When Team CSC makes wholesale equipment changes, we take notice. Why is that? It's because CSC is unique in the professional peloton: They shy away from traditional component sponsorship arrangements, where the highest bidder wins & gets final say in what equipment the team uses.

A great example is CSC's relationship with Shimano. For most teams, Shimano supplies an 18-wheeler full of components, plus a fat briefcase full of cash. But Shimano mandates that these teams must use Shimano wheels, whether they want to or not. But CSC DS Bjarne Riis prefers Zipp wheels, so rather than cave to Shimano's wheel demands, he sources the team's Shimano on his own and uses the wheels he likes best.

So, in short, what CSC rides, they want to ride -- and it's a good barometer of new equipment worth trying. That's the case here with the new 3T Rotundo Pro Alloy handlebar. Glory be to God, it's only available in a traditional "Pro" bend. There is no flat "anatomic" section in the drops, and the constant roundness of the drops allows you to comfortably position your hands where you want, when you want. In a sprint you'll likely have a death grip on the crux of the drops just below your levers. In a day-long breakaway, you'll likely lightly cradle the ends of the drops. Different circumstances entail different requirements: Round drops give you positioning flexibility, anatomic drops don't.

The Rotundo Pro has an 82.6mm reach and a 139mm drop -- just a hair longer and deeper than a Deda Newton shallow drop bar. It comes in 3 widths -- 40, 42, and 44cm measured center-to-center. It requires the use of a 31.8mm stem. It weighs 250g, about an ounce or two more than the fancy carbon bars available on the market nowadays. But if you crash or drop your bike off a roof rack or otherwise experience a mishap, you won't have to freak out about whether you need to replace your bars. These are bars made for guys like Cancellara and O'Grady: They're built Ford Tough. They pass the most recent DIN and CEN certification tests, which means you can have absolute confidence in them, no matter the parcours -- Paris-Roubaix, the Reebok Eliminator, whatever.

Pore over the photos of Team CSC on cyclingnews.com or grahamwatson.com. With no exception (at least none that we've seen), every rider on the team rides these bars. After all, their lives are in their hands. Comfort and confidence aren't optional.