Roval Rapide vs EXS Aerover - how narrow is too narrow?!
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- New EXS Aerover bar finally acquired so that I can get the narrower width that I have been looking for for 6 months.
Lots of positives in going narrow, but are there any disadvantages?
Regarding fit questions; EXS has a -10' stem angle versus -6' on the Roval. Which places the bar/hoods 8mm lower. However, EXS is a 130 stem not 135 (Roval) which reduces this effect. The 5mm spacer I added below the EXS evens out the difference in stem stack height (5mm). So overall my bar/hoods are a few mm lower, but the hoods are a bit closer together. Feels good!
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Sworks SL8 RTP in 52
Cannondale Topstone Lefty
Thanks for sharing! Your observations are similar to mine. I use 360mm bars and a 130mm stem on my Factor and love it. I will never go back to wider bars.
I think the new normal is slowly becoming 400 to 360 instead of 440 to 400.....
Narrow bars improves your aero position and also keeps your diaphragm unblocked. It also helps rotate your hips more effectively.
Good to know!
Something to be aware of with the EXS is that it has a slight almost unnoticeable flare. In your size the tops are 36cm and the drops 38cm. I have used the same width EXS for around a year now. I found it more comfortable to position the hoods slightly in to follow the bar's flare angle after I initially had the hoods parallel to the top tube. Just a small almost unnoticeable change visually nothing crazy titled which wouldn't be comfortable on the small flare of these bars. With the image you shared you showed your arms moving inward to fit the 36cm so it likely will also be more comfortable to have the hoods follow that slight inward angle. On mine I vinyl wrapped over the routing holes instead of using the provided "rubber" covers. I didn't like the "rubber" covers as they protrude a bit and vinyl wrap is flush and lighter. I've since gone supper narrow on another bike and now find the 36cm EXS wide when I swap bikes. Strange how quickly the mind adapts.
Thanks for that, useful advice that makes sense. Yes I did notice the slight flare of the drops, and I guess it depends a bit on where you have your hands on the drops. I may well try your suggestions, thanks!
Absolutely love the EXS arriver...so much so that I have ordered one. Unfortunately , I ordered it through AliEXpress and after waiting over two months I am now in dispute. I have been in touch with EXS themselves and I'm currently awaiting stock. Beautiful looking bar.
yeah, not easy to get hold of - I watched the website for ages, but nothing came up for me. In the end I got this one off a forum - the seller wanted a different size.
@CyclespeedTours will just have to be patient I guess.
I have one EXS Aerover 360 x 100 mm like new only 3000 km to sold
@@zsdonsample many thanks dude but I am after a 380-90 👍
@@zsdonsample Post a new comment so people can see it easier! (and subscribe and like!!)
Does the Roval 400mm measure 400 c-c at the levers or the drops? are the hoods any narrower than the drops on the Roval like the EXS?
Great review, can you please provide a link where you purchased?
You can check EXS's website, but availability is very poor unfortunately. I got mine from a guy selling his (new) one a forum for a size change.
How about a review on that Cannondale with the lefty fork?!
I did one 2 years ago! Here; ua-cam.com/video/ze00SyNNYFE/v-deo.html
I believe the stem angle is 4° different on the EXS from the Roval, I gather you added a five mil spacer to make up for the lower stack height, but what about the stem angle? How does the thickness of the Mandatory spacers compare with the ones that come with the Roval bar? Also wondering how the Astro compares with the SL8. Thanks!
Yes, correct re. the 4' angle difference. The extra spacer makes up for most of the 8mm difference, and then the fact that my arms are slightly closer together makes up for the rest. Plus the EXS is 5mm shorter. So all feels like it's in the right place.
The bottom mandatory spacers are the same thickness Roval /EXS, 7.8mm, although the EXS does seem to sit a touch (1mm?) higher, due to bearing interface.
I am very much enjoying the SL8, but then I had no complaints with the Ostro either. I think the SL8 is just a bit more nimble and comfortable, but a touch less aero.
Question - Since you only have to wrap your bars half way, did you consider wrapping from top to bottom? Would it look neater that way? Any issues ending right at the levers/clamp?
That could make sense but I find that the hoods tend to hide all evils! And electrical tape works wonders.
how is your fit on the sl8 compared to the ostro v1 ? i run 20mm spacer under the black inc stem on the ostro. on paper stack and reach seem fairly similiar. thnx
yes, they are very similar, I had no spacers on the Ostro and none on the SL8.
