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On test: Zipp B2 carbon handlebars and 145 carbon stem, May 17, 2005
Confidence with a capital Z
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Zipp B2 carbon handlebars and 145 carbon stem inspire confidence for Steve Beletich.
Best known as a manufacturer of slippery, featherlight wheels for the serious triathlete and road racer, Zipp also produces a range of carbon fibre goodies with an emphasis on, you guessed it, aerodynamics and weight.
The Zipp B2 carbon fibre handlebars on test today are available in 26.0mm and 31.8mm variants, in widths of 42, 44 and 46cm (outside to outside). Reach is 110mm and drop is 170mm, and they feature a double groove to suit Shimano or Campagnolo cabling.
The matching Zipp 145 carbon stem is also available as a 26.0mm or 31.8mm unit, in lengths of 100, 110, 120 and 130mm. It is constructed of high modulus carbon fibre, with an extraordinarily light 7075 aluminium face plate, gorgeous 6/4 titanium bolts and carbon top cap. It is reversible (82 or 98 degrees) and can be used with a 1.125in or 1in steerer thanks to the spacer bushing provided.
Zipp claims weights of 230g for the bars (44cm) and 155g for the stem (120mm). Our samples actually weighed 235g and 160 - they're pretty darn light but not ridiculously so, and our samples are a 46cm bar and 130mm stem, to suit my largish frame, so a few extra grams is expected and acceptable. Both are of the oversized 31.8mm variety because, well, why wouldn't you?
Impressions
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My very first impression was of the packaging in which these components arrived. The bars came in their very own colourful canvas 'sock', and the stem came lovingly embedded in an expensive looking, foam-padded metal box, complete with impressive colour graphics on the outside. Fortunately, the contents looked equally striking: closely woven carbon fibre overlaid with an absolutely flawless clear finish.
The bars don't have an overtly radical shape, with the exception of the flattened top sections. The stem however, particularly in the 130mm length, is a stocky looking space-aged beast - not quite my cup of tea and possibly better suited to a boy racer's carbon-framed wonderbike.
Installing the bars and stem was about as straightforward as you can get, for carbon fibre components anyway. The B2 bars have roughened sections in all the clamping areas, which helps to reduce the necessary bolt torque. Speaking of bolts, all the Zipp fasteners are titanium works of art, in my opinion. I'm looking forward, finally, to some hardware which won't fall victim to corrosion from sweat and rain.
In the bad luck department, the glued 'Zipp speed weaponry' logo was peeling off the stem face plate, and I was unable to fit the sexy carbon top cap to my stem. Reynolds Ouzo Pro forks require use of the special Reynolds compression plug and associated alloy top cap. Drat.
Taping the bars was a chance for me to further refine my handlebar-taping skills, which after numerous efforts have progressed considerably. Why is it that installing new handlebar tape is so rewarding? Tedious, but it can be one of the cheapest ways to give your bike a birthday present, and inspire you to get up early tomorrow morning to show off your handiwork.
Riding
Once the bars and stem were installed and each bolt re-checked about a dozen times, it was time to ride. It took a bit of getting used to the feel of the aero sections on top of these bars, and I adjusted the handlebar angle a little to get the tilt just right for me - a slight upwards incline felt best. Once right, the feeling was magnificent and I could appreciate the additional surface area under my paws. The dual cable grooves, at the front and rear undersides of the bars, allowed my Campy cables to all but disappear. Unfortunately these grooves don't extend all the way forward to the brake levers and my cables bulged outwards just behind the hoods. I suppose there's only so much fancywork you can do with carbon fibre moulding.
I would categorise the curvature of the drops as a hybrid of an anatomic and classic bend. Having big hands, I prefer an anatomic bend with a generous straight section, but I was not uncomfortable down in these drops. They also have an 'ovoid cross section' and 'disproportionate inner and outer radii' (Zipp's words) but these were not noticeable to my naked eye. Suffice to say that I found the drops acceptably comfortable, given my aforementioned preference.
At the brake lever clamping area, the B2 bars have a decreasing radius curve. The idea of this is to allow up to 20mm of adjustability in the reach distance from the drops to the brake levers themselves. Where you clamp the brake hoods will determine the reach distance, which is actually a very clever way of catering for variation in hand sizes and their ability to reach the brake levers from the drops.
Without hesitation I can say that this bar/stem combination provided a silky smooth ride, that could even be described as plush. Road buzz and even large jolts were all but eliminated, even on the horrendous concrete pavé sections of Pittwater Road on Sydney's northern beaches. This bump-soaking attribute is no doubt due to the visco-elastic layer inserted into the carbon fibre. Surprisingly, I also found the setup to be incredibly stiff when yanking and pushing on the bars during intense out-of-saddle hill sprints. There was no apparent yield when wrenching on the drops or on the hoods, which gave a real feeling of effective power transfer. A slight creaking sound did emanate from somewhere in the bars or stem, although admittedly this could just be a symptom of my installation technique.
The verdict
Whilst I found the ergonomics of the B2 bars to be sound in all areas, the standout feature for me was the flattened, aero top sections. These were astonishingly comfortable to hold and rest a little weight on when climbing or tucking into aero mode for a long pull on the front of the bunch. The bars, no doubt aided by the chunky 145 carbon stem, provided a very smooth ride, yet were exceptionally stiff under load. They did creak a little, and I felt that the cable channels could have extended a little further round the corner to the hoods. But all in all these minor details can be overlooked in light of the very solid, very smooth ride provided. This combination of sensations inspired a feeling of complete confidence in the Zipp B2 bars and 145 stem.
Suggested retail price: B2 handlebar - $249; 145 stem - $199
Measured weights: 235g (46cm bar); 160g (130mm stem)
Materials: Carbon fibre, 7075 aluminium face plate, 6Al/4V titanium bolts
Pros: Vibration damping, stiffness
Cons: Chunky looking stem
More information: www.zipp.com
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