Top Shelf Handlebars by Redshift
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- Опубликовано: 27 авг 2024
- Aimed in part at older cyclists who tackle longer bike-packing routes, these new Top Shelf Handlebars from Redshift Sports are comfortable with a few additional features. I'm using 44cm wide with 50mm elevation - there's also a 70mm elevation. This isn't a review yet, I've only done a couple of rides compared to the Kitchen Sink bars which I've used for a couple of years.
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Not a review yet - only two rides so far, compared to two years on the excellent Kitchen Sink bars.
50cm wide could be a good try out as you get lots of hand space on the tops. Especially if the top can be made flat so your comfortable as possible. My aero bars have another 120mm ( some times 80mm ) rise.
Electronic shift helps with wrist and finger fatigue by a huge margin on very long stuff. Especially if you going RED SRAM as you can attached two extra button shifts per side.
I love this bar. And it was the only possibility to have a higher, more comfortable riding position on my ROSE Backroad Gravel bike. No more neck and numb hand issues
I'm 60 & have 10 sets of different types of handlebar & nothing beats my Jones H bar as far as I'm concerned.
how did the top shelf bars compare to the H bar?
@@geoffwendt9968 I've never got on with any drop handlebar ,even when I had a paper round I turned them upside down for an upright position .I can get pretty low in headwinds on the H bar when required .
Good review and highlignting of the benefits of higher handle bars and use of suspension aids to add comfort to our rides. Whatever the handlebar type - I have flat bars on my bicycle - I think there is a real comfort benefit to raising the height of the handlebar to be in-line to the seat height or slightly higher. I have a H Jones style flat bar with riser on my hybrid bicycle. The sweep-back brings the bars closer to me (less stretching, more comfort, more upright and relaxed riding position, better posture with more open body/shoulder position) and the angle of the handles is both comfortable and puts less stress on my wrists. With my ncx suspension seat post and front suspension plus Brooks B17 leather saddle I have a bicycle that gives both comfort and joy. As someone who has had back issues these modifications to my previous bicycle set up allows me to do and enjoy my dailly and multi-day bicycle rides without the aches and pains previously experienced.
Careful now, any taller and those bars will look like the ones on a BMX😂 Back to reality…. definitely raising the bar level, sending weight away from the arms, increases comfort. Those bars are a really tidy solution to avoiding an ugly long fork steerer and loads of spacers. The ergonomics look spot on in the footage of you riding. I’m going to keep them in mind, my current set up is really comfortable…..for now!
Back in my youth, on advice from the frame builder, my touring frame was made a couple of inches larger than my road frame. This resulted in the bars being elevated by a couple of inches compared to my road bike. I never liked the high crossbar/ low saddle look of tourers but they were more comfortable on the arms/neck/shoulder. We all convinced ourselves that the larger frame was better for carrying panniers, bar-bags etc. Thank the cycling gods we now have more sophisticated ways of designing frames & accessories. It’s much easier these days to get the right posture for your (aged/ abused) body and still end up with a neat & purposeful looking bike.
Actually... there is something a bit BMX-ish about those...
Very interesting, can't wait for the next review. It sounds like what I'm looking for.
I hear you on this one, Simon! As I have gotten older (and we are not too far apart in age) I have learned what is becoming more important to me is just enjoying the ride and being outdoors. In the past I used average speed as some sort of measure of my fitness. But I started to gradually get away from slammed stems as I started riding longer distances. So much easier on the body and comfortable to be more upright now!
Just built a semi custom touring bike last summer. One change was replacing the drop bar with a flat "alt-bar" a Koga Denham handlebar, and an adjustable rise stem. Much nicer for long hours on the bike, and I can easily adjust the rise even during a ride if I wanted to. I don't care that much about speed anymore.
Thanks! Cant wait to hear your full review!
Sounds like you have it sorted!
These look like they might suit me even better than my kitchen sink bars, nice one Redshift. Thanks Simon.
