I’ve been moaning and groaning about the thought of buying a new bike for some time now, as I slowly see my Colnago C59 get more and more antiquated. I mean, who rides a bike with mechanical shifting and, god forbid, rim brakes?
Well, I don’t have a house to mortgage, so I’m going to try my hand at making the bike at least look modern.
This is the Deda Alanera monocoque stem/bar unit, which costs nearly as much a bike would 20 years ago, but since I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, I’m going for it. I’ve always appreciated the aesthetic and feel of flat-top handlebars, for one, and one piece rather than two appeals to me, too. I suppose there’s aero value there, but I don’t ride fast enough these days for that to matter. And, of course, Deda is Italian, so I can graft this onto the Colnago with little worry of rejection.
Does anyone out there ride something like this? Any reviews?
The Vicious Cycle 
As long as you’ve ridden that kind of bar and “like the feel,” go for it. (In general I’d think the cockpit is the last place you’d want to make “keep up with the Joneses” type changes, for the obvious reason that comfort is key. If you’re going to up the style of your wardrobe, don’t start with your pajamas.)
I have tried similar bars, so the comfort should be good, hopefully. I’m not convinced that the cockpit is a negligible part of the system, either. Along with the saddle, it’s your main point of contact…and unlike the saddle, it’s actually visible to the public!
FWIW my strategy for expensive equipment like bikes, skis, and canoes is just to know what I want for a “last year’s – or the year before’s – model,” put out standing searches on eBay and web forums, and wait. Eventually the right item at the right price from the right seller comes along, but it might take months. For example, a guide with a cycle tour company might dump his “old” but pampered Colnago so he can have something that his clients won’t point at like it was a penny-farthing. Patience is key.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny-farthing
It’s a good strategy and sort of what I did with the Colnago, meaning of course that it was old already when I bought it!
I kind of agree with TonyS. Maybe it’s time for a whole new bike rather than adding new pieces. I just read this article comparing 4 different bikes over the decades and it’s pretty astonishing how modern tech has boosted speed, handling, climbing etc. and you may even get the handlebars you want. Hope you don’t mind me posting it. https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/how-much-faster-are-modern-bikes-sonny-colbrelli-and-bahrain-victorious-find-out/
Don’t mind at all, Luc! I’ll give that a read when I’m in the Cévennes next week.
And yes, it’ll be time for a new bike soon, I think. Do you know anyone who does bike mortgages? 😉
Hey Gerry, It was fun getting a custom paint job and all the new components I could think of, as long as it didn’t involve disc versus rim brakes. I did put a Deda bar on my bike but I went with the alloy version as the cost to weight ratio wasn’t worth it.
https://dedaelementi.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/a83272a00171d29a47d57f823ed0653d/a/s/aszpobn40v1-superzero-alloy-dcr-handlebar-deda-elementi-5.webp
A nice little project to have. Your Deda is bar only, right? A nice upgrade, though.
Yes that is correct. I decided against the integrated stem as my original Kuota Kom stem and other parts came with Anodized titanium which I didn’t want to mess up.
My Canyon came with a bar/stem combo very similar to that. I like it, but of course there’s no adjustment so you need to make sure it’s the correct size and reach for you.
Right, that’s a pretty big consideration. I’m hoping my calculations were correct.
If you like it and if it makes you feel good its a good move. 700 euro for a bar is quite different than 12,000 euro for a new bike.
And it’s a legit business expense! Now I just need to make some money…
Hmmm
The point of having a colnago or similar is: Its newer outdated.
Integrated Cockpits are pain in the a… to build
My Sarto is rim brake, classic cockpit and as timless as the colnago. I get compliments on every ride.
You ride for a living. then the colnago is perfect. as a shop owner you would need the newest, fanciest stuff…
That’s a good point. I’m sort of wondering what the C59 will look like after the installation. Maybe I need to do a Google search before actually buying the thing.
I’ve ridden an integrated cockpit on a Canyon I owned previously, and while it took a few tries to get the right combination, it was really comfortable and helped resolve some hand numbness issues that no amount of bike fitting could solve. I no longer have that bike, but the integrated cockpit made an impression.
Deda makes very nice things, and many bike fitters swear by the quality of the reach/drop of their bars to solve comfort issues on this critical contact point.
The Deda Superbox stem paired with one of their bars almost pulls off the integrated look for quite a bit less money, with more “standard parts” flexibility. I’m looking into it for a potential gravel bike build.
As someone that travels with their bike, it does add additional complexity when it comes time to pack the bike, since most boxes require removing the handlebars/stem in some combination.
Gerry, we discussed this while in the Cévennes earlier this month. Keep us posted on how it works out. I’m still looking for something like that for my road bike as well.
David, I’m going to pick up the bike today and am a little nervous about it. So many things can go ‘wrong’, especially with fit. Whatever happens, I’ll be reporting back on the blog!
Thanks for the thoughtful comments. It’s good to have some feedback from someone who knows the product.