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Submitted by
Doc D
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Palos | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint | | Strengths: | Releived my hand numbness, much more comfortable than any riser or flatbar I have used. Very nice looking finish. Multiple hand positions is nice for long rides. Stable controled handling feel. Soaks up some chatter from the road. | | Weaknesses: | Little bit of flex while pumping hard in a standing position. Put's the shifters in a weird position, but you get used to it rather quickly. | | Similar Products Used: | Various flat and riser bars, nothing like this though. | | Bike Setup: | C'dale F600 set-up with 700c wheels, 1x9, commuter bike. | | Bottom Line: | Perfect for what I'm using it for, which is commuting. I'm 100% satisfied with the improvement in comfort over "regular" bars, feel and control have improved too. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jodemeister
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | BCGB | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$54.00 | | Purchased At: | Price point | | Strengths: | Control, control, control, comfort, confidence. | | Weaknesses: | Don't have a 31.8 size | | Similar Products Used: | riser bars, flat bars - but nothing else like it | | Bike Setup: | Asylum XXL 29er | | Bottom Line: | 15 (now 16) reviews and one curmudgeon. I can't believe the difference with these bars. I'm going down stuff I used to walk before because I feel completely in control. They're really phenomenal.
I also switched to Ergon grips at the same time. I'm not sure if the combination is a 1+1 = 5 kinda thing or if they both just rock in their own ways. but whatever, go buy both and make yourself a better rider instantly. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross Country Rider
from Lake County, Ohio
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | Comfort and stability, length of gripping area. Most natural hand extension of any bar so far. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. Weight, Maybe? Cables need made to made longer, Shimano trigger shifters end up in a funky position. Grips that fit the length. | | Similar Products Used: | Salsa 7,11 degree bars, Easton 5 degree flat and riser. Ritchey, Titec and Specialized. | | Bike Setup: | Ritchey with full XTR and weight weeny ti parts and bolts. Planet X Kaffenback Set-up as 8 speed rear with single 36 up front. About the town bike. | | Bottom Line: | It started with the Planet X bike. Just as something relaxed to ride without being hunch over(road bars) or twitchy (flat bars). Put them on and it was like WHY on earth have I never use these before. I put my hands down by my side and the bars fit my hands without turning my wrist or flanking my elbows to fit. It has not been this natural since my moto-X days. These bars also made my race steed fun relaxed and dependable. I gave up my Easton carbon bars for these. Absolutely no regrets. Ps. Grips Planet-X =funky bar tape w/gel pad. Ritchey = 2 sets of Specialized sidewinders grip. One cut shorter(beautifully) with a pipe cutter and one at full length. One of the best cycling purchases I've made in 15 years. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
johnnyb
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax, Cali
Date Reviewed: January 22, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Any thing singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | 55 | | Strengths: | Well, I liked the ergonomic feel and light weight. | | Weaknesses: | Flexy, broke in half. 25.4, not stiff enough for singlespeed | | Similar Products Used: | Ritchy, Titec, Easton | | Bike Setup: | Redline Flight and monocog SS, rigid. | | Bottom Line: | Hey where are all the other reviews? I posted earlier and need to post again.
I bought the bars because of rave performance reviews and initial comments I saw on On-One's website. I'm a big, 220lb, 6'2" singlespeeder with 20 years of mountain biking and build up my own bikes. I torque everything right, yadda, yadda.
That said, I used these bars for 6 months singlespeeding, 3 months on a 1X9 climbing steep stuff, mostly cross-country with an occasional steep downhill excitement on the singletrack. The bars flexed, they flexed in the garage while I was just sitting there. I thought it was okay, until they snapped while just riding along. I survived without a scratch.
Some may say it was the stems fault, but I say they are flexy. Not good for a big singlespeeding fanatic. Check it carefully!
