Favorite Handlebar/Stem Combo? Post yours up!

**Lev** · 10-30-2011, 01:54 PM

I'm curious what folks around here like running for their front end interface. I think Renthal, Easton, Chromag, and Race Face are making some super sexy stuff these days. What ya'll like running?

My current setup is a Syncros AM bar 711mm and a 60 mm Truvativ Hussefelt stem. Not too blingy. I'm looking to replace it for Xmas this year. I'm leaning towards the previous companies mentioned, but I want to know what others like using.

What ya got?

**iscariot** · 10-30-2011, 02:13 PM

Easton Monkey Lite DH Carbon (711mm, 31.8) with Thomson Elite X4 (50mm).

I've run this combo for the last ~7 years, replacing bars when necessary.

**backcountry1pr** · 10-30-2011, 02:23 PM

Thompson Elite 70mm and Answer AM Carbon Low Rise 720mm bar. Been very happy with this setup.

**grinch** · 10-30-2011, 04:12 PM

gravity 50mm and RF atlas 785mm. looking for a frame with a longer tt and similar SO as my rune and run a 40mm (med nomad or tracer 2 and i can swap everything). not sold on gravity parts. the stem takes alot to clamp the steerer like the aluminum is stretching. occasional readjust. maybe thats a 1.5 trait?

**ShoNuff** · 10-30-2011, 05:53 PM

Point-One Racing 50mm and Sunline V1 745mm. Got a hook-up on the stem, otherwise might not have sprung for it. It is quite nice though, very wide and solid interface. The Chromag Ranger is nice as well, can't go wrong with Thompson either. I had trouble with a Sunline AM stem, for what it is worth...

**grinch** · 10-30-2011, 07:02 PM

possibly the reason chainlove has the sunline stem on right now for $30. i was thinking chromag or straightline. point-one looks nice though. i have a couple buds that like their pedals

**scrublover** · 10-30-2011, 07:52 PM

Truvativ's AKA stem line is fabulous bang for buck. Been using those a while, though just recently swapped on a Race Face Turbine on one bike. Truvativ Stylo Race on the hardtail, 75mm, Giant house brand 70mm on another. Running all upside down a little bit more down.

Had been running Sunline 745mm/19mm rise bars. Swapped one bike to Race Face bar cut down to the same width, but a touch lower rise. Like it enough I'm swapping the other two bikes. The Sunline bars were getting a bit long in the tooth anyhow.

**roverdoc** · 10-30-2011, 08:10 PM

Easton Haven 55mm stem with sunline v1 lowrise bars uncut

**camlax** · 10-30-2011, 09:28 PM

truvativ aka stem
race face bars

can't go wrong and they feel great!

**allTandA** · 10-31-2011, 08:01 AM

thomson 50mm and chromag fubars osx

do like

**creaky fossil** · 10-31-2011, 08:22 AM

Current:

Answer Rove AM stem 70 x 8 deg
Answer Pro Taper Carbon AM bar 720 x 0.5 rise

RaceFace Deus XC stem 70 x 8 deg
Sunline V-One 29.5" x 0.5 rise

Have used:

Sunline V-One AM stem 65 x 0 deg
Sunline V-One 29.5" x 0.5 rise

Sunline V-One AM stem 65 x 0
Easton Monkey Lite DH 28 x 1.5 rise

RaceFace Deus XC stem 70 x 8
Easton Monkey Lite DH 28 x 1.5 rise

Didn't have the problems with the Sunline stem that ShoNuff had. Worked fine on 3 different bike setups. A friend just borrowed it to test a new stem & bar and had no problems with it. Fasteners seem a bit soft so you can wallow the hex heads if you're not careful... otherwise works great and is very light.

**JoshP** · 10-31-2011, 08:52 AM

I am running Deity Dirty 30's uncut with a 50 mm Sunline V1 All-mountaineer stem on a medium ReignX. Perfect setup for me. Pedals up great, and feels perfect for jumping and going in a downward manner at highish rates of speed.

Like Creaky I have had great luck with the Sunline Stem. I have abused the shit out of it for 2 years now. That said, I am starting to get a little sketched out by it due to age and abuse level, and plan to replace it over the winter with something of the same length. New Hollzfeller stem looks great, and I hear Deity's new stems (and bars) launch in a couple weeks, so would like to see how they turn out.

**jm2e** · 10-31-2011, 06:00 PM

I'm using the Ritchey stem and bar that came with my GT Force 2.0
I've always thought of them as parts that don't really matter unless you want to drop weight.
That said, I've got arthritis pretty bad and have been thinking about bar options. Been hoping to find something with 15 deg or so of sweep. Not as extreme as the OnOne Betty or the titanium thing Rontelle's got, but everything else out there seems pretty close to straight.
If I get a new bar, I guess I'll need a new stem to correct the geometry. Can't say I plan to really give a shit who makes it.

