Made from Easton's exclusive CT2 (Composite Taperwall? Technology) carbon fiber, the Monkey Lite weighs in at a mere 150-175 grams. But don't let the weight fool you.
Like all other Easton bars, this one has one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios imaginable. Excellent for cross-country yet tough enough for downhill, the Monkey Lite features shock absorption and vibration dampening qualities that you'll only find with carbon!
HI = 1.5" rise, 26" width, 175 grams
LO = 1" rise, 24" width, 150 grams.
Submitted by
simon harry
a
from inverness, scotland
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2006
Strengths: great looks and just the right blend of rise and width for me. great shock absorbing properties
Weaknesses: price in UK £90 = $170. My local mechnic has found a crack in the bar leading from the clamp area, he told me this was a common problem with earlier Monkeylites (didnt want to hear that). So, i got a good bar for 4 years although I was expecting them to last longer as I only ride XC and they havent really been pushed that much. Clamp bolts never overtightened. Spoke to the guys in the shop who just told me that 'thats life, you have to get a new bar' - good ol UK customer service!!!
Bottom Line:
Good bar that performs well but have to rate is against the longevity which i feel is not good especially when you pay UK prices. but there again perhaps that just carbon for you.
Bike Setup: klein attitued race with XTR/XT set up, easton, raceface mix King HS, cane creek cronos wheelset...mmm nice and light but definatly a pain in the ass on a good days ride.
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Submitted by
Grant
a Cross Country Rider
from Kirksville Mo. USA
Date Reviewed: January 7, 2006
Strengths: Lite! Forgiving! Just plain bad @$$
Weaknesses: None.
Bottom Line:
Bought in 2000 when I built this fabulous supercaliber, two summers in Colorado, ride almost every day, many crashes, the bar is still new looking and takes the edge off 80mm forks. Will ride them for another five years. Easton Monkeylite's are the best period. Will not ride anything else ever.
Similar Products Used: Club Roost, Bontrager, other easton.
Bike Setup: 00 Supercaliber, lite durable stuff, Revolt semi's.
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Submitted by
Zachary
a Cross Country Rider
from Golden, CO
Date Reviewed: July 18, 2005
Strengths: These are light, strong and wide. Just enough rise to drop back in the saddle for flying down hills.
Weaknesses: Haven't yet been able to conjure one up! PRICE maybe. So far they seem worth it!
Bottom Line:
Broken bars = Broken shoulders and/or face. These are worth every penny to the XC rider where weight matters. If you're a downhiller or freerider just clamp a tree trunk to your stem and call it good.
Weaknesses: Carbone scratches very easily. Stiffness (I needed to readjust fork for more plush and eventually bought a new one) A bit too wide (660 mm) for me.
Bottom Line:
When you change or upgrade a component, this most of the time involves you to change another one. I just wanted to have a nicer handlebar in the first place but got carried away and also bought the Marzocchi fork (checkout for my post). Kinda regretted the purchase at the time. But not anymore.
Eventually got the right combination around my front wheel. More control+ more responsiveness = more speed. No comparison with the previous setting I had before.
Favorite Trail: Swinley Forest, Leith Hill (Surrey), Wales
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$130.00
Purchased At: merlincycles.co.uk
Similar Products Used: Original straight bar that came with the bike. Club Roost riser.
Bike Setup: Giant XTC NRS. Marz Marathon fork, Easton CT2 seatpost, Mavic X317 rims on Hope xc hubs (will soon change to DT Swiss 4.1), Formula B4 Team brakes, San Marco Arami saddle
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Submitted by
A.J.
a Weekend Warrior
from Pleasanton, CA, USA
Weaknesses: A little pricy, for my cheap student ass`;)
Bottom Line:
I eas a little worried about geeting this being that I weigh in over 240 pounds, and ride like a bore. I am suprised at how frigging lith this damn bar is! On the first ride I can tell that it absorbed little bumbs alot better then my previous bar. Yet it is stiff enough that when I blazing down hill that I don't worry about it snaping in half. I would recomend this bar to anyone looking for a more comfertable ride and wants to shave some weight off your bike. I would not recomend this bar for anyone into freeriding!
Submitted by
shawn malloy
a Cross Country Rider
from brighton
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2003
Strengths: Weight, up and back sweep (good for wrists), strength, looks if you care.
Weaknesses: none so far
Bottom Line:
These save your wrists. They really do kill vibration And in doing so, they give you more control and a much better feel for the terrain than otherwise possible. It has a "dead wood" feel that as soon as you experience it you will never go back to aluminum. And these have taken more abuse than my last three bars combined. They DO NOT break. I don't think I could break them if I tried. If the US military trusts Easton enough to give them huge contracts I trust them enough to put on my bike. They are not just for weight weenies. They are for any smart biker who wants real quality for the money. Buy them, You will only kick yourself for not doing it earlier. ( I just bought two more; one for my girlfriends bike and on for my backup bike)
Similar Products Used: Raceface Aluminum, Titec, Syncros Aluminum, Ritchey Prolight
Bike Setup: 2002 BRODIE SPARK (Scandium frame), xtr, monkelites, '03 EC70 carbon post, hayes discs, selle italia TT, king headset. BEST HARDTAIL on the PLANET!
