It seems like every year another component or frame feature gets a makeover. Often for the better and sometimes for the worse, the cycling industry is hell bent on reinventing itself every chance it gets.
One mountain bike component that has remained steadfast through this tempest of change is the handlebar. Yes, we’ve changed clamp diameters from the spindly 25.4mm bars from days gone by to today’s 31.8 and bulbous 35mm diameters. And, yes, handlebar width is pushing ever outward as well.
What hasn’t changed is the actual shape of the handlebar. For many reasons, round just works.But if component manufacturer WTB has anything to say about it, that may shift too.
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WTB recently rolled out a new grip and handlebar interface called PadLoc that could reconfigure handlebar design for the better.
What is it?
PadLoc is a pretty simple concept. It’s a pair of 30-degree miter cuts on the ends of a handlebar and a matching profile on the interior of the grips. This angled cut on the bar and corresponding wedge on the inside of the grip work together to prevent the grip from rotating.
What’s the point?
You may be asking, is this really necessary? The answer: It depends. Lock-on grips have become ubiquitous, save for the relatively small contingent of gram counters who opt for foam grips. The problem with lock-on grips is that clamping a circling around another circling and asking it to prevent rotation requires a very high degree of clamping force — enough that a ham-fisted mechanic could easily over tighten the grip, causing damage to the bar.
Technology born from tumbling through the dirt
PadLoc Particulars
The shape of handlebars to come?
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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