Enduro/gravity bike suspension and geo

[Hairy]

Well no one needs it more than me. I wish I could wear even more black.

I feel you man ... not in the creepy kind of way though!

[T-Bob]

I would never go near hope a few years back and thought them to be over priced, rank colours and couldn't stand the hope fan boys.

 

Needless to say I got a set if wheels with hope hubs and they worked brilliantly, I can get every bit for them to service and replace when I had some Eastons that had bearing issues and the dealer flat out told me I should bin them as they were a couple fo years old and weren't supported any more. From there I tested the water with the brakes and coming off some Curas I wasn't going to be convinced easily but I got them at a bargain so what the hell. Black, couldn't be dealing with them being bling. They have been great and again you can get every bit you need. Not like Shimano, try finding a lever for a SLX or XT brake. 

Now, I did something dumb and cracked with some new Kore pedals I purchased and got offered some Hope pedals and I went with them and as stupid as it may sound they are brilliant. Pedals are pedals right? Well yes and no because after Spank, Kore, Saint and DMR I can say that I don't ever think about where my foot is or feel them so Guess they are better. 

I'm not going to be a Hope whore but what I've got has been great quality.

Edited August 29, 2019 by T-Bob

[T-Bob]

Those bars interest me like for the same Reason We Are One rims interest me. Made in-house, crazy good quality and take an interesting design approach / solution to a standard item. 

 

Those bars are small run, UK made, with a lot of attention to the build and shape and on the flex characteristics as well as neat little things like markers and angle gauges printed on so your brakes are at the same place and angle. Gimmicky? Maybe but they are about the same money as other carbon bars so you pick your reasons and go with one if you're in the market. I've had some cheap carbon bars and they are junk compared to my Renthal ones. 

[Bos]

Those bars interest me like for the same Reason We Are One rims interest me. Made in-house, crazy good quality and take an interesting design approach / solution to a standard item. 

 

Those bars are small run, UK made, with a lot of attention to the build and shape and on the flex characteristics as well as neat little things like markers and angle gauges printed on so your brakes are at the same place and angle. Gimmicky? Maybe but they are about the same money as other carbon bars so you pick your reasons and go with one if you're in the market. I've had some cheap carbon bars and they are junk compared to my Renthal ones. 

That struck a nerve..

I recently made the jump to 35mm DI bars and found they are much stiffer. In fact, plain uncomfortable! A fork should be stiff, a stem should be stiff but bars don't have to be? It can flex a bit which is making me think the vertically complaint one-up bars as an example, might be worth paying for. Although R2500 isnt cheap. But there might be other alternatives, even lighter weight Ali bars perhaps?

[CdT85]

Im running a truvativ black box jerome clementz carbon bar on my rig, also in 31.8. Also feel way stiffer than my spank spike oozy trail in aluminium that i had before it

[Yo-Yo]

All I got to say about Bars is that i got A renthal bar about a month ago and it's crazy stiff compared to the spank I've been running for the past year

 

 

...Like crazy stiff ...and it's the 31.8mm

As well. My Renthal fat bar (non carbon) was unbelievably stiff. It was good on my previous ally frame but was too much when I got a carbon frame. felt like my wrists were ready to shatter.

[Pieter1]

Is stiffer better or does it just come down to personal preference?

[popcorn_skollie]

I could never relate to any talk of bar flex. Never felt it and if I did I wouldn't know. 

But I had this bike once that had a stem with a bigger than usual clamp size over the bar.

Still 31.8 but that clamp size I could definitely feel in the bikes handling. And I ain't the most receptive when it comes the differences between those kinds of bike subtleties.

[Bos]

Is stiffer better or does it just come down to personal preference?

Well It may be that with bigger stronger everything we are finally reaching a point where things are to stiff. 35mm DI might make bars stronger, but personally, I've never had a problem with my bike not going where I want it to because my bars flex. Like I mentioned, Stems, forks, axles and wheels.. Hell yes, but bars? I think the slight flex only makes the ride more comfortable. Proof of that is that for the first time really, companies are starting to build flex points into bars etc. 

[Jewbacca]

Super stiff bars and REV grips?

 

Are we now just making products with problems, then making more products to solve the problems instead of just admitting the initial product 'upgrade' was really not worth it in the first place?

 

The art of earning money.... We are, as consumers, massive suckers!

[Hairy]

35mm dia bars and stems

 

I had my first experience with a 35mm dia alum bar and stem combo over the weekend, and I must say I like the direct feeling that the combo gives. Further testing will show how this impacts over a long ride ... I was only out for 2hrs with this combo.

 

It should be noted that the grips fitted were a pair of really thin and hard grips, so this should have amplified any harshness through the bars.

[Dirt Tracker]

35mm dia bars and stems

 

I had my first experience with a 35mm dia alum bar and stem combo over the weekend, and I must say I like the direct feeling that the combo gives. Further testing will show how this impacts over a long ride ... I was only out for 2hrs with this combo.

 

It should be noted that the grips fitted were a pair of really thin and hard grips, so this should have amplified any harshness through the bars.

 

What make was it? I sometimes think that companies go to 35mm because their 31's just aren't up to par. 

[Hairy]

What make was it? I sometimes think that companies go to 35mm because their 31's just aren't up to par. 

 

HANDLEBAR, RACE FACE AEFFECT R 35,  20mm Rise | 780mm Width STEM, RACE FACE AEFFECT R, 50mm

[usxorf]

HANDLEBAR, RACE FACE AEFFECT R 35, 20mm Rise | 780mm Width STEM, RACE FACE AEFFECT R, 50mm

What's the verdict on the jeffsy?

[Hairy]

What's the verdict on the jeffsy?

[Dirt Tracker]

 

The only verdict that matters is if money left your account. How did it compare to the Banshee?