Internal cable routing has quietly become the expectation on new road bikes, and finding an alloy bar that actually accommodates it without a fight is harder than it should be. Ritchey's Comp Streem handles that job with intelligently placed access holes for full or partial internal routing, a compact ergonomic bend, and Shimano EW-RS910 junction box compatibility. It's a working mechanic's bar — durable, sensibly shaped, and priced well below the carbon equivalents that dominate this category.

The bar is drawn from double-butted 6061 aluminum with a 31.8mm clamp, 128mm drop, 73mm reach, 2° drop flare, and 5° backsweep. That short reach and shallow drop pair well with modern hydraulic hood shapes from Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo, which sit taller and further forward than the mechanical levers bars used to be designed around. If you've been fighting an old-school deep-drop bar to get your hoods to a comfortable angle, this geometry gets you there without shims or awkward rotation.

The distinguishing feature is the aero-shaped top section — 38mm deep and 22.5mm tall with a slightly ovalized top surface that's both aerodynamic and comfortable for more upright positions. The gentle back sweep keeps your wrists in a more anatomically correct position when your hands are on the tops, and the triple-butted construction places material where it's needed for strength while trimming weight elsewhere. On long days, the flat, broad top is the surface you'll appreciate most.... Read More