If you’re looking for those aero gains and love narrow bars – Speecos ABB should be on the top of your list this holiday season.
It’s common knowledge that narrow bars on the road offer an aerodynamic advantage. Adam Hansens 36cm bars raised some eyebrows but some riders are going narrower in the world tour. Some riders have even gone as far as moving their shifters inward to reduce frontal drag. If you can produce power in that position, the benefits of cutting the wind far outweigh the wrist cramps. Dutch aero specialists Speeco take this thought and blows the doors off with its new ABB (Aero Breakaway Bar).
Developed with former Roompot-Charles pro rider Jan-Willem van Schip, the ABB set off to offer a safer, more comfortable aero riding experience.
The ABB is a one-piece integrated carbon bar/stem setup that reimagines the road cockpit dimensions. The ABB takes the length from the stem and transfers it to the bar portion of the cockpit. Instead of the 130-140mm stems that commonly adorn ProTour bikes, the ABB uses a squat 70mm-long (-17°) stem while adding the length in the custom-molded bar. The rider can lay their forearms on the tops – gaining an aero advantage while safely piloting their bike.
The rider’s position is not longer with the ABB but allows them a more stable platform for pushing the pedals. Arguably better than resting one’s arms on the bars’ tops, which can be uncomfortable and dangerous for the pack mates.
UCI legal?
Yeah, well, so far, Speedo claims the ABB falls within the rules of the UCI guidelines. Will it stay that way? We’ll have to wait and see.
Speecos ABB offers all the trappings of a top-end bars stem combo; a computer mounts directly in line with the stem (aero!), internal cable routing for that cable-less look, and an exceptionally tidy top cap slot. The ABB is fully custom down to the different shapes of the drops. The bar itself is built to order but requires a €500 ($606) deposit upfront.
The newest aero gear does come with a price to match – and since each ABB is built to order, Speeco quotes a price of €1,500 ($1,821), and don’t forget that a €500 deposit required upfront.
www.speeco.tech
