[SthFRider]

So i've been looking at around at different bars. Looking at what the WC guys are running and what not. The truvativ boo bar seems to be a popular choice. They come super wide so you can cut them down which is nice. Plus they are fairly light compared to some bars i have seen. Does anyone have any experience with the boo bar? Would you recommend them? Im on Sunline OS One low rise 745mm right now. Im looking to go wider and lighter. Does anyone have any recommendations?

 

[norbar]

Sunline - I know a couple of people with bent ones. Imho overhyped. Boobar/Answer/Element Technic (for flat)/Syncros are the prooven ones.

Also I wouldnt be suggested by the pro choices. Firstly - a lot of them ride bikes with longer top tubes which already puts them in a more agressive position than most of the riders with regular frames for their size. Secondly - a lot of them are simply stubborn and dont experiment with gear that much Personaly when on the last longer frame 760mm felt a bit too wide than now on the legend they feel like they could be wider (and Im rather slimly built) so unless you trick it out or ride with your weight to the back 760 is imho min.

 

[SthFRider]

Bent sunlines screw that. Time to defianetly upgrade it seems. Now what to get. I found some boo bars for a good price. But I don't want to limit my options. Ill browse around at some of the ones you suggested. I've heard answers are pretty good.

 

[IH8Rice]

i like my Deity Dirty30's, but the PC comes off pretty easy around the brake clamp area.

 

[jonKranked]

I've got sunline's on 2 bikes (used to be 4). no issues ever fwiw.


currently riding deity dirty 30's and have been very pleased with them.

 

[Bicyclist]

Boobars are nowhere near as light as claimed FWIW.

I like my Spank 777s a lot, the bend feels really nice (better than Sunlines IMO).

 

[xy9ine]

i like the new (780mm) protapers. 335g.

 

[mtg]

I bought the boobar last year, and on the website, Sram claims it comes in either 740mm or 780mm. The 780mm is what showed up, and since I cut it down to about 740mm, and I couldn't get my brake levers mounted far enough inboard anymore. Luckily, the bike shop was super cool about it and swapped me out for Sunlines.
They then called Sram and asked about the 740mm version of the Boobar and the person at Sram said it doesn't exist.

Basically, if you get the Boobar, make sure your brake levers and shifters can be mounted where you want before you use it or cut it.

 

[daisycutter]

Chromag bars for the win

http://www.vitalmtb.com/product/guide/Handlebars,38/Chromag/Fubar-OSX,1871?sort=asc

 

[rigidhack]

Chromag is very popular around here. Nice bars.
I've been running Deity Dirty 30s and really like 'em.
Got some boobars on the way.

 

[jonKranked]

Boobars are nowhere near as light as claimed FWIW.

I like my Spank 777s a lot, the bend feels really nice (better than Sunlines IMO).

a friend of mine just got the spank 777's and prefers them over his sunline v1os flats

 

[IH8Rice]

a friend of mine just got the spank 777's and prefers them over his sunline v1os flats

he's also the one that went through 4 bars before finding one that didnt bend when he crashed.

the Spanks do fell significantly better than the Sunlines. even for a semi-flat bar, they feel good

 

[slyfink]

try and grab a hold of a few if you can. I had grabbed some boobars, some sunlines, and some racefaces. For me, the boobars felt best. but my decision was made for me when I won a set of Chromag OSXs at our local follow me premiere (thanks Phat Moose!). in the end, I'm really happy with the Chromags. They're really comfortable and good and wide. I highly recommend.

 

[marshalolson]

another vote for the deity dirty 30, and definatly prefer it to the spank 777 i have on a different bike

 

[jonKranked]

he's also the one that went through 4 bars before finding one that didnt bend when he crashed.

some people are just parts whores

 

[yuroshek]

I've got sunline's on 2 bikes (used to be 4). no issues ever fwiw.

they dont bend on their own ya know! p.s. i bent 2 sets and jason memmelaar broke a set in half which was pretty scary.

Answer Pro Tapers are the hot item right now, try and hop on someones bike that has a set and see how they feel!

 

[IH8Rice]

they dont bend on their own ya know! p.s. i bent 2 sets and jason memmelaar broke a set in half which was pretty scary.

after seeing a lot of people break and or break Sunline bars, id never buy them

 

[jonKranked]

they dont bend on their own ya know! p.s. i bent 2 sets and jason memmelaar broke a set in half which was pretty scary.

Answer Pro Tapers are the hot item right now, try and hop on someones bike that has a set and see how they feel!

deity > answer

 

[yuroshek]

deity > answer

biased vs biased = biased

 

[jonKranked]

biased vs biased = internet

fixed

 

[Triple8Sol]

+1 for the Deity dirty 30's. My buddy just picked up a set and they're working out great.

 

[epic]

The new Raceface Atlas FR is pretty nice.

 

[norbar]

The new Raceface Atlas FR is pretty nice.

As with sunlines and nukes - they have bending issues. Anyone knows what alu they are from?

 

[amishmatt]

As with sunlines and nukes - they have bending issues. Anyone knows what alu they are from?

http://sixsixone.com/Catalog_SunlineCycling.aspx?id=c3eb6999-49a3-4266-bb4c-c0b62e8cb2f6&product=35789153-b966-4502-8855-3c6e970482ef

Sunline's are 7075.