Is it compatible with a rimbrake bike? Are the holes with the rubber grommets large ebough for brakecables to pass through?
Rim brake cables are about the same size as hydraulic hoses so should be OK yes, but be careful of too tight bends creating drag.
I would think if you are bringing your hands closer you also need to extend the reach to keep your torso at the same height. If you were using 400x135, I would think you need a 360x145 or 400x150 to maintain the same torso height.
Good point, but because I had the hoods tilted inwards quite a bit on the Roval, and now much less, the reach is only 5mm less (which is down to the slightly shorter stem on the EXS). And the 4' extra angle on the EXS means it is a touch lower which then increase the reach slightly, so all good!
Think you can get slightly thinner bearings from enduro to eliminate that gap!
Thanks!
hows the stiffness from aerover vs roval rapide?
Fine. The same or better.
What's the clicking sound coming from? Also did you swap your front Overfast axle for a regular one?
Very observant of you!! Not sure about the clicking sound - I only noticed it on the video too, not on the bike!!! Recently I have been testing different front tyres so lots of front wheel swaps. I therefore thought it prudent to use the Sworks axle to avoid any fatigue!!
@@CyclespeedTours The SL8 recommended torque on the thru axles is 12-15NM. Once a ticking sound was driving me nuts on my Diverge. It turned out to be too little torque on the rear thru axle. Now I use a torque wrench on both of my SL8 and Diverge- 15NM. The Overfast carbon thru axles are rated only at 7-9NM which is way too low.
@@jonathanwoo6597 Had the same issue on my Cube bike. Took me months to get it right. Only correct torque solved the problem.
@@jonathanwoo6597 Good point, and yes, too low has caused issues in the past. 2 of my LBSs (including the Sworks store) do them to 5 ish and I then take them to 9. Many consider 15 to be overkill and I have never had any issues at 8 or 9. Certainly, out on the road with a mini tool you are never going to get 15.....(or indeed be able to undo 15Nm).
why no bar tape on the tops?
because it's completely unnecessary. I spend 85% of my time on the hoods, so my hands aren't even touching the bar. !0% drops and 5% on the tops/flats. If I am in the tops, then for sure I am climbing fairly slowly so just don't need any vibration damping. And tape (especially thick tape) degrades the aero performance of the bar, and dare I say it, adds a little weight!!
@@CyclespeedTours LOL
I'm fairly narrow in shoulders also,176 cm/67 kg and ride 40 cm bars.
I tryed 36 cm bars and i miss the leverage when climbing Contador style and my rides are 60% in that position so i quit with idea for narrow bars
You get used to it and then it feels just as good + better in sphinx position on the flat. Of course, I think it is wisest to match shoulder width at end of collar bone to bar width. I'm similar height and weight to you with 39cm shoulder width on 38cm bars. Feels much much better than 42cm.
i,m even narower in shoulders,around 37 cm but like i said,i need leverage.
On the flat i'm completely fine with 36
Going narrow isn't more aero than going narrow and tilting the hoods in. Simply because your wrists aren't straight and your knuckles are flared out. The hand position matters as well as the arms. Just look at the optimization done for TT positions
It would be a fine balancing game of the advantage gained in the hoods against that lost when in the drops (due to hoods not being straight). But I take your point that a slight inward tilt could be beneficial. But severe inward tilting which seems to be 'a la mode' amongst some racers doesn't make much sense to me, unless your bar is far too wide in the first place.
@CyclespeedTours it makes sense when you look at wrist angle. Seriously, try it. I have different bikes with different amounts of hood tilt. If I were to get a nominal bar width, it would probably be 30-32 cm wide.
80-85% of my riding is in the hoods, 0% on the tops, and the rest in the drops. I would optimize for the majority use case. Not to mention the additional comfort allows me to maintain aero position longer
@@Shadowboost I did have quite a bit of inward tilt on the wider Roval, and I kind of got used to it. I will put about 1/2 that tilt on the EXS and see how that feels.
I'm more or less your posture, height and weight, but prefer wider handlebar, because they better in controlling path on bad road surface, and bends.
Fair enough, but I'm not sure than 2cm narrower really affects the handling / control that much. But the aero, potentially yes, quite a bit.
This is opinion of professional cyclists, many collisions in peloton, are caused by lost control of the bike in extreme situations, the wider handlebar the better control (see MTB bikes)
@@kolokowalsky772 but a road bike is not an MTB. I think you'll find that the vast majority of the pro peloton has gone to narrower handlebars.