**beaterdit** · 10-31-2011, 09:11 PM

On the trailbike: Thomson X4 50mm/ Funn Fatboy DH 785mm (31") x 25mm rise.

On the DH bike: Dangerboy 40mm direct mount for 888/ Funn Fatboy DH 785mm X 12.5mm rise.

Love those bars, cheap, fairly light for what they are, great sweep to them.

**brutah** · 01-01-2022, 09:35 PM

Bumping this. Potentially building up a SB150. Anyone have a stem/bar combo they love? Prefer carbon bars. Been on 35 bars lately but open to 31.8 bars.

Currently have yeti stock carbon 35 bars on one of my bikes and don't particularly like them. And truvatic carbon 35 bars on my other bike, which I like more than the yetis. Haven't really ever thought about bars before but the yetis definitely hurt my hands more tha the truvatics.

Curious to hear what people are stoked on!

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**Dee Hubbs** · 01-01-2022, 09:44 PM

One Up Components makes one of the best 35mm Carbon bar. They took the best characteristics of a 31.8 bar and the best characteristics of 35mm bar and engineer a better feeling 35mm bar.
https://www.oneupcomponents.com/coll...cts/carbon-bar

**brutah** · 01-01-2022, 09:51 PM

Do you think I should just go with a 31.8 bar? The Enve M9 is about the same weight as that oneup, and is a 31.8.

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**t.odd** · 01-01-2022, 10:43 PM

chromag ranger 31mm stem with cutlass 35mm rise bar (many previous years on 25mm rise), go to for years and hasn't failed me.

**smmokan** · 01-01-2022, 10:57 PM

I’ve got OneUp, e13, and RF Next R carbon bars and have ridden them quite a bit over the last couple of years... and I can’t tell a damn bit of difference. Maybe I’m just not a good enough rider to feel the intricacies of carbon performance.

As for stem, there’s no performance difference, so just get the color/length/brand/weight/price you like.

**J. Barron DeJong** · 01-01-2022, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

I’ve got OneUp, e13, and RF Next R carbon bars and have ridden them quite a bit over the last couple of years... and I can’t tell a damn bit of difference. Maybe I’m just not a good enough rider to feel the intricacies of carbon performance.

As for stem, there’s no performance difference, so just get the color/length/brand/weight/price you like.

Stems where there’s no gap at the top of the faceplate makes installation more straightforward/less likely to damage a bar. I have a PRO Tharsis which has that type of bar clamp which is nice, and other than that, it’s a stem (from a company i trust, doesn’t weigh too much/little, and looks fine).

Also have a OneUp bar which I’m happy with, but haven’t ridden any other 35mm bars.

**grinch** · 01-02-2022, 08:39 AM

If the truvativ is comfortable for you get a bar with the same back and up sweep. Fit matters
I like aluminium 31.8 bars. Currently running spank bars that replaced the similar dimension renthals. Both fit me and feel best. 31.8 is more compliant/comfy. Spank makes a 50mm rise so that helped solve a too short steerer tube on my fork swapping from my 40mm rise renthal. Also get the rise that fits you. Consider more rise. Most people ride their bars too low
Super happy with my spank stem. Fairly light, great price and 5mm bolts. Great option. Dig the rasta colorway too

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**toast2266** · 01-02-2022, 10:39 AM

As with many things carbon, I think the overall quality of handlebars had increased a lot. There used to be some bars that rode pretty well, and some that were unbearably stiff. Now I think most of them are pretty decent. The bike industry has gotten a lot better at carbon over the last 5 years.

As far as aluminum vs carbon, I think it just kinda comes down to which vibration frequencies you notice more. Carbon bars seem to mute out some high frequency resonance while aluminum bars can be a little less stiff overall. Which one works better for hand fatigue seems to vary from person to person.

I notice zero ride quality differences between stems. Get one in the length you want that looks nice.

**XXX-er** · 01-02-2022, 11:41 AM

YMMV but IME whatever is speced on a yeti or a SC, short stem with a wide set of bars and don't look down at them

**Andeh** · 01-02-2022, 02:19 PM

The OneUp bars do seem to be less harsh feeling to me than RaceFace SixC or Next R and Renthal. When I've ridden newer Santa Cruz, Yeti, and Enve bars, they've felt fine too.

A stem is a stem, for the most part. I like them to have a length similar to my fork offset, just seems to make the steering feel more direct (i.e. 40mm on a 44mm offset). Other than that, whatever looks good. I splurged on an Industry Nine stem because of looks, and also it's got 1 flat side, so I can run a K-Edge Wahoo mount over the top of it easily.