebars and the ergonomic shape leads to the levers being just out of reach.

I don't think I have especially small hands.

Would a more traditional bar suit.

Hoping someone with a similar problem has found a nice bar.

Cheers

Look for a Deda shallow drop (they have traditional bend).

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Take a peek at Ritchey WCS Classic in either 25.8mm or 31.8 OS with the traditional "Italian" bend. Great bar and normally cheaper than the Deda. I run the OS version and love it with my Campy gruppo.

Take a peek at http://ritcheylogic.com/web/Ritchey~...CSClassic.html

How far up on the bars do you have the levers? I used to mount the levers fairly high, and sure enough, it was hard to reach the thumb lever.

Bought a set of Cinelli RAM bars, which forced me to move the levers down to line up with the cable holes. I like the position better, and can shift from the drops with no problem now.

I have the levers basically flat straight out from the bars, if that makes sense. I like to have a horizontal line (or marginally sloping up) from the bars to the levers. In order to get a bit closer to the levers when in the drops I have rotated the bars about 15 degrees so that the lever is mounted on a part that has a bit more bend on it but it still isn't great.

I don't have a problem shifting up with the thumb levers when in the drops, just with reaching the brakes.

Out of interest - wugga, can you please tell me how long your hand is from the base of your palm to the tip of your middle finger. I am just under 20cm.

Nitrous,

From what you have written about rotating your bars 15 degrees upwards, it sounds to mike your stem may be too long and pushing the reach further out. On the other side of the coin; a seat that is placed too far back on the seat post will extend your reach. Most standard "Italian" classic bar or ergo bends normally shout have no more than a 5 degree upward rotation.

Fiting is different from body to body. I run a 90mm stem with almost no setback on my seat and run about 4 inches of drop from the seat to bar. I again each individual is different.

I'm a firm believer in a proper fit. Maybe you can run by a LBS and ask them to help you out with a quick fit. Some LBS will dial a person in closer just by picking up a stem.

Try this fitting system as well to see if your fit is correct for stem length etc. I ran this and it's very close to the pricy LBS Pro fit I had done.


http://www.wrenchscience.com/WS1/Sec...ing/Height.asp

Can you post a picture which shows how your Campagnolo shifters are currently oriented on your handlebars + the stem, etc ...

As noted, Deda, Ritchey, Cinelli, etc. are all good ...

I think that your hands would have to be exceptionally small (are you under 4'10"?) or you've figured out a odd way of mounting your levers to make them unreachable from the drops ...

if u take a ruler and hold it on the flat part on the drop the bottom of the brake lever should just touch the ruler. then if u like the hoods high rotate the bars.

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BMC Streetfire SSX +Record/Chorus +Eurus wheels
WeThePeople KHO1 (BMX)

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll take some pix and post them so you can see my current setup. Wugga, the problem is not with reaching the bars but with reaching the levers from the drops of the bars. I'm actually in a really good position, just my fingers are too short to cover the distance between bar and lever.

Ah,

Hopefully with the pics, all us can offer some help.

http://www.greeneggs.com.au/bike/1.JPG

http://www.greeneggs.com.au/bike/2.JPG

Notice the length of my fingers in the first pix.

FIRST, if you want to continue to use your current bars, then rotate them down so that the tops of the hoods are parallel to the ground ... THAT should partially (if not completely) resolve your problem ...

Otherwise, if you want to mount them so that the hoods are flush to the upper portion of the bars, I think you may need to get a set of DEDA bars.

Looks like you have somewhat shorter than average fingers. I agree with going for a Deda or similar brand of shallow reach bars. I use Deda with my Ergos and it is much better than the "Modolo" anatomic bend that you have on those Eastons.

You would help the reach a bit by moving the Ergos down the curve a bit.

the shifters are too low move them up to where the red line is. also try to rotate the bars forward so the drops (red line) is paralell to the top tube. is seems like the shifter is makeing u hold the bar below the ergo part, which is probably why u cant reach it easily. when you move them up u prolly will have more room to hold closer to the shifter they should be level with the red line. try that b4 droping alot of money on new bars

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BMC Streetfire SSX +Record/Chorus +Eurus wheels
WeThePeople KHO1 (BMX)