Description:The lightest titanium handlebar, period. At an incredible 118 grams, this butted aerospace-grade 3/2.5 Titanium bar escapes the traditional limits of how light a handlebar can be, without compromising strength!
Submitted by
Aaron
a Cross Country Rider
from Columbia, MO USA Date Reviewed: October 10, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Online retailer
Strengths:
Very light (mine weighed an accurate 118 grams w/o B.E.R.T.s, 147 grams with them)
Strong.
Beautiful Ti finish.
Weaknesses:
None. It's pricey, but worth every penny.
Similar Products Used:
Easton EC70 (two, in fact; kept breaking, so I bought the Titec).
Bike Setup:
Fisher SuperCaliber.
Bottom Line:
I wouldn't blink at paying twice the price for one of these bars. I'll probably hand it down to my great grandson one day. Dropped straight from heaven and onto my bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ed ed
a Cross Country Rider
from los angeles Date Reviewed: January 18, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$118.00
Purchased At:
glendale cycles
Strengths:
light and tough, narrow enough for tight trails through trees. outstanding workmanship and an amazing piece of engineering. still one of the lightest bars this side of carbon fiber.
Weaknesses:
vibrates easily. ends are sensitive to damage especially if you have barends and crash now and then. a little bit flexy for people who ride with muscle.
great xc bar for light to middle weight riders. not for the red bull crew. an engineering marvel at 118g. i moved on to a dh riser bar because i needed more bar height on the f700 and more width for better breathing on climbs. also mine was one of the first to come out of the titec factory and titanium does have a fatigue life. probably the best bar ever made for it's intended purpose.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig
a Cross Country Rider
from Llanelli, UK Date Reviewed: July 31, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Afan Argoed
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
local shop
Strengths:
Light weight, durable, value for money (they outlast any other light weight handlebars).
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Only use Titec 118's.
Bike Setup:
Merlin XLM, XTR, Chris King etc.
Bottom Line:
The bars have had over eight years use (average use of 5,000 miles a year) without any problems. They have survived several crashes that would have destroyed lightweight carbon bars. The only slight damage was slight bending of the very end part of the bars which is easily sorted. I would advise only tightening the bolts on any controls just tight enough for them to hold with anti-seize under the clamps. Also, never use a screw driver to remove old grips. The only way these bars will eventually fail is if you put scratches into them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark A. Lohnes
a Cross Country Rider
from Skagway, AK Date Reviewed: July 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
EBay
Strengths:
Light and supple - takes the sting out on high freguency vibes!
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
no other Ti bars
Bike Setup:
Fuel 90 - full xtr, stoke fork and shock.
Bottom Line:
I love this bar. It has been a tremendous upgrade to the light Bontragers I used to use. This bar in narrow, which I prefer, tough as heck, and is so comfy. Because it is a narrow bar the stiffness factor is not an issue with me. I have wrecked pretty badly on 2 occations and the bar didn't even scratch!!!
I have Titec Carbon barends with out BERTS and I have not had a problem yet. I did finally get a pair and feel more comfortable with the added security, though. No problems PERIOD.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Date Reviewed: July 10, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Great Local Shop
Strengths:
Light & Strong (Despite looking wimpy but I guess that is ti)
Weaknesses:
It was uncomfortably short at first but even as a tall guy (6'3") I got used to this after my first few rides and they feel great now!
Similar Products Used:
None!
Bike Setup:
XTR, Chris King, Thompson (all top notch stuff) on a fisher Mt Tam 29er
Bottom Line:
I am reading through all the reviews for this product and see that the same is true for a number of other things reviewed on this site. There are a number of people out there who for some reason seem to damage things out of incompetence!!!
BOTTOM LINE is that I am a guy who weighs 270 and rides a number of times each week, and these things have stood up to all my stress, have no issues with bending or crimping (and I use bar ends), and have had no bar integrity issues during some intense crashes!!!
You usually get what you pay for and this is the bar that all the guys at my local shop ride too! Great bar for anyone!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kyle
a Cross Country Rider
from College Station Date Reviewed: April 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Rocky Hill
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Stole off Girlfriend's Bike
Strengths:
Light and Flexy, but not too much so
Weaknesses:
A little too narrow
Similar Products Used:
Bonty Race Light. Race Face Air Alloy
Bike Setup:
Sure is.
Bottom Line:
My girlfriend wanted to go to a riser bar on her bike. I "volunteered" to switch bars with her. I'm pleased to say that we are both happy with the outcome. She bought her bike used and didn't even know the bar was Ti. I love the flex, but its slightly too narrow. I won't dock it any chilis though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul St.Laurent
a Cross Country Rider
from Winnipeg,Manitoba Date Reviewed: September 6, 2001
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Olympia cycle-Henderson Hwy.
