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inexpensive bar/stem combo

1007 Views 9 Replies 4 Participants Last post by capt pearl, Aug 24, 2004

rawdingo

Discussion Starter · Aug 19, 2004

I am looking to get a new bar and stem that is fairly lightweight. I am not an obsessive weight weenie but I am trying to get things lightened up some.

Anyone have any suggestions for around $100?

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DaFireMedic

· #2 · Aug 19, 2004

rawdingo said:
I am looking to get a new bar and stem that is fairly lightweight. I am not an obsessive weight weenie but I am trying to get things lightened up some.

Anyone have any suggestions for around $100?

If I were doing it, I'd go with a Pazzaz stem ($16) from JensonUSA, and either one of the generic carbon bars such as Weyless from Supergo or the Sette from Pricepoint. (around $40). If you don't like carbon, the Easton EA70 aluminum bar can be had for $20 from Cambria right now.

Pazzaz Stem - around 140 grams depending on length
Carbon bar - 130 grams
EA70 - 147 g's per Weight Weenies

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rawdingo

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 19, 2004

DaFireMedic said:
If I were doing it, I'd go with a Pazzaz stem ($16) from JensonUSA, and either one of the generic carbon bars such as Weyless from Supergo or the Sette from Pricepoint. (around $40). If you don't like carbon, the Easton EA70 aluminum bar can be had for $20 from Cambria right now.

Pazzaz Stem - around 140 grams depending on length
Carbon bar - 130 grams
EA70 - 147 g's per Weight Weenies

Thanks for the info, I am not to sure about carbon, something about a piece of fabric/resin keeping me above my wheel scares me. I am not that agro when I ride but make one wrong landing and there goes 3 years of orthodontics.

I have also seen a syntace f99 stem for $90 at supergo is that a fair price?

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Duckman

· #4 · Aug 19, 2004

What he said.

110mm Pazazz stem and EA70. Not bad at all for $36 total. The stem is a stiff mofo too.

I've since stuck a carbon riser on the bike. Just can't get used to a flat bar. At least for technical stuff.

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rawdingo

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 19, 2004

Duckman said:
What he said.

110mm Pazazz stem and EA70. Not bad at all for $36 total. The stem is a stiff mofo too.
I've since stuck a carbon riser on the bike. Just can't get used to a flat bar. At least for technical stuff.

That is one heck of a schwinn, was the ea70 flexy? I have a bontrager bar that I bought from the scrap bin that is really stiff, but really heavy as well.

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DaFireMedic

· #6 · Aug 19, 2004

rawdingo said:
I have also seen a syntace f99 stem for $90 at supergo is that a fair price?

Thats an O.K. price, but you can get it from Dirt Boy at Light-Bikes.com for less than that. You'd save an additional 35-40 grams over the Pazzaz.

BTW: Nice fork Duck.......

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Duckman

· #7 · Aug 19, 2004

No man. If its anything, its a stiffass bar. Too stiff for my taste. Meaning harsh compare to a carbon riser. I'm just spoiled I think. 2 bikes use carbon bars, and the other a Titec Hellion ti riser bar.
The Schwinn is my parts bike. Stuff thats laying around, ya know? That pics only about 2 months old, but I've already changed saddles, fork(twice since), bar, cranks, cassette, tires....and thats just off the top of my head. I hate being in a rut. Matter of fact, I've changed forks yet again, from the zoke to a 02 100mm duke. The zoke marathon just developed an air leak. Damn! Like the zoke much better(.5lb lighter, smoother, more adjustability, lockout)then the duke, but the zokie needs some freshening up me thinks. Yet another self gratuitis(sp) pic.

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capt pearl

· #8 · Aug 24, 2004

riser v. flat v. carbon

Duckman said:
What he said.

110mm Pazazz stem and EA70. Not bad at all for $36 total. The stem is a stiff mofo too.
I've since stuck a carbon riser on the bike. Just can't get used to a flat bar. At least for technical stuff.

