Which Riser Bar is Best?

Anne has a mountain bike and she wants to change her bars for a riser bar, we think this is a great idea as riser bars are so comfortable for the hands, arms, shoulders and neck and can help your enjoyment of the ride

Question:
I need a low riser bar for my Novara 2006 Express bike to raise the handlebar just enough to get some of the weight off my hands. Which is the better bar? 1) Race Face Deus Low-Riseor 2) FSA XC-190 Cross Country Rizer (7075-T6)?

Hi Anne,

Yea, riser bars are great, the comfort value is one of the best inventions for mountain biking.

So, which is the better bar, the Race Face Deus low rise or the FSA XC-190 Cross Country Rizer?

The Race Face Deus bar is 25 inch wide and has a very comfortable 4 degree upward sweep along with a 5 degree backward sweep, giving a one inch rise. They are both strong and light as they are cold drawn, seamless, butted Air Alloy aluminum tube shot-peened finished for increased fatigue life. Gradual external swaging and internal taper give increased strength and durability with a weight of 195 grams.

Race Face Deus

Then the FSA XC-190 Cross Country riser is a triple butted handlebar constructed of tapered shot-peened aluminum 7050 T6 with a 3 degree upward sweep and an 8 degree backward sweep and a weight of 190 grams and has a rise of one inch.

FSA XC

Which is better is a hard question to answer; it comes down to if you need the bar to come further back for your perfect comfortable position. Both bars have the same rise, both are about the same price, but the FSA has an 8 degree backward sweep which might be more comfortable for your arms. The 3 degree sweep of the Race Face might be better for your wrists. In the end this choice will come down to personal requirements and comfort. Just with saddles you can try a few before you find one that suits, these bars are so similar, the Race Face is 5 grams heavier, but depending on which grips you use this could be saved, 5 grams is nothing.

So the only difference is the angle of the rise, 1 degree difference (again nothing) and the backward sweep, the FSA has 3 degrees more and this is minimal. Maybe go for the bar you can buy more cheaply. Comfort wise you need to put your hands on them and try, I hope this helps a little?