Description Cinelli innovations in the field of integrated handlebars continue: after Integralter, here is Ram. Fully produced in carbon fibre, monocoque body, with an exclusive moulding technology,...
Bike Setup: 06 TCR Advanced TMO with Campy Record, DA 10 cranks, Wipperman chain. Bontrager Aeolus 5.0s, Toupe saddle blah blah
Summary: I have always lusted for a Ram and spoiled myself this season getting one. Looks uber cool, rides real nice - absorbes road vibrations and is super comfy on the tops. Installation was a tad annoying but well worth it in terms of aesthetics. My problem with the bar is that ALL OF THE STICKERS PEELED OFF AND THE CLEARCOAT DISSOLVED AFTER 2 MONTHS. No good. I was my rig routinely and keep it looking tip top so I am gutted at how poor the quality of the finish is on these bars. Have talked to Cinelli direct and they want me to send the bar back to Italy for inspection... I can't decide if I'd rather keep it, wet sand the crap out of it and get it custom painted and cleared properly. verdict is still out... NOT WORTH 5 bills, glad I work in a shop and got it on clearout...
Bike Setup: merckx frame
centaur groep
zonda wheelset
Summary: This bar is one piece of art, it looks like a piece of art and it feels like a piece of art, but if it is practical is something else .
Installing, offcourse you won't do this every day, but still it does take some time.
For a campy rider, the cable routing is actualy a problem, you can't put the shifters like you want to because the hole for cable routing is placed to low , you need to make this hole a bit bigger, en while pulling the cable hard push the shifter upwards, then it stands a bit normal .
About the cable routing itself, the outgoing hole should also be bigger, it is to small for two cables, still, here is a trick, push in the inner cable first,then pull it out with a pincher, then pull the whole thing true it.
once it is installed, then you have it, it looks very good, the upper bar is extremely omfy for you , ideal for lond durance riding , no sleeping fingers, hands, whatever, very nice indeed . The bar is also very flexy verticaly, I don't see this as a bad thing because it filters out many and gives you extra comfort. lateral stiffnis could be better but it is good, stiffness in the drops could also be better, but it is certainly not bad like some say here.
I bought this bar second hands for 250$ , and I wouldn't pay more for it, it is a very nice piece of work, but it certainly isn't worth 500$ or more , also for that price the paint finish isn't uber.
The bar without checkpoint weighs in 400gr
Strengths: - good looking
- very comfy for your hands
- filters a lot of the road (again extra comfy)
- good (not great) lateral stiffnes
Weaknesses: - holes for cable routing need to be placed up higher
- won't make your bike any lighter
- very expensive, isn't worth 500$ , it is more a 300$ bar to me
- paint finish could be better
Similar Products Used: - ritchey pro, ritchey wcs carbon
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Favorite Ride: roads in and around Cambellville, Ontario
Bike Setup: 2005 58 cm Colnago Master (LX10 paint scheme) with traditional steel rear triangle, Colnago Street Carbon fork with chrom moly steel steerer tube, full 2005 Campy Record 10 speed groupo including 172.5mm alloy cranks and BB, Time RXS carbon pedals, Campy Record alloy head set, Record hubs with 12-23 cassett, 32 hole Ambrosio Nemisis rims with 14 gauge DT spokes and Vittoria Corsa EVO tubulars, 2001 Campy Record titanium seat post, Selle Italia Flite Gel saddle, Cinelli Ram bars with Point Check cyclometer mount and Cinelli Gel tape. Exquisite!
Summary: Since purchasing this product I find myself debating its strengths and weaknesses. I should begin by saying that when I set out to build my bike (described below) I really wanted a completely traditional road bike circa late 1980's, with steel frame, steel fork and Cinelli X1 alloy stem with either Crit. or Giro bars. Such is the case that technology marches slowly on and not even on ebay could I find those traditional Cinelli products. I should also add that my frame was shipped with a Colnago carbon fork as they did not have any Precsia (spelling?) steel forks.