 

[Dogboy]

Every bar mentioned in this thread is 7075 T6 except the Boobar which is listed as 7050.

 

[supercow]

I have a Raceface Atlas FR ( @785mm) on the DH bikle and a Boobar ( @ 760) on the AM bike and love them both.

Thinking of cutting the Raceface just a tiny bit by about 12mm

As said before, check when you cut your boobars down, that your brakes and shifters still fit, as their circumference gets fatter quickly

 

[xy9ine]

deity > answer

i have both, and while they both get the job done, the answer has an additional 3/4" length (for those who want such a thing) and nicer finish quality (esp. the pc).

 

[Sandwich]

I have Kore torsion bars, which have held up pretty well, and are super wide in 810 width. They were cheap but are a little flexy it seems...

 

[jonKranked]

i have both, and while they both get the job done, the answer has an additional 3/4" length (for those who want such a thing) and nicer finish quality (esp. the pc).

wider isn't always better. I can't tell you how many people I see riding around on the widest bars they can get hold of, but have narrow shoulders

edit: I'm hoping to get my hands on the ano'd dirty 30's this season, or maybe even the new DH bars (the blacklabels, richie has been running them and they look and feel really sweet)

 

[norbar]

Every bar mentioned in this thread is 7075 T6 except the Boobar which is listed as 7050.

Protapers are 7050 also. Im pretty sure syncros was from some other alu.

 

[Sandwich]

Any materials engineers here? The kore bars are 2014-T6 alloy...I wonder how that compares to 7050 or 7075. Everything I could find suggested 2014 and 7075 were strong, 7050 is mostly plate.

 

[Dogboy]

Any materials engineers here? The kore bars are 2014-T6 alloy...I wonder how that compares to 7050 or 7075. Everything I could find suggested 2014 and 7075 were strong, 7050 is mostly plate.

Disclaimer: I am not a materials engineer
However, when sourcing bars, the price goes up and the weight goes down as you move from 6061 to 2014 to 7075 alloys. The ultimate strength may be higher on 2014 (I really don't know), but I would bet the strength to weight ratio is probably better on 7075.

 

[Sandwich]

That's cool. I have nothing bad to say about these bars, but I don't want to recommend them if they're inferior. The weight hasn't been/isn't an issue.

 

[DirtyMike]

Azonic world force anyone? I have time on a set now, stiff, take a beating, I forget the width, but they are indexed for cutting<something I expect to start seeing on all Mtn bars> .

 

[IH8Rice]

Azonic world force anyone? I have time on a set now, stiff, take a beating, I forget the width, but they are indexed for cutting<something I expect to start seeing on all Mtn bars> .

ive had great luck with them over the years, though i did break a set of the old 25.4mm going off a 3' drop. scary sh!t.

 

[4130biker]

I've heard from a reputable source that 2014 is good because it likes to bend before it breaks. However, there is a weight penalty compared to 7000 series.

I'm looking for bars at the moment, and chromags are my favorite, but I think I'll try the new protaper bars at half the price...

 

[xy9ine]

wider isn't always better. I can't tell you how many people I see riding around on the widest bars they can get hold of, but have narrow shoulders

not saying it is, but having the additional width does work for some apes; having the additional width & the option to cut to suit i see as a positive thing.

the clamp area of my deity is a bit irregular too - ie, a bit squished / not totally circular - as are areas of the bends. subtle, but this in addition to the paint gives me the impression of lower quality manufacturing - ie, i'd personally go for something else given the nice selection of bars available currently.

 

[IH8Rice]

I'm looking for bars at the moment, and chromags are my favorite, but I think I'll try the new protaper bars at half the price...

the Chromags are nice, but for $100, there are plenty of other choices that are cheaper

 

[Sandwich]

I've heard from a reputable source that 2014 is good because it likes to bend before it breaks. However, there is a weight penalty compared to 7000 series.

I'm looking for bars at the moment, and chromags are my favorite, but I think I'll try the new protaper bars at half the price...

that's cool. I found some specs but I can't tell anything by reading them, just that one number is higher than the other.

I might actually cut my bars down this season. MAYBE.

 

[Ithnu]

Any materials engineers here? The kore bars are 2014-T6 alloy...I wonder how that compares to 7050 or 7075. Everything I could find suggested 2014 and 7075 were strong, 7050 is mostly plate.

AL alloys
2014 (bar/rod) T6 and T651, Fty = 55ksi (S allowable), density = 0.101 lb/in^3, E = 10.5e6 ksi
6061 (bar/extrude) T6, 6510, 6511 Fty = 35ksi (A basis), density = 0.098 lb/in^3, E = 9.9e6 ksi
7050 (extrusion) T73511 , Fty = 60 ksi (A basis), density = 0.102 lb/in^3, E = 10.3e6 ksi
7075 (bar/rod) T6, 651, 62, Fty = 66 ksi (A allowable), density = 0.101 lb/in^3, E = 10.3 e6 ksi

Sorry if its hard to read, but I don't want to take the time to make it pretty. These are all out of MMPDS-01, previously called the Mil-Spec materials handbook.

*Both 2000 and 7000 are stronger than 6000. 2000 is used in fatigue applications for stress concentrations that can cause cracks, 7000 is used in high strength requirement areas. 6000 is used because its cheap and easy to weld.