Consumer Reports

SQlab takes a very scientific approach to sports ergonomics. They may be best known for their bike saddles, but they also make a modest line of mountain bike handlebars aimed at addressing rider discomfort through improved ergonomics. While most manufacturers have settled in the 8-10mm range of backsweep for their bars, SQlab makes their 30X Carbon bars with either 12mm&#40;tested&#41; or 16mm of backsweep. They claim that the increased backsweep "provides a more natural transition from the lower arm to the hand when in a more upright riding position". Visually, the 12-degree version we tested takes a little getting used to. While testing, we found that the additional sweep felt a little different for a very short period, but otherwise went virtually unnoticed on the trail. Performance-wise, the 30X is relatively stiff and sturdy with precise control, yet the 31.8mm clamp diameter and carbon construction give it forgiving vertical compliance and vibration absorbing properties. The 780mm width should be adequate for most users, and it comes in 15mm, 30mm, and 45mm rise options.
The 30X Carbon is quite expensive, but SQlab also makes an aluminum version that comes in the same sweep and rise options and costs less than half the price. We also found that their rise measurements are quite different from other brands. The 45mm rise bar looks closer to 20-25mm of rise when compared to other models we tested. It probably goes without saying, but the greater angles of backsweep of the 30X bars will likely not be for everyone. We feel it is a niche product that may provide a greater level of comfort for some riders. If you don't experience discomfort with your more traditionally swept bars, these are probably unnecessary. That said, if you've been struggling with wrist or other discomforts while you ride, these may be the solution you've been looking for. 

OutdoorGearLab

SQlab takes a very scientific approach to sports ergonomics. They may be best known for their bike saddles, but they also make a modest line of mountain bike handlebars aimed at addressing rider discomfort through improved ergonomics. While most manufacturers have settled in the 8-10mm range of backsweep for their bars, SQlab makes their 30X Carbon bars with either 12mm &#40;tested&#41; or 16mm of backsweep. They claim that the increased backsweep "provides a more natural transition from the lower arm to the hand when in a more upright riding position". Visually, the 12-degree version we tested takes a little getting used to. While testing, we found that the additional sweep felt a little different for a very short period, but otherwise went virtually unnoticed on the trail. Performance-wise, the 30X is relatively stiff and sturdy with precise control, yet the 31.8mm clamp diameter and carbon construction give it forgiving vertical compliance and vibration absorbing properties. The 780mm width should be adequate for most users, and it comes in 15mm, 30mm, and 45mm rise options.
The 30X Carbon is quite expensive, but SQlab also makes an aluminum version that comes in the same sweep and rise options and costs less than half the price. We also found that their rise measurements are quite different from other brands. The 45mm rise bar looks closer to 20-25mm of rise when compared to other models we tested. It probably goes without saying, but the greater angles of backsweep of the 30X bars will likely not be for everyone. We feel it is a niche product that may provide a greater level of comfort for some riders. If you don't experience discomfort with your more traditionally swept bars, these are probably unnecessary. That said, if you've been struggling with wrist or other discomforts while you ride, these may be the solution you've been looking for. 

powerreviews

yotpo

Race Face is one of the biggest names in the bike components world, and their Next R 35 is an impressive carbon handlebar that topped our charts for its light weight. At 215-grams, it's the lightest bar we tested and a surefire way to save some weight on your bike. Despite its feather weight, the 35mm bore size makes for a stiff clamp interface, and the Next R provides excellent leverage and control. It also does a respectable job of muting some high-frequency vibration to keep your hands feeling fresh. It is crafted with a uni-directional carbon layup and comes in an 800mm width with 8-degrees of backsweep and 5-degrees of upsweep. Race Face offers it in 10mm, 20mm, and 35mm rise options so you can get the perfect bike fit. The matte clear coat looks classy, and it comes in six logo color options to add a little flair to your ride.
While we loved the Next R handlebar, its vibration absorption is close, but can't quite match our top-rated bars. It's also one of the most expensive handlebars we tested, and its light weight and high performance come at a premium price. That said, if you're looking to lighten up your bike while maintaining a high level of control, the Next R is a great way to do it. 