Strengths:
LIGHT!!! STRONG!!! cool looking.
Weaknesses:
Ends of bar can crimp in crash.
Similar Products Used:
Nothing this light!
Bike Setup:
Using with Syncros stem.
Bottom Line:
Excellent bar if you can justify spendind the money. I weigh 180 lbs and the bar does flex a little which makes for a nice ride. The bar is super light and strong.I don't use bar ends so crimping at the thin ends was not a problem for me until a car hit me from behind. I got a broken tail bone and a bent bar at the end. The bar needs to be replaced. I will be getting another titec for sure!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Charlie
a Cross Country Rider
from FL Date Reviewed: April 20, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Nunya
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
Mail-order
Strengths:
Durability
Weaknesses:
Doesn't flex (I originally bought it because I was using a rigid Kinesis fork & thought it might flex enuf to take the bite out of smaller impacts.)
Similar Products Used:
Various aluminum bars but no ti.
Bike Setup:
Habanero ti with Manitou SX-R w/lockout, Velocity Deep-V rims, XT hubs, Alivio crankset, SRAM cogset, SunTour thumbshifters, STX-RC rr der, XTR fr der, SH-545 pedals, CODA brake levers, OnZa Raw barends, Selle San Marco Regal suspension seat & homemade ti seatpost.
Bottom Line:
This is a followup of my '97 review. This bar has literally taken a beating & kept on ... Crashed into an Australian pine hard enuf to draw blood about three weeks ago but the bar was none the worse from the right-side impact. Quite amazing considering I hit the tree hard enuf to numb my left arm/shoulder. Definitely rates the highest marks for both value & overall.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from chicago Date Reviewed: April 14, 2001
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
So light it's scary, very durable titanium.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Kore light bar
Bike Setup:
Xizang, XT,XTR, Truvativ, 517s, mars c
Bottom Line:
When I first purchased it, I was afraid to use it becuase it was so light..like air. When you hammer fast down some single track om rough terrain it takes some bite out along with zero flex. It's survived a few crashes. If you are looking for a replacement, this is it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott Hammontree
a Racer
from Ellijay GA USA Date Reviewed: December 12, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Ridgeway and Ft Mtn
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
River City Bicycles
Strengths:
Very light, look kool, flex just the right amount(for me any way), reduced vibration, not expensive compared to other heavier titanium bars
Klein Frame, Sid SL Fork, Race Face Crank, Titec Bar, Easton MG60 stem, Rolf Propel Wheels(way kool wheels)
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is i haven't used this bar long enough to give true evaluation. how ever, i have been so impressed with it up to this point i thought i would go ahead and let people know. The terrain here is brutal and my aluminum hard tail will beat you to death. i put the MG60 stem on just to reduce vibration. The Sid helps. But now, the bar seems to be the one item that has made this bike bearable to ride. I usually race a full suspenion bike, but now, who knows. I may race this abusive piece of equipment. So, buy this bar. you will not be sorry. Now i think i will go knock on wood.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rico
a Cross Country Rider
from Angwin, CA Date Reviewed: November 5, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Palisades
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Durability. Flex takes off the sharp edge of bumps.
Weaknesses:
It's not really that light weight. Mine weighed 142g with the Berts and shim.
Similar Products Used:
Answer Hyperlight (crimped and bent after 1 year), Klein MC (cracked after 1 year)
Bike Setup:
'92 Litespeed. Mostly Ti components, XT Thumbies!!!! Hey, they rule.
Bottom Line:
I've been riding/racing my same Titec 118 bar for over 7 years (including racing the Kamikaze 3 times with it)! Been in numerous crashes, at least 3 of which were over 40 mph. The bar just keeps going. It is a bit narrow resulting in less control stability when doing steep ascents/descents and with barends it's really narrow, but look at the positive, it sure makes it easy to wind through the trees on singletrack. Yes, the ends of the bar are crimped where the barends clamp on as a result of numerous direct impacts with trees and rocks, but it is far, far less then any other bar I've seen that has faced similar challenges. Definitely use the BERTS if you are running bar ends. I've enjoyed this bar so much I decided to put another one on my recently built Santa Cruz Superlight. Must give it a Fiver for a lifespan like that.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a Racer
from SF, Cali Date Reviewed: June 8, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Cool color! Very compliant.
Weaknesses:
Over Priced. Too short.
