I take all claims of a certain frame supposedly being designed for a certain type of bar with a grain of salt as there are endless variables that come in to play. The first is the rider themselves, not just body proportions but flexibility, core strength and their ability to ride in a position suitable for them. Same with bars and stems, none are limited to or by each other, a given frame or rider. It's really up to the rider to play around with their bike as no one else experiences your bike from your unique perspective. I realize this is a online group to talk about stuff and throw ideas around though, so playing a game of "what if" inevitable.
All that said, I looked at the geo charts @ bikeinsights and I don't see the Appa as being particularly long in reach at all. I compared it to a bike I have, a 60 Bomba, and a road frame I do not have, the Sam. the sizes can be changed of course. The Bomba has 24mm reach than a Appa to for me running a drop bar would be easy. Ted says the reach was too far, but I'd want to know if the saddles were int he same relative position ? The Appa has a 71.5d STA and the Bomba a 72. That equates to about a 6.5mm difference. So if you didn't know and just set up your saddles on the same positions on the rails you wouldn't even know that one was further back by 6.5mm. While that may not seem like much, it does all add up. If you do choose a swept back bar nay to the Billie in my opnion, it's too long rearward for your modest needs. An Albastache bar would also require a very short stem to get a shorter reach, so if you're gonna do that you may as try a shorter stem for the drop bars first. I've had both steel and AL Albatross bars and I prefer the steel as I use it with bar end brake levers and thumbshifters mounted around the inside of the curve so I have the entire bar free. It "may" have more rise than you want though. I tried it flipped before and it wasn't what I expected, I hated it. The top curve actually feels better with the rise up and I thought reverso may feel better, but it didn't. It looks cool, but felt awful. I have no experience with a Choco bar, but there's no way in h-e-double toothpicks I'd ever get a bar fixed to a stem. Again, looks cool, but offers zero flexibility. I don't suppose a Choco was made in steel, but I recall Blue Lug having a steel bar somewhat similar, a M356 ? Yeah, that's it ! https://global.bluelug.com/nitto-b356-m-s-bar-silver.html. Sure shipping is like $46 but you gotta look at overall cost, plus there may be other stuff you'd like. That looks like it's quite versatile to various stem heights and lengths and won't be a wet noodle. With thumbshifters at the top inside angled section and bar end levers you're free to find the best position at any given time. Needless to say, I'm highly biased against mtb levers as they're always in the way of the hands on the bars, and what's room on a bar for but to move your hands around ? DOH ! That's how it goes with asking for "advice" though huh, you get everyone's wishlist thrown at you as to what to do ! Ahahahahaha !! https://bikeinsights.com/compare?geometries=646ed3ba6c60a90021cb6aa6,5b8578f448f3a30004789ad8, https://bikeinsights.com/compare?geometries=646ed3ba6c60a90021cb6aa6,638a1581423463001c996236, -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fadd2e6f-ac84-4ab2-98ad-b7cb2cb1896bn%40googlegroups.com.