HaHa, this makes me chuckle. As we age we raise our bars as the neck complains more and more. It's a great relief to raise the bars and as a by product see the world around you rather than the front tyre. 👍It's also why I designed a gravel bike with a higher front end. I actually struggle with any dropped bar but for those who love them this could be just what the neck doctor ordered.
Absolutely Graham - not many of ‘us’ want to admit this!
@@alwaysanotheradventure haha. I gave up worrying about that several years ago and love it now.
I ordered a set at 10am this morning after watching 2 reviews of them. I had been considering the kitchen sink until i saw these.
I hope you like them and they work out well. I might yet go back to the kitchen sinks.
The shock stem is worth its weight.
Interesting bar. I can't wait for the review after you have used them awhile. Thanks for the info 👏👏
Excellent! I can't abide a flat bar and love the versatility of drops for different hand positions. A little extra height would be great.
Thanks!
My bars are very high the steerer tube is only just cut a tiny amount. To do 14 days and 26 is my longest I was super comfortable. I use aero bars risen high too for getting aero a bit as needed but only just. Mostly to rest your hands as often as you can.
Being comfortable keeps you riding further / farther. Having your nose on the front wheel may work for a while but that’s you in the cafe after a few hours.
Interesting, I love my Kitchen Sink bars, esp the extra positions and space provided by the hoop. So comfortable! I use a steeper stem and repositional headtube spacers to tune in the the right height.
Sounds great
Very interesting report but I'm a dedicated flat-bar rider, Alpkit Confucius on most of my bikes. I always feel flat bars offer more control off-road than drops. But everyone to their own.
I have the bars with the loop, I like the idea of being slightly higher but don’t really want to spend nearly £200 on a new bar and tape. So ive used my existing redshift bar and used a stem extender. Total cost £18. I get the benefit of the hoop and bag and a higher bar for a lot less money.
That sounds like the best option. Between the two I’d prefer the Kitchen Sink with Loop
I suppose it really depends on your flexibility. I find a more upward position affects my Derrière just as flat MTB affects my wrist comfort. I have my gravel bike and road bikes all set up the same and tend to have a bike fit frequently just to check and pick up any anomalies with my old body😂
I keep on vassilating on these bars. I need to get tipsy then make the purchase guilt free after one or 3 whiskeys 😍
Sounds like a win-win scenario
Many years ago I had had a few drinks and was browsing an online shaving shop. I bought 500 razor blades at an absolutely bargain price. Bearing in mind that a single blade will be enough for several shaves, do the maths and work out how long they will last. I'm pretty sure I'll have enough until I shuffle off this mortal coil, LOL.
Great razor blades though, no regrets.
I'm currently using Genetic Driser 4 to get a 20mm lift to the bars and find them very good. The bends to achieve the rise removes a lot straight bar space though so have lost the flat riding position as they are full of lights, phone and computer. These Redshift bars look to be a good solution to this problem.
That’s a good point Piers. I have to say though - the flare and the control grips are what sell me on the Redshift designs.
really like the idea of these for my 58c Mason ISO it already has a decent stack height even with my height and being more leg than average. would need to be high enough to make the drops the normal position and the hoods and tops for stretching the back on long rides. kinda worry about the compliance and if going higher will but a lot more weight on my backside, only one way to find out I guess.
I bought this and love it.
Excellent!
I'd raise the handlebars even more. I'd also slap on a Brooks B66 saddle, too. Comfort is KING...and the more upright position means less wind resistance and better exercise. 😉
There’s a version with a higher raise.
I flipped my stem recently for a huge improvement in comfort.
Simon, it looks like these are now available with a 70mm rise which will be 50mm higher than the kitchen sink. Wow.... I'll probably work my way up as I get older ha ha.
Which width did you you get Simon? I have the 44cm Kitchen sink, but maybe I'll try the 47cm with these because of the extra height. Is that a good idea? Thanks.
