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Salsa Cowchipper Takes to the Road, Slots in Between Cowbell and Woodchiper Bars

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Cowchipper_side_view

There is no shortage when it comes to drop handlebars, but as road and particularly gravel bikes continue to evolve riders are looking for more options. Salsa already offered two fairly popular dropbars – the Cowbell and the Woodchipper. Where the Cowbell is a slightly flared (12 degree) bar, the Woodchipper takes that flare to the extreme at 26 degrees.

To add another possibility to fill the void between road and gravel bikes, Salsa has just released what could be considered a happy medium between the two. Called the Cowchipper, the new bar combines nearly the same flare of the Woodchipper with the shape of the Cowbell…

Cowchipper_top_down Cowchipper_front_partial

As Salsa puts it, the Cowchipper can be thought of “as a Cowbell with increased flare OR a Woodchipper with decreased flare and less backsweep.” Made from 7050-T6 aluminum as is common with most of their bars, the Cowchipper retains aerobar compatibility which could be important for certain endurance events.

Dropbar_Overlay

 

Created with the same drop shape as the Cowbell for running STI road levers in a familiar position, the 24 degree flare of the Cowchipper puts it just slightly narrower than the 26 degree Woodchipper. At 79.2mm in reach with a 129mm drop, the numbers are just slightly more than the 76mm reach and 126mm drop of the Cowbell. the The 31.8mm clamp diameter extends for 120mm and the bars are offered in 40, 42, 44, and 46cm sizes. Available now with a retail price around $75.

salsacycles.com

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15 Comments
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anonymous
anonymous
8 years ago

This bar is cow chips.

meanie
meanie
8 years ago

Oh they made a WTB dirt drop/ on-one Midge.

GOOD, both are nearly impossible to acquire.

Ck
Ck
8 years ago

Time to upgrade from my Cowbell. Always wanted to try the Woodchipper but thought the flare would be too much for something still ridden like a roadie a lot.

Perry Rhodan
Perry Rhodan
8 years ago

This looks pretty alright, but I’m more curious about the carbon Warbird which looks to have turned into vaporware… In case you don’t know that term: In the computer industry, vaporware is a product, typically computer hardware or software, that is announced to the general public but is never actually manufactured nor officially cancelled.

Sevo
Sevo
8 years ago

Perry-nothing vaporware about Salsa’s carbon warbird. Or anything Salsa’s ever announced.

MaraudingWalrus
MaraudingWalrus
8 years ago

Perry – the carbon Warbid is the first option on Warbird on Salsa’s website, and the 2016 models are showing on QBP, they simply aren’t available yet. Wouldn’t exactly call that vaporware…

Cody
8 years ago

Hey Guys, the Warbird was the name we picked for the our bars until we were informed by Salsa that they had a frame with the same name, so we dropped that name. We are in full production with the BP4 handlebar and it is proving out all that we said after Interbike. Wanna ride better? let me know. Cheers.

Cody
8 years ago

Marauding Walrus, pretty sure he was talking about our bars…

martini
martini
8 years ago

Having ridden these bars, I can tell you they are absolutely the bees knees. The Cowbells are already a damned sight more comfortable than any other bar on the market. The Cowchippers increase that comfort be a large margin.

pol
pol
8 years ago

all we need is cowbell 2 in carbon. Please Salsa 🙂

chasejj
chasejj
8 years ago

Pol-first of all. Everything does not need to be in carbon. How much weight on a bike that would use these bars really save? Not to even mention the economies of scale required for carbon production would not likely justify for a very niche product like this.
By the way. Woodchippers are awesome. I thought I would want the Cowbells but the Woodchipper flare is super comfy once the stem height is right.

pol
pol
8 years ago

not everything but cowbell bar. Most of this works in gravel/monster crosser bikes, also for long, epic rides. Carbon not for weight or stiffness but for saving hands. Alloy drop bars are way too unforgiveable for gravel rides, low quality roads.

Francesco
Francesco
8 years ago

Nice addiction.
My vote is for a carbon Cowbell too.
It would be a nice bar for cross and gravel if it would absorb some vibration better than alu.

scentofreason
scentofreason
8 years ago

Carbon cowchipper in a 46, pretty please with sugar on top…

Steveh
Steveh
7 years ago

I get that the flare helps to increase leverage and control while on the drops, but how does it make the bars more comfortable?

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