Review -

Team Tested: Race Face Next 35 Handlebar, Atlas 35 Stem

We’ve been riding the Next 35 bar and Atlas 35 stem from Race Face for half of the summer. Some races, lots of big descents, and a few crashes thrown in for “durability” testing. What do we think? Read on!

Race Face says that increasing the Next bar diameter to 35mm allows them to shave material from the bar resulting in a dramatic reduction in overall weight.
Race Face says that increasing the Next bar diameter to 35mm allows them to shave material from the bar resulting in a dramatic reduction in overall weight.

First things first, we’ll get the specs and pricing out of the way, then we’ll let you know what we think.

Key Points:

Next 35 Handlebar

  • Dimensions: 760mm width, 8° rearward, 5° upward
  • Rise: 20mm
  • Weight: 180g
  • Bar Diameter: 35mm
  • Color: Black, Red, Blue, Green
  • Price: $169.99 MSRP

Atlas 35 Stem

  • Size: 35mm, 50mm, 65mm
  • Weights: 141grams(35mm), 160grams(50mm), 181grams(65mm)
  • Rise: 0
  • Stack Height: 40mm
  • Steer Tube Diameter: 1⅛”
  • Color: Black
  • Price: $99 MSRP
Sweet clear matte finishing with nice details on the Next bar.
Sweet clear matte finishing with nice details on the Next bar.
The Next bar has clearly marked cutting lines should you want to make it a bit narrower.
The Next bar has clearly marked cutting lines should you want to make it a bit narrower.
The Atlas 35 Stem from Race Face is their beefiest, still weighing in at a svelte 160 grams in 50mm length.
The Atlas 35 Stem from Race Face is their beefiest, still weighing in at a svelte 160 grams in 50mm length.
The Atlas stem is a very sharp combination of machined faces and laser etched graphic, resulting in a stem with style.
The Atlas stem is a very sharp combination of machined faces and laser etched graphic, resulting in a stem with style.
View from above on the Atlas stem. Looks solid.
View from above on the Atlas stem. Looks solid.
The Atlas stem has great degree markers, which help center the bar, but become a huge help if you travel and need to set up your bar/stem combo to your exact preference.
The Atlas stem has great degree markers, which help center the bar, but become a huge help if you travel and need to set up your bar/stem combo to your exact preference.

I went with this particular combo for a weight saving reason. I really wanted to test the durability of the lighter weight, or more XC oriented bar. But remember, XC is a subjective term, and usually a rowdy affair in British Columbia. After having visited the Race Face facility in Burnaby, BC, just outside of Vancouver, and seeing how they absolutely torture and brutalize all of their components, and getting some solid advice from Race Face employees and friends, I felt comfortable going with the lighter Next handlebar. It was a great choice. This thing is light, stiff and durable.

The precision you get from a good bar and stem combo is a pure pleasure. It’s hard to place a measurement on how it feels without getting way over my head in super geeky scientific terms, but I knew it when I hopped on my new bike (more to come on that) and it had an aluminum handlebar from a top rated manufacturer. There was something different, just a slight change in the steering. I felt an almost unperceivable amount of flex, however slight, it was there. Back on the carbon Next 35 and boom! It was absolutely spot on and perfect. Race Face says that this bar is constructed in a way that the carbon has an optimized flex for improved small bump compliance. Well, it either has no flex, or they did such a good job with it, that you can’t feel it flex.

The Atlas 35 stem. Stems are an under appreciated component on bikes, much the way headsets and bottom brackets are. You only really notice them when something goes wrong. Here’s the thing. Nothing went wrong with this stem. Nor do I expect it to in the next 12 years of abusing it (not that I’ll have it for that long.) The thing is an outstanding looking piece of machined aluminum with some awesome Whistler influenced laser etched graphics on it. And after it goes from me to another user, I know that they may crush the wheels or derailluers, but never this stem.

You may be concerned with yet another standard in this ever rapidly changing game arena we call mountain biking. In this case, the 35mm bar diameter. Once you buy into it, you’re in that realm and it’s a pain enough switching a bar, but if you now have to switch a bar and stem, you’re really unhappy. Well, at least you have some great options in the 35mm diameter bar/stem world. RaceFace, Easton, Cromag, Syncros, Kore and Nukeproof are all on board with probably more coming soon. You’re not just stuck with one brand. Whew!

The package together is really quite attractive. Sexy matte carbon finish with simple bold graphics.
The package together is really quite attractive. Sexy matte carbon finish with simple bold graphics.

Bottom Line

I feel completely comfortable 100% of the time, with the riding I do on the Yeti SB95, with this “light” weight bar. Some riders will not be, and would want to go for an Atlas handlebar. I can’t argue with that. But on anything outside of a downhill bike, for most riders, this bar is plenty strong enough. And the stem, it’s not even a question. I highly recommend this bar/stem combo and kudos to Race Face for pushing technology in components to new heights.

Words, Photos: Daniel Dunn

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