Handlebar – Nitto Noodle (B177) – 25.4

The drop bar that riders who already like drops will go nuts over, and the one that’ll win over riders who think drop bars are uncomfortable, or something.

In all likelihood the Noodle Bar will be the most comfortable drop bar you’ll ever set grubby paws on. The top flat portion sweeps back toward you slightly, bringing the bar closer, and the drops (lower portion) flare out four degrees. But the main thing is the ramp the portion of the bar immediately behind where the brake lever fits. The ramp matters because you put your hands there a lot, and if it’s too steep, the support isn’t there and your hands slide forward and down. On most bars the ramp is about 24-to-32-degrees, but on the Noodle Bar, it’s a much flatter 15 degrees. When you tilt the bar back properly, so that the ends point downward about 10-degrees, that already flattish 15-degree ramp becomes 5-degrees, so even if your hands are slathered in butter, they won’t slide down off of that.

This has become our most popular drop bar, and some folks grumble that now they have to get one on all of their bikes. If you’re debating between two sizes, consider that a wider bar offers more leverage, so you can more easily hold the bike as your legs (which are much stronger than your arms) push on the pedals and tilt the bike. We don’t go along with the idea of getting handlebars as wide as your shoulders. Most people do better with wider bars.

THE PHOTO SHOWS A GOOD WAY TO SET UP THE NOODLE (or any other) HANDLEBAR. Rotate them up to flatten the ramp, set the end of the brake lever a bit higher than the bottom of the bar, and you’re all set. All of our drop bars are measured the same way: Center of the curve to center of the curve. The normal way is center of the end to center of the end.

We measure center of the curve to center of the curve because our drops have a slight flare below the curve, and measuring the ends would give a false impression of the width you’d actually feel. It’s not complicated: If you’re a small person or want to do the narrow aero thing, order a 40 or 42; medium person, get a 42 or 44; medium-large, get the 46; large person, the 48; bikepacking or trendy gravel person, get the 52 or 54. 

Specs: 25.4mm stem clamp diameter, 95mm reach, 140mm drop. Stem not included.

The prices for the 46cm, 48cm, 52cm, and 54cm are higher than the 40cm, 42cm, and 44cm since it costs extra to make the wider ones stronger (heat treated). Requires brake levers with a 23.8mm brake clamp diameter. Nitto calls this bar Model B177.