More is better for me. Great review, thank you! I have a Ritchey Venturemax XL bar on my Ritchey Ascent atb build. Suits my riding well, mostly unpaved, some bikepacking. Those bars in combo with a dropper post make for super stable descending on fast forest roads, and flowy singletrack.
Thanks for this video. I love the VentureMax too. Enough so that my current set has been on my last three bikes. I was never one to ride in the drops much until I started riding the bars. Somewhat unconventional look, great control and comfort.
I just installed the Whiskey Spano on my gravel bike, looks to be nearly the same geometry as your Ritchey Venture (drop, reach, flare) and I agree, great general shape. Would be fun to compare the two as they are so close but have subtle differences like the Ritchey bump on the drop section. The Ritchey is the better deal at less than half the price, the Whiskey is carbon so it saves about 40g but that is pretty trivial for double the cost
I too have that bar, I love it, it makes traditional bike people cringe, but when I let them ride a few miles with them, they are sold. Great in-depth video. Best upgrade I have made to my gravel bike.
"Cringe"! HAH! The other day I guy showed up for a group ride with a gravel bike and those bars. I spotted them from a distance as he rode. They do make a statement. gg
7:35: You like the bumps because they're supporting not just the edges of your palms but the center as well. You have a larger contact area so the pressure is spread more throughout the palms. I have the VentureMax on my gravel (Canyon Grizl CF SL) and on my cargo bike (ten07 Unicorn) and it's very comfortable to ride the drops for long periods of time. 🙂
It seems that little bump in the drops may give that section a little more horizontal feel for your hands. So your wrists aren’t having to bend too much because the drops kinda point down more than other bars.
I just swapped my flat bars out for these! I am loving them so far. Looking forward to trying them out this weekend. Also, I gotta know, what is your mic set up? Audio is perfect.
Yeah...I still love riding this handlebar. The gloves are from Pearl Izumi in the expedition line. I liked them so much I bought three more pair (they were on sale) and tucked them away for the future. Here is a link to the review video although I am not sure if they still make, them...I think they were just changing colors. gg
Thanks a lot from Rome , Italy. I will upgrade my Gravel installing a Venture Max. I have a question: Maybe The drop is reduced if i put palms on the bump . This is an advantage for me. How much is the drop reduced? In other words, which is the distance from the bump to top of handlebar? Have a good ride day!!! Ciao, stammi bene
Buongiorno! I visited Rome. Crazy busy city, but at night, walking the piazzas...magic. The bump really does not change the drop distance. It is very subtle, maybe the thickness equivalent to a layer of bar tape over a span of a couple inches. Ciao! gg
@@oldguyandabike My house is 35 km far from center of Rome , but we have really good gravel paths in the woods here .During This very HOT summer i rided in the woods , in shadow, wonderful. ✌️
@@oldguyandabike After your accurate review, i bought it. I was already very convinced but your review made me take out my credit card. Have nice rides on your gravelbike ! thank you. Roby
Hello! Is there a shoulder-to-handlebar width correspondence for this Ritchey bar, as they often spec in road bars? My Diverge Elite came with a road bar...
I know that is a traditional way to size a bar, but I have heard that called out as old thinking. Like the way that crank length is being questioned, in that it is not as 'simple as that'. I do run a wider bar on my gravel bikes compared to my road bikes (and I am getting ready to go more narrow on the road) so I think it is a use case and personal preference. I mean, on the Project Curly bikepacking build I used a 50cm wide bar. gg
I had these and then went for a bike fit. He changed my bars and kept my Ritcheys. I've never been happy with the change and want my Ritcheys back, however, for some reason the bike fitter doesn't seem to remember keeping them! 😡
I have a WCS Venture max handlebar on my Cannondale e-gravel bike and I love it. One of the best aftermarket bike purchases I've ever made.
More is better for me. Great review, thank you! I have a Ritchey Venturemax XL bar on my Ritchey Ascent atb build. Suits my riding well, mostly unpaved, some bikepacking. Those bars in combo with a dropper post make for super stable descending on fast forest roads, and flowy singletrack.
