Even though carbon bars are lighter and often stronger than alloy ones, a great many riders still prefer cold metal rather than the warmth of fibre technology – especially those who like to look for trouble on the trail.
The wide, 740mm Respond is designed for those who are into hammering the tech sections, boosting every lip and bump in the trail – the sort of riding that demands total confidence in handlebars.
Race Face construct this one with cold-drawn seamless ‘Air Alloy’ and add either a 0.5in (345g) or 1.5in rise (350g), with a pretty much standard pairing of a nine-degree backsweep and four-degree lift. It works, putting your controls and hands in just the right position for comfort and security, so why change?
The result is definitely stiffer and a bit more direct than some of the lighter carbon risers we’ve been using of late. That’s great if you’re a bigger rider looking for extra precision, or simply still fear the black stuff. But bear in mind that longer, calmer rides will still go better with that modern carbon ping.