Sacra Ace is a Japanese bicycle component brand that has some bold claims for their new Ace drop handlebar. How about a potential 12.4 watt savings over the competition, plus a grippy design that doesn’t need any bar tape? The drop shape should also suit short-and-shallow lovers, with a mega-short 100mm drop and 70mm reach.
Sacra Cycling ACE aero road drop handlebar
The world of handlebars seems to be getting funkier by the day, and Japan-based Sacra Cycling has a new entry for those seeking speed. The Ace bar is all about aero with a dramatically deep top wing section. Surprisingly, they state that the bar manages to be UCI compliant – and only weighs 200 grams in size 40.
Initial sketches can be seen above (including fish), for what would eventually become a very slick-looking finished product.
The drops have a unique shape, and are said to be coated with a non-slip surface. Sacra claims a 30 to 50 gram savings by foregoing handlebar tape. The drops are also VERY shallow, with only 100mm of drop (most “short and shallow” bars measure ~120-125mm of drop). The cam tail shape is said to enhance aerodynamics.
As for that aero performance, Sacra presents the chart above. They also provided the following detail about their testing:
“Wind speed was 48 [km / h], and the angle of the bike was set to ± 12 ° every 2 ° to measure the air resistance of the bike. On average, the resistance was reduced by 12.4 [watt], and good results were obtained even with the bar tape attached. The effect of the aero wheel is about 15 [watt], so you can get an effect similar to an aero wheel. This makes it possible to experience the aero effect not only at high speeds but also at low speeds. If you hold your hand behind the steering wheel while driving, you can clearly see that the air turbulence is about 1/4. A top-of-the-line component with improved watt cost effectiveness.”
The Ace bar is available now for 36000 yen, excluding tax. A second version with added vibration absorption adds 20 grams and bumps the price to 42,000 yen.