What a waste of money. Get a 31.8 something and something stiff for singlespeeding. Zeroes all around | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
sparky
a Weekend Warrior
from N. Ireland
Date Reviewed: November 22, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Anything with everything | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | used off a guy on an on-one forum | | Strengths: | ergonomic shape | | Weaknesses: | 25.4mm clamp area, new cost | | Similar Products Used: | usual riser bars; titec el norte, kona DH, specialized riser xc etc. | | Bike Setup: | 2006 stumpjumper fsr comp upgraded cassette and chain but that's all apart from the bars | | Bottom Line: | Is there anybody out there who spends a lot of time on the bike and honestly doesn't have sore thumbs? I've holes on the palms of my gloves from resting my hands on the ends of the bars whilst climbing or cruising. These bars are brill. Only just got them, never wanted to pay full price so got them used but had to go and get another stem because I couldn't pick up a shim anywhere to fit the existing oversize clamp on my bike. However, my new stem does let the world see the pretty little Mary peering out!
A lot of my friends use them so I knew what I was getting into, they are super comfortable on long and short rides, feel slightly different from normal but anybody can get used to them quickly! FORGET THUMB AND WRIST PAIN WITH THESE BABIES! Plus they look cool. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
scott silvers
a Cross Country Rider
from plymouth
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | poto | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay used | | Strengths: | ergonomic magic | | Weaknesses: | some handling weirdness | | Similar Products Used: | lotsa risers with 13 deg. sweeps and a salsa moto w/ a 17 degree sweep | | Bike Setup: | surly 1x1 | | Bottom Line: | I've been using the mary for over a year, and I really can't bear to imagine riding my SS without it. It really defines the handling characteristics of the bike for me. I love the stability, ease of effort for out of the saddle climbing, and overall comfort.
But, I must add, it takes a dedicated rider to discard conventionality when using this bar. In some low speed, or off camber situations where you get lazy weighting the inside grip, you will not hold your line with this bar. That is the only quirk I've experienced with the handling adjustment 1 year in on this bar....this one small observance pales in comparison to the superb feel of control and ease of riding this bar emparts. Lastly, I feel this bar is phenominal for an xc bike, but for my 5" Turner 5spot , I don't believe this bar is appropriate for a hucker xc fucher kinda bike, and I'll stick to my 2" 13 deg. sweep salsa riser bar.....but for xc motoring, Mary is magic.
It won't be instant magic for a newbie, but give it some rides and you'll see.... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Anthony
a
from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Date Reviewed: October 3, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Comfortable hand position, good control, stiff, well-suited to climbing. Make your bike look cooler than cooool. | | Weaknesses: | Somewhat expensive and can be hard to source. Won't make you better looking (just your bike). | | Similar Products Used: | Surly torsion, cheap-o flat and riser bars. | | Bike Setup: | Rigid 1-speed Karate Monkey with a big fat monkey riding on it. | | Bottom Line: | I love Mary! The hand position just feels natural going up, down, and especially out of the saddle. With the shape of the bar you can really jam your knees forward on standing climbs. It might take a few rides to get your position set up right, read some of the other reviews or forum threads for info. But once you do, it's all about the love! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robbie the Dog
a Weekend Warrior
from boulder, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | 401 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint | | Strengths: | Hand position(s), knee clearance, ability to yard on them for uphills in too-fat gears | | Weaknesses: | re-doing cabling for it; can only use some stems (bars are too bent to fit through one-piece clamps); one could always wish they were cheaper...(hence value rating) | | Similar Products Used: | my grandma's bike's bars | | Bike Setup: | standard, crappy hardtail | | Bottom Line: | The angle of the bars is more comfortable, once you get used to it. No more wrist pain, thumb pain (from bars whacking thumbs on downhill). Alternative pseudo-aero position for super-eco road riding from home to trailhead. You can also easily yard on them when standing up cranking up hills (my gearing is crappy). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a
from Bristol, UK
