Enve Carbon Handlebar
If you were charged with designing a carbon handlebar what would you strive for and what features would you put into your handlebar. Tough question given carbon handlebars are nothing more than a carbon tube shaped to create adequate spaces for you to hold.
Reviewing the Enve Carbon handlebar came to mind because the guys at Enve managed to design the ultimate carbon bar and for me this handlebar is the best in class of all carbon bars.
Shape, looks and three features make it stand out from other bars. I first got to ride the Enve handlebars on Scapin test bike I had in for review but before even riding the bike it was the understated matt black with white logo handlabar that caught my eye. It's really stealth looking and when combined with the Enve carbon stem a killer looking, riding and lightweight option.
The Enve bar has a really natural sweeping drop which for me was a perfect fit. The top's of the bar are a semi flat aero shape that is exactly the right size when wrapped with regular bar tape and the transition from the tops to the break levers is perfect.
Cables are routed through two grooves and the shape of the grooves houses the cable housing perfectly so it's not felt through the bar tape. No holes in the bars, no fishing cable and no questioning the integrity of the bar because of this. The cable grooves also add to the stiffness of the handlebar and out of the saddle there is little flex.
Enve has placed a non slip material onto the bar at the stem clamp area and both brake/shifter zones, thus components fixed to the bar do so under way lighter torque.
The third feature that is unique the to Enve bar is the rubber bar ends that hold bar tape. So no bar plugs when using the Enve bar just flip the rubber stopper back, wrap and cut tape and flip the stopper back into place. This bar end also feel great in your hand when on the bike. Unlike any other bar end it's quite comfy to hang the palm of your hand over the end of the bar.
Now available in a compact as well as a standard(tested) version both bars have the same features only the shape of the drops differs.
Specifications:
Weight: 205 grams for the 42cm bar
Width measured center to center
Diameter 31.8mm Only
Drop 144mm(standard) 127mm(compact)
Dual recessed cable routing.
