Light bars and bottlecages on a budget?

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BigBoyND
Posts: 1336
Joined: Mon May 31, 2021 1:51 am
Location: Berlin, DE

by BigBoyND

openwheelracing wrote:
Wed Nov 03, 2021 2:07 am
If I was so afraid of carbon breaking I wouldnt be.able to enjoy life. Heck if I can fly in carbon I can ride on carbon. Life too short to worry like that.
Really? Material and construction are separate things. Trusting the carbon on a Boeing more than a cheap Ali special handlebar seems reasonable to me even if they were made from the same roll of carbon (which they're not)

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Beancouter
Posts: 1057
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:04 pm

by Beancouter

OG Evkin just arrived - Surpass HB011.

Hard to know what Good carbon manufacture looks like, but the bar has only minimal paint and therefore isn’t trying to disguise the carbon underneath it (Which was definitely the case with some cheaper bars I bought a couple of years ago).

The compact bar shape is different to anything I had before, looks like it’s trying to create a flat platform with the levers . I’ll see if I get on with it

Importantly only 180 g on the scales!


Image

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Also bought the stem from them - 110mm, 120g.

Image


The bars and stem are going to have the decals stripped….


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BikeTyson
Posts: 412
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2021 3:16 pm

by BikeTyson

Beancouter wrote:
Thu Nov 11, 2021 7:54 pm
OG Evkin just arrived - Surpass HB011.

Hard to know what Good carbon manufacture looks like, but the bar has only minimal paint and therefore isn’t trying to disguise the carbon underneath it (Which was definitely the case with some cheaper bars I bought a couple of years ago).

The compact bar shape is different to anything I had before, looks like it’s trying to create a flat platform with the levers . I’ll see if I get on with it

Importantly only 180 g on the scales!


Image

Image

Also bought the stem from them - 110mm, 120g.

Image


The bars and stem are going to have the decals stripped….


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'd like to hear what you think of them. They look good but I'm not sure about the 90mm reach.

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eucalyptus
Posts: 524
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2020 3:51 am
Location: Sweden

by eucalyptus

Beancouter wrote:
Thu Nov 11, 2021 7:54 pm
OG Evkin just arrived - Surpass HB011.

Hard to know what Good carbon manufacture looks like, but the bar has only minimal paint and therefore isn’t trying to disguise the carbon underneath it (Which was definitely the case with some cheaper bars I bought a couple of years ago).

The compact bar shape is different to anything I had before, looks like it’s trying to create a flat platform with the levers . I’ll see if I get on with it

Importantly only 180 g on the scales!

The bars and stem are going to have the decals stripped….


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

May I ask your weight and what kind of riding you will do with this bar? Just curious as I imagine it is vastly different if someone is 55kg or 90kg and the type of riding they do if it will break or not :P

Are you gonna put it through some sort of test to evaluate if it is reliable or not?

Definitely very interesting. From what I understand, OG-kevin is one of the more serious manufacturers in China

Beancouter
Posts: 1057
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:04 pm

by Beancouter

eucalyptus wrote:
Beancouter wrote:
Thu Nov 11, 2021 7:54 pm
OG Evkin just arrived - Surpass HB011.

Hard to know what Good carbon manufacture looks like, but the bar has only minimal paint and therefore isn’t trying to disguise the carbon underneath it (Which was definitely the case with some cheaper bars I bought a couple of years ago).

The compact bar shape is different to anything I had before, looks like it’s trying to create a flat platform with the levers . I’ll see if I get on with it

Importantly only 180 g on the scales!

The bars and stem are going to have the decals stripped….


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

May I ask your weight and what kind of riding you will do with this bar? Just curious as I imagine it is vastly different if someone is 55kg or 90kg and the type of riding they do if it will break or not :P

Are you gonna put it through some sort of test to evaluate if it is reliable or not?

