Product Review: FSA K-Wing Compact Road Handlebar

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Covering huge distances? With its unique shape, the K-Wing Compact could be just the bar you’re looking for. The drops are the same shape as our other Compact bars, but the K-Wing features an Aero-Ergo flat top section that rises from the stem clamp.

It’s also slightly swept back, resulting in a shape that follows the natural arc of your arms for enhanced comfort. Also, each width of bar has a proportionally sized top diameter. The carbon/Kevlar composite construction includes internal cable routes that are large enough to handle electronic shift connectors.

Fsa K Wing Compact Review:

One of our key intentions with the K-Wing was to keep the drops compact so we could still offer a comfortable and low hood size for riders who prefer the performance of a Compact bar but also want to use aero bars for long climbs, crosswinds or when technical terrain gets rough.

As much as I enjoy the drops of traditional Compact bars, in terms of comfort, they just don’t cut it. Then the tops feature less than comfortable curves and as shape and comfort are the main reasons why we use wide for aero bars, the compromise of compact bars that are generally a bit restrictive is not ideal for my big hands.

I can’t say we’ve found the solution to every rider’s comfort requirements, but we’re pretty happy with this result.

The drops have a nice relaxed curve while the flat top section is comfortably wide and long compared to the Compact bars top. The drops and flats kind of feel like they have been merged together into a single section.

My main reason for liking the bars is the unique shape. You get the drops of the Compact road bar but the tops of the Aerocompositi. This really works for me and I can tell a clear difference when compared to the Vario Compact, which is my default bar now.

The Vario Compact’s tops don’t offer the massive top width of the K-Wing but they are also quite flattened. This results in a bar that might feel good at first, but it takes a little time to get used to the shape. From a material point of view FSA have chosen a different weave in the tops which really isn’t a problem. I just prefer the look of the Vario Compact at this point.

The K-Wing’s aggressive angle between the drops and tops immediately creates a direct connection to the stem which feels good. Off the hoods you have enough space to place your hands in the drops comfortably and they never felt too cramped.

Using The K-Wing Hoods

This is an area where the K-Wing definitely differs from the Compact drops. The K-Wing drops are upright, with a moderately steep angle, but the tops feel relatively flat, almost like a shallow riser bar.

The transition is quite sharp but you soon get used to it and I quickly found I could comfortably use the hoods in a number of positions. On the tops, I was able to place my hands on the top section which was much more comfortable than going right on the tops. It works well for me.

Comparing The Bars

Polarising? I think the K-Wing might be viewed as a bit of an acquired taste, but I’m really enjoying riding this version of the Compact bar. First time out on them was a training ride ranging from 60k to 180k, which was both roughly but quite different in terms of terrain, and I quickly found myself preferring the K-Wing over my Vario Compact.

The drop-to-top shape of the K-Wing is one of the key features of this bar, although you would never know from the pictures. It allows the rider to enjoy the comfort of the drops, while feeling like you have more degrees of freedom and more of a platform to hold on to when the terrain gets tough.

When out training, I now have no issues with brake levers that cut your hands off with the K-Wing bar. It has a great choice of hand positions and a nice flow when riding.

After some rough rides, I was actually quite surprised to find my hands weren’t as sore as I would have expected. This is combined with the really comfy, compact drops, which are now the only bar shape with which I have no problems when out training.

Riding Impressions

The K-wing bar seems to encourage a more upright position when out of the aero bars. It feels like an enhanced version of the Vario Open. Your arms are directly connected to the bar via the drops while the tops are comfortable, relaxed and slightly flat.

The tops feel a bit skinny but they do look nice, thanks to the custom cut carbon weave. The top are almost as wide as the drops, a good compromise I think.

You have a lot of freedom to move around on the tops and as such the K-Wing does seem to lend itself to longer, harder rides, compared to most Compact bar shapes.

When compared to other Compact bars, the K-Wing stands out as being unique. I’d say it’s a version of the Compact bar with the tops taken out, resulting in an extra few mm of width on the drops.

The drops have a very shallow curve and never get too tight or too sharp, making it a great bar for big hands. The tops on my 50cm bar don’t curve round too much either.

On rough gravel tracks, the slightly less curved feel over the tops, seemed to work. It’s hard to describe but the tops just felt like they connected to the body better than most bars. Be careful though, if you’re a bar end user, you may not have a comfortable experience with this bar.

Riding flat on the tops once again seems comfortable and not especially flat. The carbon weave in the tops looks great but from a functional point of view, they feel and look identical to the Vario Compact’s tops.

I like the idea of having the drops of a Compact bar but the tops of a more aero profile. I say this because, while the K-Wing’s shape promises to be comfortable, it’s really the best of both worlds.

Pros

Comfortable drops with excellent width range
I can actually use the hoods for longer rides
Flat to tops feel direct and comfortable
Stiff, high quality carbon/Kevlar composite
Comfortable and padded bar tape
Internal cable routing
Great overall choice of hand positions
Little flex

Cons

Tops might not provide enough support for bar end users

I really like the K-Wing shape. I love the hoods and the drops feel even better in this latest version of the Compact bar. I would probably favour this design over the Vario Compact and maybe even the Vario.