3T

Rotundo Pro Handlebar

Glory be to God, the 3T Rotundo Pro Alloy Handlebar is 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 139mm drop and a 82.6mm reach -- just a hair deeper and longer than a Deda Zero100 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 the Cervelo Test Team's Thor Hushovd and Heinrich Haussler: 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 the Cervelo Test Team 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.