Race Face is one of the biggest names in the bike components world, and their Next R 35 Carbon is an impressive handlebar that topped our charts for its light weight. At 215-grams, it's the lightest bar we tested and a surefire way to save some weight on your bike. Despite its feather weight, the 35mm bore size makes for a stiff clamp interface, and the Next R provides excellent leverage and control. It also does a respectable job of muting some high-frequency vibration to keep your hands feeling fresh. It is crafted with a uni-directional carbon layup and comes in an 800mm width with 8-degrees of backsweep and 5-degrees of upsweep. Race Face offers it in 10mm, 20mm, and 35mm rise options so you can get the perfect bike fit. The matte clear coat looks classy, and it comes in six logo color options to add a little flair to your ride.
While we loved the Next R handlebar, its vibration absorption is close, but can't quite match our top-rated bars. It's also one of the most expensive handlebars we tested, and its light weight and high performance come at a premium price. That said, if you're looking to lighten up your bike while maintaining a high level of control, the Next R is a great way to do it. 

amazon.com

bazaarvoice

expert-review

Race Face Next R Bar and Turbine R Stem | Blister

OneUp Components is well known for making reasonably priced and high-quality mountain bike components, and their Carbon Handlebar is an example of just that. Sure, it's more expensive than an aluminum bar, but it costs notably less than any other carbon model we tested. While the names of OneUp's products are often quite simple, we assure you that the Carbon Handlebar is anything but. OneUp has created an impressive product that provides excellent control with a beefy 35mm clamp diameter, 800mm width, and comfortable 8-degree backsweep and 5-degree upsweep. Unlike most handlebars, OneUp has ovalized theirs in the transition/taper zone to increase vertical compliance and enhance its vibration absorbing properties. The result is one of the most comfortable bars we've ever tested. It truly works as advertised, and our hands felt fresher with no noticeable decrease in responsiveness or control. We tested a 20mm rise bar that weighs a feather-light 223-grams, but it also comes in a 35mm rise that weighs only a few grams more. The black carbon bar is stealthy with subtle logos, and OneUp sells decal kits &#40;$5.50&#41; in a huge range of colors so you can get all matchy-matchy if you choose.
The Carbon Handlebar only comes in an 800mm width, but it has hash marks on both ends so you can trim it down to your desired width. A 35mm clamp diameter is the only option, so you may need to purchase a 35mm clamp stem to go with it if you have a 31.8mm. Beyond that, we think the OneUp Carbon Handlebar is one of the best we've ever tested, and an affordable way to drop some grams while improving control and comfort on your bike. 

The Renthal Fatbar 35 is a classic aluminum mountain bike handlebar. Renthal made waves in the moto world and worked the same magic to conform to the mountain bike industry. The Fatbar we tested has a modern 35mm clamp diameter and is a sturdy and responsive addition to the front end of any bike. While it is stiff, the Fatbar does a pretty good job of reducing vibration for an aluminum handlebar. This reasonably priced model also strikes a price to performance ratio that none of the other bars we tested can touch. Renthal has recently added a black colorway to this handlebar to appease the crowd that wanted a toned-down version of their classic super-flashy bronze bars. Renthal offers the Fatbar in both 35mm and 31.8mm clamp diameters, and 10mm, 20mm, 30mm, and 40mm rise options. 
The Fatbar is impressively lightweight for an aluminum handlebar, but not surprisingly, it is still heavier than its carbon competitors. While it is comfortable for aluminum, it doesn't have quite the vibration dampening capabilities of our top-rated carbon models. Despite that, we feel the Fatbar is still a performance upgrade to most riders' cockpits, and an affordable one to boot. 

If you don't have much to spend and you need to replace or upgrade your stock handlebar, look no further than the Funn Full-On mountain bike handlebars. Crafted from strong, lightweight 6061 aluminum, these bars are a fantastic value and will likely be a performance upgrade over stock aluminum handlebars found on many complete bike builds. The Full-On is plenty stiff, and that translates into great control while still doing a respectable job of muting some trail feedback. Our test bar had a relatively standard 5.5mm upsweep and 8mm backsweep that felt agreeable and comfortable. It comes in both 31.8mm&#40;tested&#41; and 35mm clamp diameters in 785mm and 810mm&#40;31.8mm only&#41; widths with 30mm, 15mm&#40;tested&#41;, and 7mm rise options available. Those looking to add a little bling to their bike will also be pleased to know that it comes in 5 anodized colors; Black, Silver, Orange, Red, and Blue.
With such an impressively affordable price, we found it hard to knock the Full-On bars for their minor faults. Being an aluminum model, they are a fair amount heavier than their carbon competition, with a measured weight of 335-grams for our 785mm wide, 15mm rise test bar. While the bar we tested does a decent job of absorbing some vibration, it can't quite compete with the higher-end aluminum and carbon models in this regard. We like the color options available, but the logo graphics are a bit loud and may not suit everyone's tastes. Beyond those concerns, we feel you'd be very hard-pressed to find a better handlebar for the price. 