Definitely very interesting. From what I understand, OG-kevin is one of the more serious manufacturers in China
73kg; I just ride for the joy of being on a bike - FTP about 4wkg - reasonably quick up hills but not getting any younger!

In terms of testing, I will do exactly the same as any other purchase, I will use it and keep an eye on it for abnormal wear / breakage. I sit in the camp that believes that just because something comes from China that it needs to be treated differently to a premium brand.

If I am honest, I am more nervous about the stem. Wil take the paint off and see whether my confidence grows the more I handle it - the carbon moulding looks pretty tidy but seems to take a while for then face plate to bite on the bars (I haven’t torqued it yet).


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Beancouter
Posts: 1057
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:04 pm

by Beancouter

OG Evkin, paint removed 178g.

I am no carbon expert, and happy to take comments, but the surface layup looks no better / worse than other items I have sanded back..

Image


Image



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JOwenSmith
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 3:58 pm

by JOwenSmith

Adding another data point. The OG-EVkin HB-1300 integrated bar in 420x90 weighs in at 317g without adapter.
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sindrestokk
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2021 8:36 pm

by sindrestokk

DHG01 wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:34 pm
Kumppa wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 3:34 pm
How can you be sure it's excellent quality without cutting it? Even if you can find a full review with cutting on Youtube doesn't mean much as your handlebar can be anything between crap and good. I can't be sure these small manufacturers have any quality control as they don't have anything to lose if something happens. They will just list that product again on Ali with a different name.

At Least my life is too expensive for these noname handlebars. Bottle cages are a different story.
I disagree a bit. Manufacturers like OG Evkin, ZTTO or Elita One are very much subject to reputational and brand risk. And they have built a reputation amongst very demanding consumers - average Joe doesn't land on a ZTTO cassette or Elita One seat post, but they've sold thousands to savvy cyclist everywhere.

I only buy those brands from their stores - they actually may also be subject to being faked.

Now, to your question. I currenty ride bars from Enve, FSA (2), Thomson (Katie Comp, also 2), 3T and Token.
I haven't ridden the OG Evkin on the pic; I have ridden the shallower one. The appearance is impecable; and it rides plenty stiff (as you'd expect from a shotrter reach and shallower bar).

If someone is looking for a light bar, this is an excellent option. As is Darimo or Schmolke - but to know that, we don't need a forum.
saw a picture of your bottlecages and was wondering what brand those were? some silver cages on a blue bike

DHG01
Posts: 705
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2020 7:14 pm
Location: Madrid

by DHG01

sindrestokk wrote:
Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:14 pm
saw a picture of your bottlecages and was wondering what brand those were? some silver cages on a blue bike
Hi - are these the ones?

They are stainless steel PlanetX. Work well (never dropped a bottle and no issue releasing or placing), look good and are cheap - but at 50 grams, not particularly light.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BOPXSTS/p ... ottle-cage

On a different picture I might have had Bontrager aluminium.
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sindrestokk
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2021 8:36 pm

by sindrestokk

Thanks!

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eucalyptus
Posts: 524
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2020 3:51 am
Location: Sweden

by eucalyptus

JOwenSmith wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 3:48 pm
Adding another data point. The OG-EVkin HB-1300 integrated bar in 420x90 weighs in at 317g without adapter.
That is nice but weird since they say 390 +/-15 gram for a 400mm bar :shock:

70gram difference lol

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JOwenSmith
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 3:58 pm

by JOwenSmith

eucalyptus wrote:
Thu Jun 09, 2022 10:44 pm
70gram difference lol
hmm, i wonder how much the OD2 adapter sleeve weighs? I guess i'll have to dig it up.

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eucalyptus
Posts: 524
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Location: Sweden

by eucalyptus

I am pretty stoked over this one, the updated "THE ONE PRO" 2022 version

Not the lightest, but seems incredibly stiff and by far the best-looking one-piece handlebar out there. With just the perfect amount of flare.

The Black Inc copy on Ali also looks quite decent!

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003 ... 2598%21sea

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