Team Tested : Renthal Fatbar Carbon 780mm Review
The Fatbar lite carbon is a terrific bar, but has one handicap, it is only 740mm wide. Now that Enduro bikes have become more capable, and are able to hit obstacles at higher speed and aggression, the natural progression is to fit these bikes with wider bars for more control and stability. This new carbon bar (suitable even for dual crown DH bikes) comes in at a wide-grip suiting 780mm, giving that ‘hammer-it-through-sections’ feeling to the cockpit of the bike.
This bar is not just an elongated version of the Fatbar Lite Carbon, more a carbon version of their ever-successful Alloy Fatbar. It has undergone hours and hours of extensive testing (secretly being used by a select few top DH and Enduro racers) before this final version was produced. Its characteristics are UD carbon construction, it has been ride tuned for the ultimate combination of stiffness and shock absorption. It has Increased width, and an oversize centre section for fine-tuned flex characteristics, DH race and twin crown fork compatible, DH spec 780mm width, Permanent graphics, set-up grid and cut marks. Rise options are 10mm, 20mm, 30mm & 40mm. Unsweep 5 degrees, backsweep 7 degrees
Weight is 225g (carbon lite 740mm is 180g)
Cost 134.99GBP
In use you can really feel the difference that the extra 40mm width brings, the control it gives is very noticeable, there is hardly any flex and the looks of the bar/stem combination (especially with the recently featured Apex stem), I personally think is one of the best around, these shall remain a permanent feature on my long-term test bike! As for strength, well I just got back from qualifying and completing the Mega Avalanche equipped with these bars and the Apex stem, with not a single problem to report, apart from my riding!
Words and pics: Jim Buchanan, Doc Ward