If you don't have much to spend and you need to replace or upgrade your stock handlebar, look no further than the Funn Full-On mountain bike handlebars. Crafted from strong, lightweight 6061 aluminum, these bars are a fantastic value and will likely be a performance upgrade over stock aluminum handlebars found on many complete bike builds. The Full-On is plenty stiff, and that translates into great control while still doing a respectable job of muting some trail feedback. Our test bar had a relatively standard 5.5mm upsweep and 8mm backsweep that felt agreeable and comfortable. It comes in both 31.8mm &#40;tested&#41; and 35mm clamp diameters in 785mm and 810mm &#40;31.8mm only&#41; widths with 30mm, 15mm &#40;tested&#41;, and 7mm rise options available. Those looking to add a little bling to their bike will also be pleased to know that it comes in 5 anodized colors; Black, Silver, Orange, Red, and Blue.
With such an impressively affordable price, we found it hard to knock the Full-On bars for their minor faults. Being an aluminum model, they are a fair amount heavier than their carbon competition, with a measured weight of 335-grams for our 785mm wide, 15mm rise test bar. While the bar we tested does a decent job of absorbing some vibration, it can't quite compete with the higher-end aluminum and carbon models in this regard. We like the color options available, but the logo graphics are a bit loud and may not suit everyone's tastes. Beyond those concerns, we feel you'd be very hard-pressed to find a better handlebar for the price. 

shopify

It isn't often that our testers bolt a new handlebar to their bike and immediately feel comfortable, but the Deity Speedway Carbon proved to be a step above the rest. With modern geometry, design characteristics, and visual appearance, all with a lightweight but durable feel, this bar topped the charts in our tests. We found it hard to find flaws with this high-performance handlebar. The beefy 35mm clamp size combined with a uni-directional carbon layup and 810mm width gives it excellent control and precise handling in all situations. Not only is the Speedway Carbon precise, but it's also quite comfortable. Fortunately, Deity has also engineered the bar to provide some forgiveness and vibration dampening without sacrificing anything in the control department. It has a 9mm backsweep, 5mm upsweep, and only comes in a 35mm clamp, 30mm rise, and 810mm width. The Speedway comes in matte black carbon with 9 logo color options to suit your preferences or match other Deity components. 
Like all of the carbon fiber models we tested, the Speedway is a bit expensive, especially when compared to its aluminum competition. While it is quite lightweight, it was not the lightest we tested, so the truly weight-conscious riders out there might want to look elsewhere. It also only comes in the 30mm rise we tested, which may not be ideal for everyone. Otherwise, we loved everything about the Speedway Carbon, and we feel it is an excellent option for disciplines ranging from DH and enduro to everyday trail riding.

The Santa Cruz Carbon Riser surprised us, as we didn't expect a major bike brand's house-branded components to be of as high quality as components made by a company focused on that realm. Fortunately, Santa Cruz has years of practice and expertise working with carbon fiber to produce some of the highest quality frames and wheels in the business. Much like their frames and rims, their handlebars appear to be very well designed and durable. They spec their carbon bars on complete high-end bikes and sell them as an aftermarket option. We found these lightweight and stealthy-looking bars to have an agreeable geometry with 9mm of backsweep, 5mm of upsweep, a 20mm rise, and all the stiffness we could ask for in hard-hitting terrain. The bar is also tuned with just enough compliance and vibration dampening to keep your hands comfortable all day long. The Carbon Riser is available in two widths, 800mm &#40;tested&#41; and 760mm. 
Like most carbon handlebars, some people might balk at the price, though these are on par with the carbon competition. While subtle, some people could be turned off by the Santa Cruz branding, which may not meet some riders' expectations for their dream build. They are also limited to one rise option, 20mm, so some riders might not find the perfect fit here. That said, we feel the Carbon Riser brings a top-rated combination of lightweight, control, and vibration damping to the table, making them a great upgrade to any trail bike.

Bike Handlebar Comparison