I have got a titanium Ibis road stem (quill) without a removable face plate and only one clamp bolt. I'm looking for a new set of lightweight handlebars to match them. I prefer a classic bent that is not too deep or too far. Two models caught my attention: the Ritchey Road WCS Classic (210 g) and the Easton EC90 Equipe Pro (180 g).

According to Easton's online manuals I will need a stem with a removable face plate. What is the reason for this? Are they afraid that mounting the bars with scratch them, or does it have to do with clamping forces? If that's the case, the Ritchey bars will probably a better option. Any thoughts on this? :confused:

The bars I like are the Deda 215 shallow bend and the ITM Millenium Strada shallow bend. The Deda bars are easy enough to find, but ITM (http://www.itm.it/sito_uk/main_uk.htm) only has anatomic bars listed on their site. Air Bomb (http://store.airbomb.com/items.asp?CartId=%7b7E7A615A-A712-4E46-9C56-0226F2FA4C7EVEREST5%7d&Cc=141%2DT%2D194&iTpStatus=1&Tp=) still lists Millenium Sd (shallow drop).

I have a WCS shallow bend bar on a bike with DA 9s levers that works well enough for me, but I don’t like that bar with the Record levers. The bend doesn’t come around as far on the Ritchey bar as the other two, if that makes any sense.

I wouldn’t even consider trying to slide a carbon bar into a stem without a faceplate.

Nice suggestion those Deda bars! I see they are even available in silver....

Cheers :)

no bars will macth that stem. i give you $20 and take that trouble out your hands..