FSA

Gossamer Wing Compact

FSA's Gossamer Wing Compact handlebar may be the most versatile offering in the manufacturer's extensive catalog of drop bars, combining lightweight with efficiency and a relatively low price point. It's made of double-butted 6066 alloy that's been shot-peened, which is a process that shows up most often in the aerospace industry.

Shot-peening involves firing ceramic pellets at the metal in order to increase corrosion and fatigue resistance by up to 1,000 times. This means that it's strong enough to safeguard your life on a transatlantic flight or your aspirations on a course as punishing as the stones of Roubaix, where the alloy Gossamer line has enjoyed the top step of the podium.

The moderate 125 millimeter drop and 80 millimeter reach put these handlebars in the realm of short and shallow. The drops are also angled by four degrees in order to mimic the natural position of your wrists when you're in them. It's a subtle difference from parallel drops, but one that becomes apparent the longer that your ride goes on. The clamping point balloons up to 31.8 millimeters to maximize stiffness at the point of power transfer while keeping the overall weight down.