Todays fastest MTB racers are choosing increasingly wider handlebars in an effort to improve leverage and control. Gravity racers are also demanding low rise or flat bars which allow the rider to get into a low, powerful position. Syncros understands this and offers the FR 31 bar for extreme riders looking for maximum width and minimum rise.
If you look around the pits at a DH race, youll find that most racers run bars 710-785mm wide with 0-1 of rise. These days most DH race bikes are equipped with either the Chromag Fubar OSX, Raceface Atlas, Sunline V1 or Truvative BooBar handlebars bolted to the front end. Syncros aims take some market share from these 4 companies with the FR 31 handlebar. At 315 grams these bars are around 10% heavier than the competition but at just $66.95 MSRP, the FR 31 is $20-50 less expensive than the others.
Looking at the bars, the first thing that strikes you is the width. At 790mm (31 inches), this is the widest bar on the market which translates into unparalleled leverage and control. Every rider I talk to who has switched to wide bars likes the extra control and refuses to go back to narrower bars. Of course if you just cant get used to that much leverage or if you regularly ride trails with really closely spaced trees, you can always cut the bars to size.
The Ride
Theres a reason why all the top racers are running wide bars like these. It took me about an hour of ride time to get used to the FR 31 bars but after that I was launching jumps higher, pinning corners faster, pumping rollers better, pedaling harder, and rolling through rough terrain more easily.
No matter the terrain, your bike will feel more stable with these ultra wide bars. The width, rise, and sweep combine to put your hands in an ideal riding position which allows you to exert more power on the bars. In particular, the low rise puts you into a streamlined, race-ready position. I tested in black/grunge black bar, which drew some compliments, especially when paired with the matching Crux pedals.
The Verdict
The Syncros FR 31 bars are a perfect choice if you are a new school rider looking for more control overall and I wholeheartedly recommend them.
Similar Products Tested:
– Sunline V1
– Truvative Team DH/XC
– Truvative Holzfeller
– Truvative Hussefelt
– 2007 Raceface DH
Thanks to Syncros for supplying the FR 31 bar for testing
About Syncros
Syncros started operating out of a Vancouver bike shop in the 1980s, producing parts that could withstand the pounding dished out by riders on the nearby North Shore Mountains. Syncros was bought by Ritchey in 2003 and today produces high end components built tough enough to withstand the most difficult trails while maintaining competitive weights and prices.
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May 28, 2010
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