Having handlebars of the proper width is an important consideration, not least because if you end up making your bars narrower, you can’t widen them again … or can you? Well, maybe. German company Newmen Components is now offering an adjustable-width bar for mountain bikes.
Known as the Phase, the carbon bar is available in both XC-Trail and Enduro-Downhill models. It utilizes Newmen’s patented VariGrip system.
This setup incorporates a proprietary set of grips, each one of which has an internal metal bolt running lengthwise from the outside end of the grip inwards. When the grip is slid onto the end of the bar and twisted, that bolt engages a threaded insert inside the bar.
NEWMEN VariGrip System – no need to cut your handlebars anymore
So, with each twist, you’re essentially screwing the grip onto the bar. Numerical markings on the bar show what its total width will be, if both grips are screwed to the same distance. Once they’re at the desired setting, they’re locked in place by tightening down the pinch bolt on each one’s collar.
A bar-width range of 710-760 mm is possible with the XC-Trail model, or 760-810 mm with the Enduro-Downhill model. According to a report on Pinkbike, they tip the scales at 191 g and 209 g, respectively.
Newmen Components
The Phase XC-Trail is available now via the Newmen website for €160 (about US$179), with the Phase Enduro-Downhill coming in at €165 ($185).
And it might not surprise you to learn, this certainly isn’t the world’s first adjustable-width handlebar. Canyon’s modular RACE bar allows users to adjust width by 50 mm, while Ibis’ Hi-Fi carbon handlebar utilized two 25-mm aluminum inserts that screwed into the ends of the bar.
Source: Newmen Components via Pinkbike
