So looking to get a new bar and shorter stem combo and was looking at these 2 set ups from CRC.

The Easton Havoc Bar with 50mm Havoc Stem:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/easton-havoc-riser-bar/rp-prod63250

Or Carbon version:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/easton-havoc-carbon-riser-bar/rp-prod69061

Or Spank Oozy 760mm bar with Oozy 50mm Stem:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/spank-spike-777-fr-bearclaw-riser-handlebar/rp-prod156865

Or a slightly wider Spank Spike bar with 50mm Spike Stem:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/spank-spike-777-fr-bearclaw-riser-handlebar/rp-prod156865

The Spike is the most expensive – more expensive than the carbon Easton! I’m not too fussed weight wise so I’m not looking too closely at that and apart from the carbon bar they are all pretty similar.

Easton is 20mm rise – Spanks are 15 or 30, but I have 3 spacers to play around with.

Other than that, is one brand better than the other or is it all much of a muchness these days?

As for the carbon bar – I guess you have to be pretty careful with torque measurements? Can you still use lock on grips etc?

vibrocore bars are ace. I run a spank spike vibrocore bar and 35mm stem

Just noticed the vibracore ones are on offer too:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/spank-oozy-760-ltd-vibrocore-riser-bar/rp-prod126861

Does the vibracore make a big difference? 760 is plenty wide for me.

I’m really liking my superstar bars .. Quite loud(I like loud) and I got 25% off with code last week 😀

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Vkrw65]Iroko 4[/url] by Plus one2010, on Flickr

Erm have got the aluminium Havoc and both Spanks they are all ok but fairly unremarkable.

The Spank you linked to is wildly over priced at £72.99 as you can see it’s made out of 2000 series alumumium and whenever the spec says ‘stronger’ that’s marketing for ‘heavier’. The Oozy is better value but the chrome finish on mine deteriorated quite quickly. Having said that they both have a good feel if slightly twangy in the higher rises

The Havoc is reasonable value for £23 and feels ok-ish but is more from the scaffolding end of the market.

If you can live with the logos (they’re easily removed with paint stripper btw) Nukeproof’s Warhead bars are pretty good they have a slightly different shape to a lot of bars. Renthal Fatbar also very good. Thomson stiff and direct but brutal to use for any length of time.

HTH

I considered all these last week but ended up going for the Nukeproof Warhead combo. Very happy. Feel like there is a bit of give in these which I like, the previous Raceface bars I had were way too stiff. These have a much nicer finish to them too.

Thanks for the tips – will have a look in to the suggestions. Will have a look at the Nukeproof ones, the black/grey one looks ok – not too many graphics going on!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/nukeproof-warhead-riser-bars/rp-prod122962

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/nukeproof-warhead-mtb-stem/rp-prod122955

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/nukeproof-zero-mtb-stem/rp-prod122952

jayx2a – Member

Just noticed the vibracore ones are on offer too:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/spank-oozy-760-ltd-vibrocore-riser-bar/rp-prod126861

Does the vibracore make a big difference? 760 is plenty wide for me.

yes, without a doubt it does.

Yeah the black and grey one are OK. I got the black and yellow ones because they were cheap

‘What bars are they? Nukeproof?’
‘Yeah I think so’

Warhead stem looks ok too as that comes in black/grey too!

Heres mine fitted on my Aeris with 800 mm width and 50mm stem in black and grey. (Go rather well with the Nukeproof Vector saddle too)

Looks nice on the Bird! Black/grey subtle enough! What rise are they?

Cheers Jay,20mm rise

been running a set for a while now. not really convinced about a significant difference over the renthals I had on before.

So will dismiss the Easton and decide between the Nukes and the Spanks Vibracore:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/spank-oozy-760-ltd-vibrocore-riser-bar/rp-prod126861

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/nukeproof-warhead-riser-bars/rp-prod122962

Leaning towards the Nukes though!

Anyone know the stack height of the warhead stem?

Gold Renthals on a Volt Green Bike… dubious?!

Going to order the Nukeproof bars today. I do like Renthals but I think the gold would look quite bad on my bike and I’m not doing any heavy stuff/jumping so the strength is not as much of an issue.

The most important part for you here is the width and especially the sweep. Do you know what rise and shape of bar you want?

My new bike didn’t feel right recently, I knew the bars were the issue, bought some bars with less sweep and reduced from 780mm to 760mm and makes the bike completely different!

Yep I have decided on 760 being my sweet spot and looking for a bit more rise and more sweep.

Both the Nukes and Renthal cover these bases and would both do what I need them to do.

Always liked the look of Renthals, until I got a Volt Green Bike lol.

Was also looking at the Spank vibrocore oozy 760. One review on CRC said they broke within an hour, put me off a bit.

That’s not good! Warheads seem to get good reviews in most places.

Warhead & Warhead Stem ordered – lets see how they feel!

mudmonster – Member

Was also looking at the Spank vibrocore oozy 760. One review on CRC said they broke within an hour, put me off a bit.

seems unlikely unless his stem was tightened far too much and he did a massive drop as well as being a fat ****.

The vibrocore bars I had were a big improvement over the SixC bars they replaced but I didn’t get on with the shape. On paper they were or should have been the same as my preferred Answer bars…but in reality they never felt the same.

The SixC bars were so damn harsh.

Anyone tried Renthal lite bar? I know they are a bit shorter at 740mm but that’s not a big issue as spend a lot of time through twisty forest tracks.

I guess with anything, it’s a try it and see thing.