fauxto nick

I got my REI dividend today and it was just enough with the 20% coupon to get a pair of Easton EA70 bars. I had cheap Bontrager Select bars on my bike now with a bit too deep of a drop and far to relaxed ergo bend. I decided to get the EA70's which are a bit more aggressive and have a nice flat spot on the top. I also hoped I'd get some increased stiffness in the bars for sprints.

Well I put them on and am overall happy with the feel and fit but I have to say they're quite flexy, even more so than my stock Bonty bars, I'm almost considering taking them back. Anyone else have these bars and have this problem?

DArthurBrown

I considered getting these a while back. The LBS manager I talked to quickly talked me out of it. He said exactly what you've said. They flex and are quite overpriced. Even worse, when coupled with an EA70 stem, apparently, they have a habit of coming loose in the handlebar clamp.

Exit.

I think carbon bars are kind of a marketing gimmick. Alloy bars are cheaper, stiffer, and only weigh a tiny bit more.

phallenthoul

what..?

Exit.

Oops. Edited.

snotrockets

EA70 are aluminum, not carbon.

fauxto nick

Yah they're aluminum. Well it's REI so I'm going to take out them out today and race twice on them this weekend and if I don't like them I can take them back and get my dividend back. They fit alright but I can't stand the flex. I guess those 'cheap' Bonty bars aren't so bad after all...

Oh well that's $64.00 REI credit that can go towards gel's, tubes, and such which essentially is $64.00 towards my new bike which comes with awesome bars lol.

johnny99

You're probably going to have to spend a lot more to get bars that are significantly stiffer or lighter than your stock bars. That is why piece-by-piece component upgrades for performance rarely make sense. Buy new handlebars that are more comfortable (different size or shape), but don't expect any performance difference.

fauxto nick

Makes a lot of sense... well I'm about to go out and put 30-50 miles on them right now so we'll see if the shape and feel is worth the slight addition of flex.

trojanman

Ritchey Bars on being clearanced at Performance........With a coupon, I think I paid $48

225 gr https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=5255

Campag4life

You can fill them with sand to stiffen them up. Also...filling them with sand will allow bending them to a more favorable shape without creating kinks.

sleazy

they are handlebars.


not "make everything in your life exquisitely happy" bars.


sounds more like a case of buyers remorse.

fauxto nick

Yes buyers remorse when I paid nothing for them. Sorry but a handle bar NOT bending upwards when I'm sprinting in a race makes me exquisitely happy.

On another note I just took them out for a hard training ride and am so impressed by how much more comfortable they are I don't care that they're slightly more flexible. Definitely keeping them.