Thanks for this video. I love the VentureMax too. Enough so that my current set has been on my last three bikes. I was never one to ride in the drops much until I started riding the bars. Somewhat unconventional look, great control and comfort.
I just installed the Whiskey Spano on my gravel bike, looks to be nearly the same geometry as your Ritchey Venture (drop, reach, flare) and I agree, great general shape. Would be fun to compare the two as they are so close but have subtle differences like the Ritchey bump on the drop section. The Ritchey is the better deal at less than half the price, the Whiskey is carbon so it saves about 40g but that is pretty trivial for double the cost
I too have that bar, I love it, it makes traditional bike people cringe, but when I let them ride a few miles with them, they are sold. Great in-depth video. Best upgrade I have made to my gravel bike.
"Cringe"! HAH! The other day I guy showed up for a group ride with a gravel bike and those bars. I spotted them from a distance as he rode. They do make a statement.
gg
7:35: You like the bumps because they're supporting not just the edges of your palms but the center as well. You have a larger contact area so the pressure is spread more throughout the palms. I have the VentureMax on my gravel (Canyon Grizl CF SL) and on my cargo bike (ten07 Unicorn) and it's very comfortable to ride the drops for long periods of time. 🙂
Works for me! Thanks.
gg
Awesome review! Thanks! 😎
It seems that little bump in the drops may give that section a little more horizontal feel for your hands. So your wrists aren’t having to bend too much because the drops kinda point down more than other bars.
Good thought! Quite possible.
gg
Good review.
I just swapped my flat bars out for these! I am loving them so far. Looking forward to trying them out this weekend.
Also, I gotta know, what is your mic set up? Audio is perfect.
Cheap foam cover on a DJI Osmo 4 and a tiny bit of post production work here and there.
gg
Love the bar….also, love the gloves, where did you purchase..brand?
Many thanks,
Bob
Yeah...I still love riding this handlebar. The gloves are from Pearl Izumi in the expedition line. I liked them so much I bought three more pair (they were on sale) and tucked them away for the future. Here is a link to the review video although I am not sure if they still make, them...I think they were just changing colors.
gg
Thanks a lot from Rome , Italy. I will upgrade my Gravel installing a Venture Max. I have a question: Maybe The drop is reduced if i put palms on the bump . This is an advantage for me. How much is the drop reduced? In other words, which is the distance from the bump to top of handlebar?
Have a good ride day!!!
Ciao, stammi bene
Buongiorno! I visited Rome. Crazy busy city, but at night, walking the piazzas...magic.
The bump really does not change the drop distance. It is very subtle, maybe the thickness equivalent to a layer of bar tape over a span of a couple inches.
Ciao!
gg
@@oldguyandabike My house is 35 km far from center of Rome , but we have really good gravel paths in the woods here .During This very HOT summer i rided in the woods , in shadow, wonderful. ✌️
@@oldguyandabike After your accurate review, i bought it. I was already very convinced but your review made me take out my credit card. Have nice rides on your gravelbike ! thank you. Roby
@@Roberto-s3h You are most welcome. I am still very happy with that bar.
gg
Hello! Is there a shoulder-to-handlebar width correspondence for this Ritchey bar, as they often spec in road bars? My Diverge Elite came with a road bar...
I know that is a traditional way to size a bar, but I have heard that called out as old thinking. Like the way that crank length is being questioned, in that it is not as 'simple as that'. I do run a wider bar on my gravel bikes compared to my road bikes (and I am getting ready to go more narrow on the road) so I think it is a use case and personal preference.
I mean, on the Project Curly bikepacking build I used a 50cm wide bar.
gg
@@oldguyandabike, thank you! I dig your thinking!
I had these and then went for a bike fit. He changed my bars and kept my Ritcheys. I've never been happy with the change and want my Ritcheys back, however, for some reason the bike fitter doesn't seem to remember keeping them! 😡
🫣