Similar Products Used:
RF air alloy
Bike Setup:
22lb. Hardtail w/barends
Bottom Line:
Not worth the $70 price tag. Tried putting barends on and everything felt too cramped. I weighed my bar w/shim and berts and it came up as 150gm on a digital scale! I thought it was 118g/125g w/shim,berts. I now am using a RF air alloy for half the price and the same weight! Plus the extra length allows me to use bar ends more comfortably.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter St-Amour
a Cross Country Rider
from Mold, North Wales Date Reviewed: May 4, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Tank trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Weighs nothing, beautiful finish, just the right width, has a degree of bend
Weaknesses:
Feels a bit fragile
Similar Products Used:
X-Lite, Marin OEM
Bike Setup:
Marin Mount Vision, Pace RC36 Pro-Class, Mavic Ceramic, Hope BULB, XT, XTR
Bottom Line:
Very light, but doesn't feel so very substantial it has to be said. Warning on packet about not scratching the finish worries me a bit, especially if I need to replace the grips which normally requires a screwdriver (but then, not always).
The quality is very impressive although I couldn't comment on the damping qualities as I've not noticed any difference between what's gone before. Feels good though and the figures about stress give me some confidence it's not going to break. Probably not for the ham fisted though. Good value at the half price I paid for it. Couldn't imagine paying £80 though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross-Country Rider
from Johnson City, TN Date Reviewed: May 24, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Blue Trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Light weight
Weaknesses:
Cost Durability
Similar Products Used:
Syncros Hardcore
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Heckler w/Judy XC
Bottom Line:
They are nice and light, but . . . don't expect them to last forever. I weigh 170 lbs and the end the bars were crimped when I replaced it. Also, after an endo, one of my bar ends bent in. Overall, they are probably not worth the money, you are only saving 25 grams over the Syncros or Ritchey WCS and it costs an exta $40. That's over the one dollar per gram saved. That mean's it's not worth it. If you're a racer go ahead and get it. Expect to replace it in 2 years or less.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eli
a Weekend Warrior
from Fresno, CA Date Reviewed: April 7, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Cannell Trail
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
Light, strong, comfy
Weaknesses:
A bit narrow
Similar Products Used:
3T H-Bars, Scott LF
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight, Manitou SX Ti, Cane Creek AD 10
Bottom Line:
This is a great handlebar, if you don't weigh a lot and aren't a thrasher. I've been riding mine pretty hard for about three years, and still haven't had any trouble with it (knock on wood). I love the light weight and durability, although I can't say as I notice whether it flexes or not. I guess I'm just not hardcore enough to care about the whole flex issue. It doesn't creak or slip, and it hasn't failed. What else can you ask for in a handlebar? I suppose it could be a little wider, although it doesn't really bother me.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Palmquick
a racer
from Miami Date Reviewed: February 28, 1999
Bottom Line:
Titec's 118 bar is a quality product. It is far more flexy than an average aluminum bar. This is a quality aspect to aid in the damping of constant bumps (such a roots).
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Timster
a cross-country rider
from Washington, DC Date Reviewed: February 22, 1999
Bottom Line:
my brother said he'd buy me some trick Ti item for xmas, and I got the 118s. At first I was incredilous about how thin the walls of the bar were on the ends. Its thinner than paper. Doesnt really inspire much confidence in its strength, but I put them on my Homegrown anyway. I've been beating on them all month long and I'll have to say it does sorta make it easier on the arms over the rough stuff, and hasnt folded on me yet. Make sure you tighten it on the stem well, or the bar will twist around in the plastic sleeve pretty easy. I hit the end of the bar (I dont use bar ends) on something hard, and it bent the edge inwards, but wasnt too severe, and i just bent it back out and now I'm looking for some beefy plugs to keep it from happening again. (I might warn you that most plugs dont even stay in the ends, due to its extremely thin walls.. so make sure the plug goes in securely before buying it.)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MOUNTAIN GOPHER
a cross-country rider
from N.Y. Date Reviewed: February 21, 1999
Bottom Line:
had these for two years.weigh around 190 at beginning of season,drop to 165-170 .great bar,saves fatigue on arms,especially on 6 hour endurance rides over super technical terrain.have them on my full suspension,upgrading my hardtail with them .just the right amount of flex to take te sting out of unexpected hits.what else can i say ? they rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a cross-country rider
from Iowa Date Reviewed: January 31, 1999
Bottom Line:
