Some of you may not be familiar with the name Nukeproof but the company has actually been around since 1992. Nukeproof started off in Grand Rapids, MI producing high quality carbon bar ends and titanium/aluminum and carbon/aluminum hubs. Now owned and distributed by Hotlines in the UK, Nukeproof is really making a name for themselves once again, this time with a full complement of MTB gear. I recently got my hands on a complete set of Nukeproof cockpit equipment for testing: the Warhead flat bar, Warhead direct mount stem, and the Element skinny grips.

Warhead Handlebars

I tested the no-rise flat bar version of the Warhead (medium and high rise versions are also available) at 800mm wide with a 9-degree  back-sweep. These bars are meant to keep you low on the bike with plenty of control and torque. A 760mm version is also available for those who would prefer to trade torque for lower weight and better clearances.  The 7075 aluminum is strong and quite stiff – hey, as the name implies, these are nuke proof. Talk about tough.

Warhead Direct Mount Stem

Complimenting the Warhead flatbar is the Warhead direct mount stem. The version I tested was the BoXXer direct mount (also works with Manitou, Fox, and anyone else who shares the 4-bolt pattern). This stem is made from 6061 aluminum and has been CNC machined to reduce as much weight as possible while maintaining strength (136grams). With a 31.8mm diameter bar (Nukeproof only produces 31.8mm diameter products) the 4-bolt face plate makes for a solid connection. Having a 45mm reach and just enough rise to clear most forks, this stem allows you to ride a bit further back on the bike than some other stems on the market.

Element Skinny Grips

The Element Skinny grips tie everything together and connect the rider to the bike. Using a familiar locking arrangement, these Kraton-clad grips have a fine knurled pattern and a relatively small diameter for maximum control, even in wet, muddy conditions. The 7000-series aluminum lock rings and end cap ensure nothing comes loose when it counts. The solid end cap with the logo also really helps prevent injury and eliminates “core samples” on the trail (think sharp bar ends penetrating the skin).

Installation

Installing the gear took about 30 minutes and two tries. While bolting up the bars and stem I did come across a small defect in the design. I noticed that if you clamped down one end of the stem then the other, the bars did not mate well. What you have to do is loosely assemble the bar and stem, then tighten down the gear. I found that the hard way when I noticed that the bars didn’t sit straight on the first go. Once I changed the way I mounted the parts, things worked much better.  The grips were a piece of cake to install and I had no issues there.

On the trail

On the slopes I enjoyed the control and ease of steering that I had with these mammoth 800mm bars. It was easy to handle my DH bike through everything that crossed its path. Even round rocks on the rock gardens didn’t alter the bike’s path thanks to the great grip and leveraged positioning of my hands. Throughout my test I didn’t hear a noise or feel anything slip when riding. My positioning on the bike (lower and back) was great when things got really rough, offering good weight distribution over the bike.

The only negative thing I can really say is the bar is a bit too stiff for me. I did get a lot of feedback into my hands which over a full day of riding got to be a bit numbing. My suggestion: ride this bar with padded palms (I didn’t).

Overall the Nukeproof gear is on par with other brands out there as far as price vs. performance ($100 MSRP for the stem, $85 for the bars, and $25 for the grips). With three colors to choose from (black, silver and yellow) you can really trick out your bike. Check out Nukeproof for yourself and see what else they have in store.

Thanks to the Martin at Hotlines and the folks at Nukeproof for providing the gear for review.

Have you ever held a bike part in your hand, and the only thing you could think of was how beautiful and elegant it was? I rarely get that way over mountain bike parts because they usually they have a rugged aesthetic that leans more towards tough and burly rather than flowing and smooth. The Syncros FL stem stands apart from other mountain bike parts: It has a gently tapered bi-oval shape that conveys both strength and elegance, and all the clamp areas are smooth and well rounded, ideal for use with carbon parts. In use the bi-oval design is stiff – no visible flex, even during hard out-of-the-saddle efforts.

The Syncros FL 7075 Riser Bar continues the look with a smooth transition from the oversize clamp area to the gently swept bar tips. Opt for the Black Grunge color scheme–both parts have splatters of color that Jackson Pollock would admire.

On my bike, the stock bar and stem were okay, just boring and clunky. Ever since I installed the Syncros parts, I feel like I’m riding a much finer machine. Both parts are very affordably priced for the quality and workmanship, especially when you stand them next to other aluminum parts that cost 30 to 50% more.  While the FL series is intended for aggressive XC use, Syncros offers an AM and an FR line for Downhill, All Mountain an Free Riding. Amazingly, the stem weighed exactly the advertised weight (this never happens) of 137 grams. The handlebar weighs a respectable 250 grams, much less than the 375 gram OE grade bar that I took off my bike.

The FL stem has an MSRP of $83.95, on sale now from Outdoor Outfitters for $82.99. The FL 7075 Handlebar has an MSRP of $70 and can be purchased from Competitive Cyclist.

See if you can wrap your head around this: the Ritchey WCS 10 Degree Sweep Flat Bar is essentially a riser-less riser bar. If you like the shape and sweep of a riser bar but need the lower, more aggressive riding position of a flat bar this is just the bar for you. For me, the extra-wide 700mm width was a treat that made my little steel hardtail feel all beefy and powerful, like I was driving a Mack Truck. The WCS 7075 10 D Flat Bar is made with Ritchey’s proprietary XR50 triple butted aluminum: thick in the clamp sections and where strength is needed, thin everywhere else to save weight. Lightweight and strong, this 260 gram bar had no detectable flex, even when cranking hard out of the saddle on climbs.

Usually stems are just a piece of hardware to me; with a good one you install the right size once and never think about it again. A bad one though, will leave you with a slipping bar and taking the stem maker’s name in vain. Ritchey’s 4AXIS face plates ensure that once your bar is clamped in place you can forget about it, just like you should. Instead of 4 widely spaced face bolts the 4AXIS design groups the bolts close together and incorporates a high-precision forged face plate. The face plate evenly distributes clamping stress over a much wider area – just what you need for lightweight alloy and Carbon handlebars.

Installation was easy and all my components transferred right over. Dialing in the bar angle took a little experimentation; I found I preferred the bar tips rolled up about 2 degrees. Ritchey has nice hash marks on the bar clamp so it’s easy to make adjustments and fine tune your fit. The 4AXIS face plate bolts were easy to adjust. Ride quality was unchanged and predictable since I switched most of my mountain bikes to Oversized bars in 2005 and I’m accustomed to the extra stiffness and steering precision. The way Ritchey has shaped the handlebar your hands are the same distance from your saddle as they would be with a 5 degree sweep bar – the bar swoops forward before sweeping back. This gives the bar a striking appearance as well as eliminating the need for a longer stem.

I found the extra sweep to be nice on seated climbs where I was pulling on the bar to keep the front wheel mostly unweighted as I roll over roots and rocks. The extra wide width provided more control on rough sections, and even though my hands were a good 2 inches further apart I was still relaxed and comfortable. The Ritchey Pro 4AXIS stem earns my highest praise – I quickly forgot it was there. My bar stayed in place. The stem did not flex. The clouds parted, the sun came out and the birds began to sing.