The Ritchey WCS Carbon ErgoMax handlebar has a great shape that suits both endurance road riding and forays onto the rougher stuff. It's light and comfortable, although it doesn't damp the road buzz as much as some. Check out others in our guide to the best handlebars, what you need to know and how to choose.
It's a full-house for features, this one: pretty much every handlebar development is present and correct. Swept-back and aero-profiled tops? Check! Flared drops? Check! Riser position? Check! Internal routing? Check!
It's a fairly similar design to the Ritchey Comp ErgoMax handlebar we reviewed in 2019; the rise is a bit more pronounced at 15mm and the carbon construction allows all sorts of routing holes for various configurations of cables, wires and hoses.
The shape, so the marketing goes, has a lot to do with Tom Ritchey not being especially organised when it comes to getting out on the bike. You might like to have your route all loaded up and ready, but not Tom... 'He seldom has a plan for that day's ride,' says Ritchey's website. 'He might head right to the trails close to his house for an afternoon of ripping singletrack, or he might be gone for several hours on a brisk road ride. There's also a good chance he'll spend a lot of time on the gravel roads that link his favourite trails to long stretches of tarmac.' So the shape is a catch-all solution that's designed to cover all bases.
The standard 31.8mm clamp section extends a little way either side of the stem. There's enough room for a light one side and an out-front mount the other. You wouldn't have enough room after that to fit, for example, some aero bars; that's moot here anyway, because Ritchey doesn't recommend that you do.
There's a good variety of holes and channels to allow for internal routing of wires and cables no matter what your setup, including a port to route through the stem for going fully internal.
At 238g this is a pretty light bar for its size. That size, nominally, is 42cm (40cm, 44cm and 46cm widths are also available) but because the drops flare out top to bottom by 12 degrees, and then flare front to back 3 degrees from parallel as well, the WCS Carbon ErgoMax offers quite a wide drop position, around 50cm, without affecting your stance on the hoods. The outward flare makes it a lot easier to switch from hoods to drops on rougher surfaces, and the wide low position is a longer lever for easier control when it's lumpy under the tyres.
All of the positions on the bar are comfortable. The slightly swept-back and raised top position is good for cruising and climbing, the hoods are a great default riding position, and the drops offer a bit more tuck, and a bit more leverage. I found myself heading to the drops more often than I normally would; thanks to the flare-out, the 15mm rise, and the fact that the drop at 118mm isn't all that large anyway, it's a very accessible position. Assuming you have 15mm of spacers under your stem you could always rearrange things if you like the look of the shape but don't actually want to go higher. It is a nice shape.
I'd say that this was a reasonably stiff bar, given the type of riding that it's designed for. The upshot of that is a direct feel, and the downside that it's not as compliant as some. The bar I swapped it out for, an alloy Ritchey VentureMax, probably has the edge in terms of comfort at the drops over the two, but there's not a lot in it.
> How to make your bike more comfortable – check out our 14 tips
I used the bar on my Kinesis Tripster ATR shod with some fairly thick (3mm) but fairly standard tape, and I'd say that the feel was spot on for the road but I'd have liked it to be a touch more forgiving on the rougher surfaces off-road. Given that it's designed for a bit of everything it's a decent compromise.
Value
At over £200 it's quite pricey, though less than something like the Coefficient Wave Bar or the Deda Elementi Gera DCR.
Lauf's Smoothie Bar is around the same price ($290), and better in terms of comfort, but you don't get the raised profile.
Plenty of alloy riser drops we've recently reviewed are loads cheaper, of course: Ritchey's own alloy version of this bar is now £49.90, and Genetic's similarly shaped Driser is £49.99.
Conclusion
Overall, if you want the light weight, and the neatness of the routing, then the Ritchey WCS Carbon ErgoMax is a good choice if you're looking for a riser drop. It's comfortable in all positions, well made and decent value.
Verdict
Good quality riser drop bar that's light and has a range of usable hand positions
Make and model: Ritchey WCS Carbon Ergomax Handlebar
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
From Ritchey:
"When Tom Ritchey steps outside his door and clips into his bike, he seldom has a plan for that day's ride. He might head right to the trails close to his house for an afternoon of ripping singletrack, or he might be gone for several hours on a brisk road ride. There's also a good chance he'll spend a lot of time on the gravel roads that link his favorite trails to long stretches of tarmac.
In order to take full advantage of this diverse mix of riding surfaces, it's important to have the tools that are up for the job. That's the idea behind the Ritchey WCS Carbon ErgoMax handlebar.
As with the popular original ErgoMax, the new WCS Carbon version of this adaptable handblebar is designed to enhance control and comfort when riding along any riding surface thrown at it. The new WCS Carbon ErgoMax is an ideal bar for riding along loose and dirty surfaces since it places the hands in a wider, more stable position while in the drops. Yet, it's just as perfectly situated on road bikes for endurance rides along smooth, clean tarmac - its ergonomics deliver unparalleled comfort.
The 15mm rise at the clamping area offers a slightly more upright riding position, while a 5° backsweep and ergo aero tops reduce arm and hand fatigue. The 12° drop flare keeps the rider's hands in a comfortable and confident position while also adding a bit more unobstructed stability when turning or for those out-of-the-saddle efforts. And, of course, the carbon fiber construction of the new ErgoMax helps mute road (and gravel) vibration, offers internal cable routing, and keeps the weight low."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Ritchey lists:
Material carbon fiber
Bend shape compact
Top section ergonomic
Width 40, 42, 44, 46cm
Drop 118mm
Reach 72mm
Drop flare12°
Flare out 3°
Backsweep 5°
Rise 15mm
Clamp diameter 31.8mm
Accessory mount diameter 31.8mm
Cable routing full or partial internal (wider cable housing may interfere with routing) - compatible with Shimano EW-RS910 junction box
Clip-on compatibility No
Weight 235g (42cm)
Color matte UD carbon
Not compatible with Ritchey C260 stem
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
7/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
8/10
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
6/10
Rate the product for value:
5/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It's a good lightweight riser drop with an agreeable shape.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The shape gives you three really usable positions, and the routing options are good.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
It's not the most forgiving of bars; I'd have liked it to be a bit more balanced between road and off road.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Over £200 for a lightweight carbon bar is about par; you can get much cheaper alloy units with a similar shape and you can easily spend twice this on something really top end.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes, mostly.
Would you consider buying the product? If it was my own money I'd probably go for an ErgoMax or VentureMax in alloy.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, for their good bike.
Use this box to explain your overall score
Good overall. A nice shape that gives you three good positions. Not the most forgiving if you venture off-road.
Age: 50 Height: 189cm Weight: 98kg
I usually ride: whatever I'm testing... My best bike is: Kinesis Tripster ATR, Merida Scultura, Dward Design fixed
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, commuting, touring, club rides, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track
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