I feel if this is used as intended, it's a great piece. The bar is light and strong, with a nearly infinite fatigue life as compared to aluminum bars. The plastic shim for the stem worked fine, and the BERT's were ok too. I think others must be overtightening their bar ends, as I have no distortion or crimping problems at all. I'm using the Titec carbon Mid-100 ends as well, which are another great product. Light, comfortable, strong, and only 100 grams.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paulo Abreu
a weekend warrior
from Funchal-Madeira-Portugal Date Reviewed: December 31, 1998
Bottom Line:
I make this review because i think it´s actual rating doesn´t express the efective quality of this bar. I have it for 2 years and i can not subscribe some of the previous opinions. The handlebar is very light, it´s super strong, has never shown any notice of bending and it´s very confortable. It has 50 times the fatigue resistance of major aluminium bars. I´ll recomend it very stongly !!!5 starts because it has no more
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a weekend warrior
from Johnson City, TN Date Reviewed: October 28, 1998
Bottom Line:
My bars are now 3 years old and have held up great. I've never noticed any bothersome flex. After a major endo in which all my weight and the bike landed on the bar end, the bar did get crimped a little bit and I hope I don't have to try to take the bard end off and then try to put it back on. But hey--it still works.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a cross-country rider
from Brooklyn, NY Date Reviewed: August 14, 1998
Bottom Line:
Been riding the Titec 118 bars for just over a year. In a word: PLUSH! They have just enough flex. They’re LIGHT. The Ti finish is NICE. My only complaint is with the BERTS system. They add a minor amount of weight, but who carries a gram scale around these days. My old barends crunched the bar’s ends slightly. I discovered this when installing a new set of LP Braids. Annoying, but the 118’s still work fine.They ARE a bit pricy, but once the dough is spent . . . fuggeddaboudit.4 Chilis (Sorry, had to subtract one for the BERTS)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave Mooney
a cross-country rider
from British Columbia, Canada Date Reviewed: June 9, 1998
Bottom Line:
These bars haul. I have had mine for about 6 months and I have had NO problems with them. They simply rock. They are the 2nd lightest bar I am aware of. 118 grams! That will save some weight over the heavy, 150 gram alumi-crap bars you have now. Buy some! You won't be sorry! They also look TOO SWEET. 5 chiles for these puppies.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Beery
a cross-country rider
from McMinnville, Oregon Date Reviewed: March 19, 1998
Bottom Line:
I installed these on my fully ridgid bridgestone MB1 and after a summer of rough riding these things are noticably bent. They have a great feel but seem to be disposable. I cant complain though since Ionly paid 10 bucks for them brand new (someone swapped them for riser bars when they picked up a new rig)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Charlie
a racer
from FL Date Reviewed: November 23, 1997
Bottom Line:
Overrated! First of all they're NOT 118gm bars! My bar weighed 132gms alone & 142gms with BERTs. Secondly they aren't anywhere near as 'flexy' as my previous bar -- aluminum, approx the same weight & far less money. Finally, even with BERTs, barends still caused crimping. Considering what they cost & their purported benefits & failure to live up to same I'd rate them a ZERO.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg Ankofski
a cross-country rider
from St. Louis, MO Date Reviewed: September 15, 1997
Bottom Line:
These aren't exactly cheap! I saw one at my LBS for $110! I paid $80 mailorder and that is too high. These bars are strong, but then again, what titanium bar won't be? The thin walls though make it a VERY flexy bar. DO NOT buy this bar if you weigh more than 150 lbs. I have a strong upper body and weigh 170 lbs. and this bar flexed all over the place. For lightweights it may be a good choice since the flex could aid with bump absorption. All in all, you are payin nearly a buck a gram retail - what a joke.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Smith
a racer
from usa Date Reviewed: August 9, 1997
Bottom Line:
I weigh 140 lbs and race cross-country and after a few rough crashes the handlebar is noticeably bent !! I cant complain though because any other handlebar would have cracked or snapped off !(I would know)This bar is worth every cent
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a cross-country rider
from Whittier Date Reviewed: May 23, 1997
Bottom Line:
I'm a 6'5 200 lb. cross country racer and I've ridden this bar for about a year now. I love it. I've got a really stiff Cannondale frame - the first year they made the fatty - and this bar has been nothing but superb for me. The Ti bar does seem to damp out alot of the small stuff with minimum flex.I've had my share of bails and it's held up fine. . . no problems with the plastic spacer squeaking. It comes with BERTS so your bar ends won't crimp the bar and again, no problems there.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eddy Riou, Jr.
a cross-country rider
from Bloomington, IN Date Reviewed: April 15, 1997
Bottom Line:
I love my handlebars! They're soooo lite! To prevent crimping, they have also included bar end reinforcements. They're relatively cheap too! How does Titec do it? That's right, slave labor in the Far East. Oh well, thank God for it! Keep pumping out Titecs, Nikes, and all those kewl Star Wars figures for next to nothing. Isn't living in America beautiful!
Overall Rating:
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