Thomson stunned us when they announced they were developing flat, wide handlebars made from super-durable, fatigue resistant titanium – it’s a move away from its usual 7000 series aluminium alloy.
Aimed at leverage-hungry 29er riders and trail bike fiends, the 730mm wide bar (6- or 12-degree bends are available) weighs a sturdy 305g, which is not feathery light by any means.
This establishes two important facts; Thomson are not risking their blemish-free reliability record by pushing material boundaries too far, and the company intend for this bar to be used hard.
We’ve spent time on it and while we were expecting classic titanium vibration interference and a comfortable ride, the result isn’t as profound as anticipated. It’s comfortable, but in a normal alloy bar way.
The generous wall thickness that gives this bar its weight and assured feeling also masks the lively, springy nature lighter ti bars usually have. Ride it back to back with, for instance, the lightweight Seven Ti bar, and the burly Thomson makes it feel like a straw.
The appeal is going to be limited to titanium fanatics lured by Thomson build quality, and riders looking for a bar that won’t fail through fatigue.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.