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | private sale | | Strengths: | Good hand position, much more natural. Has effectively solved my hardtail related carpal tunnel syndrome issues and bad back at a stroke. Good for singlespeed cranking. | | Weaknesses: | I've found that over rough ground (rocks, big roots, ruts) with a rigid fork your hands tend to slide up and down the grip more than on "normal bars" leading to sore palms after a prolonged ride. But then again if I'm going to be riding ground that rough then I should probably put my sus forks on. | | Similar Products Used: | kore, easton EA70 | | Bike Setup: | Diled Bikes Love/Hate SS, DT 4.2d rims on Hope XC hubs, Juicy 7s, HTII LX cranks, Surly stainless ring, King steel Kog, Schwalbe Racing Ralphs, White Bros Rock Solid carbon rigid fork or Fox Vanilla RLC. | | Bottom Line: | Very good for SS use, very nice hand position. It takes a while to sort out your hand position, I've gone for having the bar tips angled down by 20 degrees or so, seems better than having it flat. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt Pewthers
a Cross Country Rider
from L A, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Platte River State Park (NE) | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$85.00 | | Purchased At: | on-one | | Strengths: | Comfortable hand position for long rides. Powerful position for uphill sprints and a good alternate position at the curve for slow, sustained uphill efforts. Lasted 2 years. Can be purchased domestically now, which makes it less expensive than what I paid ordering it from On-One directly. | | Weaknesses: | It's kind of goofy looking, though I came to like that about it too. It broke, but it took 2 years of abuse and I don't feel that it was flawed. | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager satelite cruiser bar (not on my mountain bike though). Bontrager XXX DH Crowbar. | | Bike Setup: | Redline Monocog 29er, Avid BB7s, Race Face Evolve DH cranks, King Headset, SPDs, WTB Pure V | | Bottom Line: | I used this bar on a hardtail urban assault/ jumper bike before I got the monocog and switched some of the parts over (hence the DH cranks on a SS 29er). It held up well under my graceless, no-skill style of jumping and (small, 6 feet or less) flat-landing drops. Since putting the bar on the Monocog it has been used on long gravel rides from Lincoln to Platte River, fast, sketchy and rutted fire road descents in the Verdugos (LA) and tumbling wrecks down Mt Wilson. It also saw about 30 miles per day of commuting. It's life on the Redline has been rough at times, and coupled with how it was treated on the previous bike, the stress proved too great and I snapped off the left side last week. Sadly, I can't afford another on right now so I'm using a steel Bontrager DH bar that I at least know won't break. I still give this bar a full rating, I loved it and my wrists are pissed off to be back on a traditional bar with such limited sweep. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a Weekend Warrior
from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Unique shape | | Weaknesses: | Nothing I've noticed | | Similar Products Used: | Have tried most shapes and sizes of bars over the years | | Bike Setup: | Kona Unit 2-9, Reba Race, 32x18 driving 29er wheels, Thomson stem, Juicy brakes, 2.3 Exiwolf, etc. | | Bottom Line: | If you're been uncomfortable with other bars, this might be worth a look. I find it outstanding for singlespeed use, where I spend probably 75% of the time standing and cranking. For me, it's much more comfortable than even the most swept-back DH riser bars - took about 4-5 good long rides to get the positioning dialed in.
I haven't found any trade-offs for the more natural hand position. Control is the same or better in almost every situation. The only exception is in places where you want a ton of leverage on the steering, such as carrying too much speed into rock gardens - but that's just another way of saying that it's not an extra-wide bar.
It's a sturdy bar with an unconventional shape. What else is there to say? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alexis Artwohl
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson AZ
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Golder Ranch area in Tucson AZ | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | Webcyclery | | Strengths: | Natural hand position is extremely comfortable and makes everything easier, especially cranking up hills standing up. | | Weaknesses: | None whatsoever | | Similar Products Used: | bunch of the usual low riser bars | | Bike Setup: | S-Works, disc brakes | | Bottom Line: | I tried this bar because of sore hands. After one ride I was blown away with how superior this swept back design is. It makes me wonder why ALL mountain bikes don't come with this type of handlebar. Oh yeah, my hands aren't sore any more. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
scott silvers
a Cross Country Rider
from plymouth, MI USA
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | poto | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$46.00 | | Purchased At: | EBAY | | Strengths: | Nice finish, smooth bends on bar.... | | Weaknesses: | difficulty in figuring out where to mount a handlebar light....not enough material adjacent to stem to mount a light and have it point fully forward - resorted to mounting the light at either the left or right bend in the bar. It works great, but looks weird having the light far off the centerline...actually - it kinda helps w/ contrast having the light offset, so it's OK. | | Similar Products Used: | Easton risers alu and carbon, salsa moto ace risers, race face risers, azonic riser, riser riser...... | | Bike Setup: | Surly 1x1 with a marzocchi marathon 100mm.... | | Bottom Line: | I was curious about this bar, so I got one on ebay - used, from some guy who wasn't keen on the bar.