As a 65 year old time triallist who has ridden 100 miles in TT position on my Trek Speed concept TT bike, in under 4 hours, I will have a snigger.
I think you might be just a little bit of an exception Steve 😁 Snigger away. Oh and by the way, wow!
looks like a good product for when I get old lol.
Very useful review
I respect you and your opinions, but i just cant see, especially at £136 for the bar, or £240 with the grips and inserts, how this is really a viable option, just to raise your bars? I added a steerer extender, for 50mm extra, and its done the same job, at £8.50? I guess if your current bars are wide enough and comfortable enough grip wise, then this isnt for you, as a higher degree stem or extender would do. If youre in the market for a wider bar at this time, and feel the need to raise your bar, then great. Interesting one though
Absolutely - it won’t be for everyone.
That's one advantage in having an alloy steerer.
As always❤
Simon, do you have their bar shim/spacer to allow the stem to mount to the top of the Top Shelf? I'd really like to see how it configures, especially with lights and or GoPro mounted on the bar below. I mostly like RS products and got both stem and post through their KS campaigns. Thanks for the video.
I don’t but I’ve asked. Hopefully will get back to you.
Hi Tony - it seems a fairly standard shim can be used. Here's the reply from Redshift: "that bar section is smaller at the old road bike standard of 25.4mm. So, using a standard 25.4mm to 31.8mm stem/handlebar shim makes it a simple swap..." I hope that's useful.
Thanks for this. I emailed them direct too and Erin said they were looking to get the marketing team to setup some Top Shelf stem photos. They said they don't do shims but they sell them for the Kitchen Sink bar at 31.8-25.4mm, so I don't know why one of those can't be used. Any road, thanks again for checking with them too.
I raced in the 70s and 80s I’m 70 now and still ride in the same position I did then. I find the sit up and beg position very uncomfortable
'Sit up and beg' 🤣
Interesting post; though I won't be buying those bars!.
Could we perhaps have more on fit and the older rider? Most bike fit advice is aimed at the "younger " rider and many of the bike fit systems are based on what they expect a young, male , very fit rider can do. Hence we get the high, long, and low position which contrasts with the " traditional " position of bars level with the seat and a heel on the pedal saddle height.
I have had a fit and had a bike built around it. That worked but as of this year it doesnt seem to; I am 63 btw and the fit is now 7 years old......Like you I want to keep riding.
In terms of learning more about a fit then I'd reccommend Bike Fit Tuesday vidoes from Francis Cade and Bike Fit James. though yet to see them have a video on a fit for the older ie over 60 rider of either sex... Phil Burt also does good videos , and then there's Steve Hogg
Perhaps we need to look at traditional ideas on fit... Mike Burrows did a good article in the CTC mag some years ago.
Look forward to more such videos---
It's an idea I have been investigating so thanks for the nudge.
Would look forward to that. As I' ve suggested, I think the bike fit industry is far too focused on the young male cyclist who aslo happens to be an elite rider. Also some doubts as to the validity of the science behind some of the systems used. For example, the inside leg x 109% or .89 rules. As i understand , it they are based on the average saddle heights of a bunch of Tour riders; so not the average rider.
Interesting to look at the position of Beryl Burton or pictures of riders from the Rough Stuff Fellowship: saddles are mostly level with the bars. Was this geomerty, bigger frames, or lower saddles?
One other fitter that might be worth looking at is Foundation fit. However, like Bike Richmond( ie Bike fit James) they are based in London. So not easy to reach from the Highlands or , for that matter, the rest of the country.
@@alwaysanotheradventure
We wouldn’t need these if bike manufacturers made bikes with geometry for normal humans!
Loch side location..?.
Kingairloch loop from Strontian
Thanks is it on Komoot?
It is but linked to a different video, so I'll put the link in the video description. Thanks for the nudge - it's this one www.komoot.com/tour/555926828 Absolute classic!