The new Pro Stealth Evo bar replaces the older Stealth version. It actually had its debut during the 2007 Tour de France, most notably onboard Rasmussen's Rabobank Colnago. Now this bar is available for the masses.
The increased stiffness and steering precision from the one-piece construction is instantly noticeable over a separate bar and stem, yet surprisingly they aren't as brutal as their steroid-abused looks would suggest.
The one-piece moulded construction allows the designers to play with the profile of the top winged section. This gives a large and varied surface for your hands to rest on, but they also flex differently to a separate bar and stem.
Combine that with carbon's natural shock damping and the Pro Evos come out very comfy. Cut-out sections by the hoods also create a comfort zone for your palms and there's neat tubing underneath for gear and brake cables.
Speeding things up and the ergo shape of the drops feels totally natural. Transition from hoods to drops is easy, and locking your hands in for a sprint feels solid with no interference for the tops.
The obvious disadvantage to a combined bar and stem is lack of adjustment, but we found no problem and reckon the position should be spot on for most. There are plenty of sizes to choose from: 1 1/8in steerer in 42 or 44cm width, with 90, 100, 110, 120 and 130mm stem lengths.
They look pretty flash and have been a perfect partner to a frame with an integrated seatpost, and although they're not cheap, they're not bad value compared to similar one-piece rivals and top shelf stem and bar combos.
The computer carrier costs an extra £30.