We previously reported on WhatBars — a funky tool that overlays different styles of alt-handlebars on top of each other for easy comparison — which was created, in part, with the support of Velo Orange.
Velo Orange and WhatBars have teamed again up to offer a set of handlebars to a number of lucky Instagram followers each week.
To win, you just need to follow both @velo_orange and @whatbars on Instagram, like the weekly competition photo and tag one your best weird-bar-lovin’-pals in the comments.
This week there will be four winners who can then choose from any of these bars from the Velo Orange range;
- Velo Orange Curvy One Handlebars
- Velo Orange Curvy Too Handlebars
- Velo Orange Klunker Handlebars
- Velo Orange Nouveau Randonneur Handlebars
- Daija Cycleworks Far Bars
The full T&Cs of the competition can be found on the Velo Orange site but note that it is only open to residents of the USA.
On another note, we’ve spoken to Chip, the man behind WhatBars and by the sounds of things, there are lots of interesting things on the horizon, including front elevation comparison of bars as we requested in our original story, which runs below. This is one we’ll be watching very closely!
This story was last updated on the 28th of November 2018
Selecting a new handlebar can be a bit of a minefield. How on earth do you narrow down the right sweep, rise, flare and width when trying to find your perfect bar? Wouldn’t it be great if you could just sit all the options next to each other and get a feel for how they compare?
WhatBars is an online tool that will show you a top-down view of your chosen bar, and let you display multiple overlays so you can compare the shape of each of your candidates.
The app was originally created to allow easier comparison between the crazy curves of alternative bar forms, be it a loop, bullhorns, or something even wilder.
That selection has expanded to include flat, riser and drop bars, providing an easy way to compare the precise shapes and consider how each might stack up to your requirements.
Having access to the visual comparison can tell you much more than just looking at numbers, though you can also double check the exact measurement for width, rise, sweep, drop, reach, weight and find a link to the manufacturer’s website for each bar featured in a handy crib sheet.
This is a fantastic concept and one we would like to see developed further. For example, we would love to see a front elevation view too to help dial in different flares and rises.
Though the options are currently limited, we can only hope that more bars are added as time goes on and that bigger manufacturers get on board with this.
Visit WhatBars to help you in your quest for the perfect new bars.