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Road Tested: EyroPro Performance Handlebars

Dr Michael Hanslip test rides a unique take on the humble handlebar, Aussie-designed Eyropro bars from Adelaide.

Superficially, drop bars all look pretty much alike, and they have looked like that for decades. Dig into the details, however, and it quickly becomes apparent there are numerous subtle things going on in bar shape that distinguish one model from the next. If that were not so, brands wouldn’t offer multiple choices at the same price point. 

The angle helps reduce wrist & shoulder pain. 

If we go back to the ’70s, all the higher-end options were made out of aluminium tubing and there were two options (deep and shallow drop). By the ’90s the aluminium was being bent into new shapes (with the ergonomic bend being the headline new product)—I don’t know if this reflects new ideas or better equipment to work the metal into the final product. 

Then carbon handlebars entered the scene in ’00s. Anything is possible in carbon, but because you really, really do not want a bar to break during use, it took over a decade of experience before really dramatic new styles were commonplace. As an example, every current aero bike worth that label has bar tops shaped like a wing. 

Australian Design

But what if you only care about comfort? Presenting the Australian Eyropro carbon bar. I saw photos of this bar before I got the review sample, but nothing prepared me for removing it from the packaging. It was literally like an Escher drawing; my mind could not believe what my eyes were seeing. And given its unusual shape, I was worried that I would need a different stem to get my hands into their usual place. 

…Thus the innovation of the Eyropro bars is all contained in the top section…

Well, I shouldn’t have worried. I think the creator has done a great job in the design of these bars. The drops themselves, from where the tops sweep forwards to the brake levers and down are not only similar to many other bars I have tried, but they also permit my preferred position. This requires the brake levers to sit level with the top of the bar and creates a smooth surface along the entire combined length of bar and brake hood. And also for the end of the drops to point down at the rear wheel’s axle. I find this position puts my wrists in a position that allows me to ride either the hoods or the drops for hours on end. 

The unique bars have developed somewhat of a cult following at home and abroad.

Thus the innovation of the Eyropro bars is all contained in the top section of the bars. And really it is done to provide one very relaxed cruising position along with more efficient climbing. Instead of grasping what is effectively a broom handle, the two hands get a surface that is moderately oval and slopes down to the outside while sweeping back. The angle formed where the bars plunge down to meet the stem is also a perfect perch for the thumb. This is the best “riding in the bunch” hand position ever.

I recommend giving these bars a go if you are prone to shoulder pain during mid-to-long rides. Additionally, they’d be well worth a closer look if you get sore hands when using the tops. I wouldn’t bother if your current bars serve you well already.

But these bars are all about comfort and addressing wrist and carpal tunnel issues with their curves. And they do an admiral job in that regard.

For more visit eyropro.com
 

 

 



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