Flared drops on a gravel handlebar serve a specific purpose—they widen your hand position in the drops, giving you more control and stability when descending loose surfaces or navigating technical terrain. The Ritchey Comp VentureMax XL takes this concept further than most bars in the category, with 24 degrees of flare that spreads your grip points significantly wider than the nominal bar width suggests. A 46cm bar at the hoods becomes effectively wider in the drops, which changes how the bike handles when you're committed to rough descents or need extra leverage through loose corners.

The VentureMax XL uses Ritchey's Comp-level aluminum construction, which means double-butted 6061 alloy tubing that balances weight against the kind of durability that survives gravel road abuse. The bar clamp diameter is 31.8mm, fitting modern stem interfaces, while the 12-degree backsweep positions your wrists at a more neutral angle during long hours on mixed terrain. This sweep geometry reduces strain on the outside edge of your palm where pressure typically concentrates on traditional drop bars.

Ritchey designed the VentureMax XL with enough drop and reach to maintain an aggressive position when you need it, while the overall geometry encourages using the drops as a primary hand position rather than a last resort during headwinds. The flare naturally opens your chest for improved breathing on climbs, and the wider stance in the drops provides a lower center of gravity that pays dividends on technical descents where traditional road bar geometry would feel twitchy and unstable.... Read More