What is the ultimate comfort bar?
SimWorks has proposed various shapes of wide drop bars in response to that question. However, as cries for "more, more, more" width have echoed from all over the world, we certainly couldn't just turn a deaf ear.
The newly released So Bar, a comfort-style drop bar crafted with a focus on comfort and safety, is just the thing for riders who want to maintain a relaxed riding position at all times, especially during long-distance rides.
【SIMWORKS BY NITTO】
So Bar
So Bar
Material : Heat Treated Aluminium
Width : 500mm (C–C at ends) / 490mm (C-C at Brackets)
Center diam. : 26.0mm
Bar diam. : 23.8mm
Reach : 95mm
Drop : 140mm
Flare Angle : 4°
Weight : 380g
Color : Silver & Black
Price : ¥9,800-(excl. tax)
By providing the top flat section with a gentle back-sweep and down-sweep, you can grip various points on the tops during long rides. Furthermore, by assembling it with the stem such that the top of the drops is parallel to the ground, it is designed to allow you to rest your hands on the brake levers—where you'll be holding most of the time—in an extremely relaxed state.
Incidentally, while many standard touring bars use a 25.4mm clamp diameter, the So Bar adopts 26.0mm. This results in a surprising increase in strength compared to 25.4mm. Naturally, we recommend pairing this with a stem like the Wendy or Gettin’ Hungry. Since it uses heat-treated aluminum, it has the capability to handle even big challenge rides like transcontinental journeys.
Handlebar width is generally chosen based on shoulder width, and following that logic, it is true that this bar is too wide for many Japanese people. (In fact, we created this handlebar because there were so many requests from the U.S.)
However, as seen in the gravel bikes of late, there are definitely more instances now compared to the past where wide handlebars are used for the leverage they provide when riding on dirt. Of course, we highly recommend this bar for those with broad shoulders or those who haven't been able to find a good wide handlebar before, but I also believe this width is effective for gravel rides and touring.
Another benefit of a wide handlebar that shouldn't be overlooked is that you can mount front bags, racks, and baskets with peace of mind.
It works perfectly with the Obento Rack + GoodLuck Bag combination we introduced the other day.
Personally, this is the handlebar I would recommend for forest road touring and gravel rides.
That said, please come by the store and grip it for yourself to see just what this 500mm width is like.