Velo Orange has a drop bar that I find very good. It’s called the Nouveau Randonneur Handlbar, and it’s pretty close to perfect. Sometimes, finding the right drop handlebars for a build can be a bit of trial and error. I mean, most of us can use the bar’s reach and the bike’s geo to figure stem length and find the right bar. But sometimes, that doesn’t work, or something just feels off. That’s how it was when I built up my Wilde Rambler SL.
When I built the Rambler up, I used my 51cm Tumbleweed Big Dipper bar that I had on hand. After all, it worked great on my last gravel bike. And, I am an advocate for wide handlebars. But, for some reason, after the first 100 miles or so, the Big Dipper was just feeling too wide on the Rambler.
So I went on the hunt.
My criteria for the new bar were simple: it just needed to have a slight backsweep of at least 6 degrees. I know that’s very specific, and it seems like a weird place to dig my heels in. But I’ve grown very fond of a backsweep while in the flats of my drop bar; it’s very comfy.
Then it dawned on me. I fell in love with the 6-degree backsweep on my drop bar back in 2017. That was the time that I upgraded the bar on my Masi Randonneuring bike to the Velo Orange Nouveau Randonneur Bar. And I put well over 2000 miles on that bar. I loved that bar.
So, it was decided, and I ordered a Velo Orange Nouveau Randonneur Bar to install on my Rambler SL.
The Nouveau Randonneur Bar
The characteristics of the Nouveau Rando Bar that I really fell for were the short reach, the ovalized top, and, of course, the mellow backsweep. As a rider who spends over 90% of my time on the flats, that Nouveau Rando Bar is exceptionally comfortable.
This bar also has a fair amount of flare at 12 degrees, which also seems to be the right amount for me as well. The 85mm reach of the Nouveau Rando Bar is perhaps why it feels better on the Rambler than the Big Dipper.
The wider palm space on the ovalized drops is subtle, but enough to feel when resting on the flats. It feels like some trail and road chatter gets distributed better because of the wider flat section. So, the bar tends to reduce hand, wrist, and elbow fatigue. The slight back-sweep also feels a lot more natural to my hands’ natural resting position.
It makes sense that the bar’s geo works great on my gravel bike, as it’s called a Randonneur bar. And, Rando bikes, after all, were the OG All-road bikes, typically used on mixed surfaces.
Nouveau Randonneur Bar Retail & Specs
Retail: $70
Colors: Silver and Noir (tested)
- Widths (measured center-to-center at the hoods): 42, 44, 46cm (tested)
- Backsweep: 5 degrees
- Ramp length: 105mm
- Traditional reach: 85mm
- Drop: 128mm
- Stem clamp diameter: 31.8mm
- Brake lever clamp diameter: 23.8mm
- Weight (44cm): 301g
Riding with the Nouveau Randonneur Bar
I picked the widest size you can get in the Nouveau Randonneur Bar, which was 46cm. That width feels so much more comfortable and easier to ride on the Rambler than the Big Dipper at 51cm wide did.
At 302g, it’s not the lightest bar on the planet, but it is a bit lighter than the Big Dipper (369g). The width and the fact that the Big Dipper is made for serious off-road use contribute to its heavier weight.
The bar’s drop (128mm) is a little’ bit too deep for my liking, but I’m rarely in the drops, so it works out fine for my use case. The bar’s wider/ovalized flats combined with the 6 degrees of back-sweep are where the bar is a game-changer for me.
Between the Masi and the Rambler, I’ve got a ton of miles on the Nouveau Randonneur bar. I don’t get wrist pain or any numbing of the fingers or hands. I can ride the bar for hours on end and have zero comfort issues. The 46cm width seems to be the perfect match with the geo of the Rambler SL.
Conclusion
It’s not a $700 fancy carbon or titanium bar. It’s a solid addition to my bicycle with tangible, real-world comfort highlights. And at $70, it’s got a remarkable benefit-to-cost value. If you like a slightly ovalized flat section and a mild backsweep to your drop bar, the Velo Orange Nouveau Randonneur Bar is for you.
Velo Orange has many, many cool bike bits, all at very reasonable prices. Check them out at the link below.