Nonetheless when I laid my eyes on these beautifuly sculpted integrated bars I started thinking that it might look interesting, and beautiful to have a very traditional steel road bike with a splash of very modern technology included i.e., Cinelli Ram. One thing is for certain, they absorb road vibration unlike traditional alloy bars. My "test" roads have been on the pot-holed-riddled streets of Toronto and the beautiful, though not always smooth- as-glass country roads in Campbellville, Ontario, which is about 45 minutes north of Lake Ontario just west of Toronto. I have also found that they are incredibly stiff which I feel is saying something as I currently weigh about 185lbs (okay, I'm 45 I I just got back into riding after a very long abscence from the sport!), and I use to race, so I know how to get up and out of the saddle and sprint like mad holding on the the drops. The stiffness gives me confidence when pulling, and I don't feel at all as though I'm looking for any stiffer places on the drops. I am of the same opinion as Eddy Merx, in that handle bars are meant to be held, gently, not fought with. I would however qaulify that from my opinion they are not as stiff as what I have been led to believe, either through other reviews or opinions - but they are indeed very stiff and stiff "enough". As for routing the cables, I found it to be quite easy actually. I was instructed by the person that sold them to to first push the cable housing through the bars (which I did and subsequently used a pair of surgical tongs to pull the cable ends through the holes - no sweat, no cursing), and then to push the cables through and into place on the leavers. The entire process took about a hour. As for the finsish, well there is clear coat over the carbon fibre which, like aluminum, or any other polished surface will scratch, though probably more easily that some. So, be careful!
I covered the bars with Cinelli gel tape up to the bends at the top of the leavers, and I had even thought about covering them all the way to about an inch either side of the integrated stem, though I'll proably try that at some other time. Doing that would definately eliminate the problems or worries of scratching/wearing off the protective clear coat.
All in all I would have to say that I more or less totally happy with the bars (though I have to agree that the bar end plugs do not fit very well and have to be trimmed down), they certainly do inspire looks of awe as other reviewers have pointed out. My only real ambivelance towards them is that I still see a traditional alloy stem and handle bar as looking more suitable on my Colnago Master. Having said that though, if there was one thing that I would recommend to the engineers at Cinelli is that while the bar and stem flows beautifully and naturally with a very organic shape, the bolting mount is very geometric looking, and in my opinion clashes with the otherwise streamlined look of the bar. The bolts should be completely recessed, and the top of the stem around the head set binder bold should be rounded off smooth, like the older Cineli alloy stems, i.e., X1. That, IMHO would provide the finishing design aesthetic to an otherwise exquisite component.
Strengths: 1. Very stiff, and Stiff "enough"!
2. Probably one of the most exquisite looking bicycle components on the market.
3.Great innovation of the cyclometer mount, works very effectively.
4.Nicely finished - so far.
5. Nice cable routing system
6. Leavers sit very well in terms of position for hand placement.
Weaknesses: 1. Bar ends need to be rounder,and refined to accept bar end plugs better.
2. Area around head set binder bolt needs to be refined by recessing steerer tube tightening bolts and smoothing off angular edges of upper stem around head set binder bolt.
3. Due to integrated stem/handlebar combination, some riders may not like the fixed anatomical design.
4. Pricey, but hey its a top of the line Italian bicycle component made from state of the art ingredients and, well, thats it!
Similar Products Used: Nothing, all other bikes have been steel with alloy stem abd bar.
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Bike Setup: frame: LOOK 585
wheel: Mavic Ksyrium SL
tires: rear Continental Gatorskin, front Vittoria Pro Light
pedals: M2RACER
saddle: San Marco Composite
seatpost: Cinelli Ram
handlebar: Cinelli Ram
cranks set, chain, cassettes, brakes/shifters, and derailleurs: Dura Ace 10 spd
Summary: About the corosion problem, you can fix it. After tightening the bolt you can apply some grease to the bolt and metal surface (lubricate will do).
Cable routing could be hard if you don't route the cable housing before putting it on the bike. Use brake cable as a routing guide then you should have no problem routing the whole thing.
Strengths: good range of sizes
Stiff and warm
comfy and sexy
Weaknesses: Expensive
bar end holes are not round and very difficult to insert bar end plugs in place
the clear coating tends to wear off and scratch easily
computer mount is big and bulky and does not hold most of computer displays
Similar Products Used: Cinelli integrator
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