Home > Reviews > Bicycle Reviews

Speeco ABB carbon bar/stem breaks the drop bar mold in search of aero gains

Speeco ABB side with shifterSpeeco ABB profile reveals how dramatically flat the arm rests are.
18 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

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.

Speeco ABB Studio with computer
The Speeco ABB comes with custom molded everything to keep you comfy while you’re aero.

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).

Speeco ABB side with shifter
The Speeco ABB profile reveals how dramatically flat the armrests are with a small slot for the rider’s forearms to rest.

Developed with former Roompot-Charles pro rider Jan-Willem van Schip, the ABB set off to offer a safer, more comfortable aero riding experience.

 Jan-Willem van Schip looking fast
Developed with Jan-Willem van Schip, the ABB is much safer than riding with your forearms on the bars.

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.

Speeco ABB Front studio
From head-on, the Speeco ABB looks as fast as it sounds!

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.

Speeco ABB front
The Speeco ABB is crafted to be as aero as possible, and that means as narrow as possible.

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.

Speeco ABB Front studio
The Speeco ABB is sleek and slippery in the wind, but fully customizable to fit your dimensions.

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

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

18 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Bob
Bob
3 years ago

uhhh.. what?

Greg
Greg
3 years ago

That dude needs a smaller frame.

Seraph
Seraph
3 years ago

With that flare, these will be perfect for my aero gravel bike.

Chris
Chris
3 years ago

Oh my gosh, I’m still laughing at the picture of him on the bike. He must be huge because it looks like he stole a kids bike and is trying to get away.

Alf
Alf
3 years ago

From WTF to …pretty cool idea… in 60 seconds.

CarlB
CarlB
3 years ago

Quite expansive but it seems like a great design if aero gains are your thing. At least, this optimize the rider position which generate the majority of the drag.

ttxxdd
ttxxdd
3 years ago

the rider looks too small for that bike

Twiks
Twiks
3 years ago

The guy is 1.94m, so quiet tall. Used to ride with a very compact flaring bar last years. Always very extreme with aero gains. Also world champion points race on the track in 2019. So, not really a ‘pannenkoek’

barael
barael
3 years ago

Shortened stem + narrowed width = super twitchy handling, or am I missing something?

Twiks
Twiks
3 years ago
Reply to  barael

depends where you put your hands. If they are on the shifter, the position w.r.t. the fork isn’t really changed, the reach is now in the bar instead of in the stem. Narrow yes, but still doable.

barael
barael
3 years ago
Reply to  Twiks

Yeah as long as you’re making the steering adjustment away from the stem, it shouldn’t be too twitchy. The elongated arm rests should facilitate this, I guess.

GreenPlease
GreenPlease
3 years ago
Reply to  barael

As others have said, the bike doesn’t “know” how long the stem is or the reach on a particular bar. So long as the hands remain in a fixed position, the handling is identical regardless of what combination of stem length and bar reach you choose.

schmamps
3 years ago

Somehow I knew this would light up the comments section brighter than a Campagnolo seatpost.

I can’t really appreciate the difference between this and a longer stem, but presumably it’s about how much you want to sit up on the tops. Breakaway riders are a different breed.

tallkback135@gmail.com
tallkback135@gmail.com
3 years ago
Reply to  schmamps

or possibly just a new way to make few extra quid…. from an old idea …..the drop handle bar.

Mark
Mark
3 years ago

This handlebar looks very interesting. I am much shorter than this guy but I do feel better connected to the bike using small frames and handlebars (I am 5’8 and use a 50cm Top Tube with a 80mm stem and 40mm wide handlebar) This is where I find the best balance between comfort and aero so this handlebar looks like a brilliant idea.

mark conway
mark conway
3 years ago
Reply to  Mark

do you have a short torso?

pm732
3 years ago

makes more sense than canyons gravel bar so there’s that.

mark conway
mark conway
3 years ago

Agree. Looks too big for him 🙂

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.