27 July 2010

Carnegie's - short and sweet review


Long time buddy, 29er pioneer and all around good guy Jay over at mynextbike wanted to give a Carnegie's a shot, so here's the skinny.

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Install

I’ve been trying to figure out my cockpit situation for my Siren John Henry 29er.

I was running a 90 stem but feeling just a wee bit cramped in the cockpit area. Fortunately the Ragley Carnegie Bars I ordered on a whim some time ago from Black Cat Bikes came in. I was originally going to put them on my girlfriends bike as a surprise, but when I saw how sweet I figured I’d use them for myself (Sorry Jo!). The Carnegies actually stretch you out by about 10MM or so which worked fine for me, with some seat adjustment to find my sweet spot. Being a flat bar also makes it ideal for a 29er which normally has a high head tube. Some people angle their position downward but mine are a bout level if not just a few degrees below level.

Performance

Wonderful bars! I tried Mary’s a while back and I found that although the hand position was nice, the bars were too narrow for my shoulder width, cramping my style. Not so with the Carnegies: just the right hand positioning. It’s a very natural position which is great for really long rides. Your technique also changes with the use of these bars. Instead of wrestling your way using your arms for extra torque and leverage, the bend tucks you in just right so you end up using your core instead. I think the Dirt Rag review said something along those lines and I have to agree with them. Its also less tiring using your core then just your arms which lends to longer rides with less exhaustion.

If you’re looking for Alt bars for any reason- comfort, efficiency or just because they’re plain cool I suggest you give these bars a shot.

You can check out more at his blog

I gotta say, I'm a big fan of the polished frame playing off the polished headset. Classy!

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