Have to admit, it did feel weird at the get go, but after a few rides, it was wonderful....as one poster commented, it really does feel like you are skiing to some regard with this bar [especially in the air, think of a DH skier in a tuck flying off a drop-off] - or you feel like you are riding some GP motorcycle roadracer with clip-ons. Very in-control feeling. And, on a SS, when you have to stand and honk on the pedals, the bends of the bar provide ample room for your legs to do their thing on steep inclines, without having to worry about hitting a conventional riser bar.
FYI, I did have to cut new housings for the controls, for the bends do require more curve to the cable/housings - this wasn't a big deal, since it was a singlespeed, but on a geared bike, it could be a little more of a pain.....
I really like this bar, and have been toying with the idea of putting one on my full-susser, but am too lazy to consider cutting a bunch more housing to allow it to fit......but when cable replacement comes around, maybe!
It aint cheap, so I' cant give it the highest value rating, but overall it rocks....
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Reub
a Cross Country Rider
from Cardiff
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | very comfortable natural riding position, completely solved my back problems. Strong. Handling is great. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | on one riser bar, 3t integral bar, cruiser bars, road bars. | | Bike Setup: | Geared inbred with slicks and mudguards. | | Bottom Line: | Great design, after first 30mins riding you get used to the new position and it is a lot more natural and comfortable. Sorted my back ache out. My previous On-one riser bar is also good and maybe more leverage to lift front wheel, but for all day comfortable riding, the Mary is great. Good design. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder, CO
Date Reviewed: November 27, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Comfortable, affordable and smart design
Multiple hand positions
Mary graphic (need to find a stem with a hole in the faceplate)
Puzzled looks I get at the trailhead | | Weaknesses: | None yet | | Similar Products Used: | Various flat and riser bars | | Bike Setup: | GT Lightning singlespeed | | Bottom Line: | I just crossed the year mark with the Mary bars on my Singlespeed and I can honestly say it is the only bicycle component I have ever been 100% satisfied with. I commute daily on them and hit the trails on the weekends. I have never had issues with numbness and I believe they improve the handling of the bike across the board. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nathan
a Weekend Warrior
from Lincoln, NE
Date Reviewed: November 7, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Platte River State Park Trails | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Fantastic shape- most comfortable bar I've used. I would guess I'd have to go to a JOnes H-bar to feel better and I don't feel like ponying the $250. | | Weaknesses: | If you're a weight weenie, look elsewhere. Pretty heavy. Completely worth it though. | | Similar Products Used: | Nothing. | | Bike Setup: | Redline Monocog SS 29er. Rigid. V-brakes. Very upgraded. | | Bottom Line: | It may seem like a lot for a 6061 handlebar. It's not. Next to my WTB SST and 29" wheels it is the most important piece on my bike. Every bike I own from now on will have one on it. Even a fully or a geared bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom Miller
a Cross Country Rider
from Dolores, Colorado
Date Reviewed: November 2, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Unique hand position balances power and comfort in a narrow package. | | Weaknesses: | I haven't seen one with a 31.8mm clamp yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Is there really anything like this? | | Bike Setup: | Surly Pugsley, single-speed, with Thudbuster | | Bottom Line: | I'd been having a hard time finding the right handlebar and/or bar-end combo to help me push Pugsley uphill after I converted it to a single speed for the winter. Wide bars with bar-ends were too wide for climbing and cutting the bars down just made it harder to turn such a big wheel.
The Marys are ideal for single-speed and 29-er riders because the radically angled grip position seems to really help tighten up the bike's handling while still being stable. The forward bend allows you to really get out over the nose while climbing out of the saddle without hitting your knees on the bars.
Fast descending is a blast with the Marys! The hand position is much more downhill ski racer than motocross rider. This means a few new sensations while getting out of shape in the air a little, but no reason to actually slow down. In the rough you just pick your line and point your hands right where you want to go. The best part is that these bars are narrow enough to zip through wooded trails without hanging up on brush and you can get through those slots between the pines without tapping the brakes.
I'm not running out to buy Mary bars for all the bikes in the stable, but I'm impressed with another oddball idea (let's face it these are townie bars made out of aluminum) that works well and is a ton of fun to ride. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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