Ritchey's Classic El Camino reshapes the alt-bar formula by pushing backsweep into territory that most flat-bar riders haven't considered — 35 degrees, which is roughly where a beach cruiser lives, but paired with modern clamp standards and a 750mm width that keeps steering leverage intact. The high-polish silver finish ties it to the rest of Ritchey's Classic line, so if you're building a steel frame with a polished cockpit or restoring something from Ritchey's back catalog, this is the piece that pulls it together visually.

The 35-degree sweep is the headline. Most riser and alt bars sit in the 9 to 27-degree range, and jumping to 35 changes the hand position meaningfully — wrists rotate to a more neutral angle, shoulders drop, and the reach to the grips shortens enough that you'll likely want to recheck your stem length before committing. The 50mm rise stacks on top of that, bringing the grips up and back toward the saddle for a genuinely upright position. This isn't a bar for chasing KOMs; it's built for riders who want to sit on the bike rather than hover over it.

Construction is double-butted 6061 alloy with a 31.8mm clamp diameter, which means it works with current stems and keeps the center section thick enough for mounting a computer, a light, or a small bikepacking bag without crowding the controls. The wider platform around the clamp area is intentional — Ritchey shaped this bar with accessory mounting in mind, which matters on a handlebar that's going to find its way onto touring rigs, commuters, and mixed-terrain builds that carry more gear than a race bike would.... Read More