Renthal was so happy with the balance and feel of its 31.8mm diameter bars that it was reluctant to adopt the new 35mm ‘standard’. So why the change? Well, our 40mm-rise Fatbar 35 weighs just 299g — that’s 66g lighter than the 31.8mm equivalent, despite it being 20mm wider at 800mm.
The wider the diameter of a tube, the greater its stiffness-to-weight ratio. Renthal has used this knowledge to make the 35mm Fatbar lighter, not stiffer — it didn’t want it to feel harsher than the 31.8mm version. Cut down to 780mm for comparison, we couldn’t feel any difference between the two, with the Fatbar 35 proving exceptionally comfy on long, rocky descents.
The bar’s aggressive angles (seven degrees of backsweep, five of upsweep) feel spot on to us, encouraging a more aggressive riding position than the eight to nine degrees of backsweep found on many bars.
Our 40mm Apex 35 stem is 1g heavier than its 31.8mm equivalent, at 118g. Both are among the lightest in class, but require careful fitting. Greasing the bolts before installation and torquing them up precisely when installing is essential.
- Bar: £70 / US$85 / AU$130
- Stem: £90 / US$110 / AU$160
