ENVE Composites' lightweight but trail ready gear has gone straight onto our cockpit shortlist. The Mountain Riser bar impressed us straight away for two reasons – for a start it’s 188g, which is light, without being so light you’re worried about giving it a leathering.
Secondly it’s that weight despite being a really handy 700mm width. It’s wider than any other cross-country style lightweight bar and just under what most brands would call all-mountain or downhill. For the record, ENVE do offer a downhill bar at a tree-felling 800mm width and even that only weighs 230g.
A gripper texture centre, angle lines and trim marks on the ends make set-up easy and with a gradual five-degree rise and nine-degree sweep, it’s one of those bars that just feel right straight away. It’s stiff enough to be accurate but without buzzing your wrists to death on long rocky, steppy descents.
