MEATengines 2022...

Thanks for the input!

Also, good work Marty for bugging Chromag about swept bars. I played with bar roll to simulate sweep when it was trending here a while ago. I liked what it did to the steering but disliked how it made my wrist feel, so I’m back to conventional 800s. It’s good to have options.

Posted by: fartymarty

For all you alt bar riders - I've asked Ian at Chromag if they could make a 16 degree x 50mm rise bar.  I understand AM has already asked.  Hopefully something will come of this.

Can't help but feeling that if enough folks offer to buy one Chromag will have to do the FU50-16?!?!

Thanks for helping push the rope Marty!

Andrew - always happy to help push for more options.  If anyone else is keen on the 50x16 drop Ian and email [email protected] - he's usually pretty quick at replying.

Vik - Andrew and I were chatting on email about Soma Dream Bars.  I see (from google) that you've had them on the Mega Krampus.  How have you got on with them.

Posted by: AndrewMajor

Can't help but feeling that if enough folks offer to buy one Chromag will have to do the FU50-16?!?!

Thanks for helping push the rope Marty!

I wish companies would respond to requests like this with some sort of pre-order scheme. Like if folks pay upfront and are willing to wait Chromag will make a batch when say 100 units [or whatever] get ordered. If they don't hit that quantity in say 12 months of time you get a credit for their online store for something else. That way people have to put their money where their mouths are and the company gets to keep the $$ for its trouble.

I've emailed Chromag and requested my FU50-16degs! ;-)

Posted by: fartymarty

Vik - Andrew and I were chatting on email about Soma Dream Bars. I see (from google) that you've had them on the Mega Krampus. How have you got on with them.

I have tried the original Dream bars [50mm rise & 25 deg sweep] and my GF uses them as well. I now have the more Dreamy high rise bar [70mm rise & 30mm sweep] on my MegaK.

Both bars are great I like the shape, construction, flex, etc.. If they were going out of production I'd buy some spares. They do everything you would expect from an Alt-Bar of those specs. Given the backsweep they will make the seated cockpit feel smaller unless you swap in a longer stem.

As with all high backsweep Alt Bars [ie. Jones Bars] I love them for non-techy riding like gravel/paved or easy singletrack. I hate them for steep, rough techy trail riding. I can ride some techy trails with them, but as the tech and the steepness increases I get less happy. For day to day shredding on the trails ~16 deg is where I would max out for backsweep.

So if I was going to ride the length of Vancouver Island again on mostly logging roads I'd use them 100%. If I was going back to the Chilcotins to ride some challenging horse trails turned mountain routes I would put a different bar on the bike.

From a vanity point of view I like the way they look vs. a weirder Alt Bar like the Jones options. All photos are original Dream Bar.

Vik - thanks for the Dream Bar info.  You should email Ian with your idea as it sounds sensible.  I guess the issue for them is that 16 is an un-tested product and to get it to market takes time.  Maybe they could go to someone like Nitto who make the Hunter Smooth Move and see if they can make a 50/16 and Chromag brand it.

Ive also email Hunter re a 50 Smooth Move but not heard back yet.

It's a shame more companies aren't on the alt bar train yet?  I see it as a big thing in the next few years as awareness grows about them.

Posted by: fartymarty

I guess the issue for them is that 16 is an un-tested product and to get it to market takes time.  Maybe they could go to someone like Nitto who make the Hunter Smooth Move and see if they can make a 50/16 and Chromag brand it.

It's a shame more companies aren't on the alt bar train yet?  I see it as a big thing in the next few years as awareness grows about them.

Since Chromag makes a 8deg FU50 the incremental cost to producing a 16 deg bar would be well understood. There really shouldn't be any manufacturing risks. It just comes down to how many they'd sell and whether they'd recoup their start up costs. 

If they made a 12 deg bar that wouldn't be as big a change from their current lineup and might be a way to test the waters without going so far out into left field. 