Duck, et al,

I'm looking to make some swaps and I'm riser and carbon "curious". I was planning on doing the $20 stem/bar combo, but the $50 price point bar looks more or less like a monkeylite knockoff and maybe the best way to dip my feet (hands, wrists, arms, tri's) into the carbon and riser world.

I'm interested in comments regarding both the carbon and riser issues, but am real interested in your statement about riding in technical stuff - it's my (and probably most folks) weakness and I'd love to be able to "buy" some skills. But my intuitive thought is that the flat bar would put you in a better postion to negotiate obstacles.

Thanks all,

-capt p

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Duckman

· #9 · Aug 24, 2004

2 factors going on here. Comfort and control physics.

Carbon rides better then alum bars all other things being equal. This is obvious when riding back to back bikes with both. Risers a typically longer then straight bars, so the longer, the more more harmonic damping ability of a given material(plus of course theres that more leverage thing thru techy stuff thats a big help also, by the way). I have the exact bar in alum and carbon(Answer Pro Taper) cut to the same length and the ride diff is noticeable.

I've tried and tried to "like" a flat bar. Light, cheap, good for climbing(sorta-ish). The pic above was part of that effort yet again. Tried a ct2 carbon flat bar last year and sold it soon after. Just not ergo to me. Its not unlike holding a static bar and trying to control the bike. I feel I have to bend my wrists to fit the bike, and not the bike fitting me. They excel in climbing, ie allowing one to transfer weight to the front more easily, tuck in, accept barends, etc. Too narrow of focus to me. I instantly feel "not part of the bike" again...The riser is what everyone in MX racing(where I came from) has always been using forever. Its simply more ergo and hence I again instantly feel "part of the bike". On technical, this is invaluable. Like night and day for me when I swap back and forth. Setup properly, they go up just as well. I swap parts like some change underwear, so I can tell immediately. My confidnce sores when I have a good riser back on a given bike, especially on the technical stuff.
I tend to cut them down to 24" or so, but thats me.

It at least deserves a try, eh? To see if YOU will like it better.

This is of course all subjective, so I hope this doesn't erupt into a disc vs Vs like argument sorta....again.

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capt pearl

· #10 · Aug 24, 2004

thx, duck

Duckman said:
2 factors going on here. Comfort and control physics.

Carbon rides better then alum bars all other things being equal. This is obvious when riding back to back bikes with both. Risers a typically longer then straight bars, so the longer, the more more harmonic damping ability of a given material(plus of course theres that more leverage thing thru techy stuff thats a big help also, by the way). I have the exact bar in alum and carbon(Answer Pro Taper) cut to the same length and the ride diff is noticeable.

I've tried and tried to "like" a flat bar. Light, cheap, good for climbing(sorta-ish). The pic above was part of that effort yet again. Tried a ct2 carbon flat bar last year and sold it soon after. Just not ergo to me. Its not unlike holding a static bar and trying to control the bike. I feel I have to bend my wrists to fit the bike, and not the bike fitting me. They excel in climbing, ie allowing one to transfer weight to the front more easily, tuck in, accept barends, etc. Too narrow of focus to me. I instantly feel "not part of the bike" again...The riser is what everyone in MX racing(where I came from) has always been using forever. Its simply more ergo and hence I again instantly feel "part of the bike". On technical, this is invaluable. Like night and day for me when I swap back and forth. Setup properly, they go up just as well. I swap parts like some change underwear, so I can tell immediately. My confidnce sores when I have a good riser back on a given bike, especially on the technical stuff.
I tend to cut them down to 24" or so, but thats me.

It at least deserves a try, eh? To see if YOU will like it better.

This is of course all subjective, so I hope this doesn't erupt into a disc vs Vs like argument sorta....again.

... for the well thought out answer. Other than any naggings about the carbon failure issue/non-issue, I guess I'll have to try a riser if I wanna know if I like it.

-capt p

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