I've been using Alt Bars for over 16 years and I see more chatter about them online today, but I think that's just a function of nerds/geeks gathering more densely. I don't see them on the trail and out of say 100 riders I know in person and ride with [probably skewed towards nerds] I can think of single digit numbers that use them.  

If major bike brands started specing them OEM and/or a company like Chromag sold an Alt Bar that might move the needle...otherwise I don't see any wider adoption happening. I mean look at what bike companies care about: batteries/motors, wireless stuff/more batteries, infernal cable routing, making non-motorized bicycles look like they have a motor, proprietary shocks, suspension with batteries/motors, MOAR stiffness, new colours,  etc... It's interesting that the main talking points for a new bike launch don't focus on ergonomics really at all.

Now if there was a way to incorporate a battery and a microchip with blutooth into Alt Bars we might get a big bike company onboard! ;-)

I run the og Soma Dream bars on my Kona Ute E-cargo bike. Comfy for round town cruising. Too much sweep for me to ride technical terrain. 

There is also the Dream Lowdown bar now. 20 backsweep and just 25mm rise. I'd like to build a flat bar gravel bike around these. More sweep than my Hunter's but less sweep than my Dream's. 

https://www.somafab.com/archives/product/dream-lowdown-riser-bar 

Posted by: earleb

I run the og Soma Dream bars on my Kona Ute E-cargo bike. Comfy for round town cruising. Too much sweep for me to ride technical terrain. 

There is also the Dream Lowdown bar now. 20 backsweep and just 25mm rise. I'd like to build a flat bar gravel bike around these. More sweep than my Hunter's but less sweep than my Dream's. 

https://www.somafab.com/archives/product/dream-lowdown-riser-bar 

Have you tried a SQ16 (Aluminium)?  If so how does it compare flex wise to the Hunter?

Thanks for the notes on the Soma.

Vik - Thinking about it i'm the only one I know of running alt bars - I guess that makes me the bike geek in my riding group.  Given how long the bike industry has taken to adopt modern geo there will be no hurry to push alt bars...

Since we are back to the don't ride boring bikes with non boring approaching retro grouch level of bar shape and such discussions.

Two days ago first easy trail ride with mew knee brace and the Surly Sunrise bars. Didn't have any of the issues of injuries being triggered with being so low over the front end. Only issues where tight right knee at one point and lower back being a wee bit weird which is expected. No didn't notice anything about weight though will have to later most likely trim the bars a wee bit.

Today's ride with the dropper installed. No real difference in how I ride, well other than careful as still getting used to things. Way more enjoyable and fun due to less pain and frustration caused by that crap. Will be keeping those bars on this bike definitely screw what the bike fit types think. 

And since someone mentioned Hardtail Party spotted this earlier his take on the Surly bars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxC3EWhaX-M

Posted by: fartymarty

Posted by: earleb

I run the og Soma Dream bars on my Kona Ute E-cargo bike. Comfy for round town cruising. Too much sweep for me to ride technical terrain. 

There is also the Dream Lowdown bar now. 20 backsweep and just 25mm rise. I'd like to build a flat bar gravel bike around these. More sweep than my Hunter's but less sweep than my Dream's. 

https://www.somafab.com/archives/product/dream-lowdown-riser-bar 

Have you tried a SQ16 (Aluminium)?  If so how does it compare flex wise to the Hunter?

Thanks for the notes on the Soma.

I've run both the Hunter is smoother but not by much. I consider both to be in the "comfort camp" of my parts bin.

FWIW I sent an email requesting Chromag try some alt bars as well. I love my Stooge Motos. But if Chromag were to add some colours I would be willing to lighten my wallet to add some bling to my Rootdown.

I've not ridden the SQ bars so can't compare. Once on a deep sharp fork bottom out I did really feel the Hunter flex, I can't say I've ever noticed a bar flex as much on a bottom out. This was a pretty abrupt bottom out on a short steep rock roll, after riding I had a "wow those bars flexed a lot on that" moment. But for everything else so far soo good.