I have upgraded my wheels to Easton EA90 SLX (with ceramic
bearings). I love them and feel that
this has been one of the best upgrades I have made to my 2012 Giant Defy 2
Comp. It is a full carbon bike and I
have really noticed the vibration dampening compared to my old Trek aluminum
bike that I had before. The standard
bars that came with the bike are the aluminum Giant Connect 31.8. They are decent bars, but several riding buddies
have upgraded to carbon handlebars. I
was given the opportunity to test and review the Vision
Metron 4D Compact full carbon handlebars.
I was curious about the benefits of the carbon bars versus aluminum so I
started to do some research.
Would you be surprised to find out that 60-70% of professional cyclists
still use aluminum handlebars? It’s
true, but the reason is interesting.
While there are benefits to carbon bars, the professional riders are
required to have a bike that weighs a certain amount. If they had carbon bars, the bike would not
weigh enough. Just a little trivia
knowledge for you that you can use to impress your friends.
Carbon fiber handlebars are lighter than their aluminum
counterparts. While you might only save
100 grams or less with carbon bars, I was surprised to feel the
difference. I was blown away with how
light the Vision Metron 4D
handlebars actually were. The second
benefit that carbon bars offer is that they are stiffer than aluminum bars,
which allows you to really get a good grip and get more power when you are out
of the saddle. The third benefit is that
carbon dampens vibrations which will lead to less arm fatigue. More on that later though. The fourth benefit is that contrary to what
you would think, carbon fiber handlebars have the same level of impact
resistance as aluminum handlebars, meaning they are just as safe. That fact really surprised me. (1)
So let’s look at the Vision
Metron 4D Compact handlebars. These
bars are both aerodynamic and ergonomic.
They have the flat bar shape that makes it more comfortable to rest your
hands and arms on, which also decreased wind resistance. I love the flat bars and it really does feel
much better when I try to rest my forearms on the bars and grind out some
miles.
The bars have a unique 10-degree forward bend that I have not seen on
any competitor’s bars. Why is this
important you might ask? Most handlebars
are straight and have no forward bend.
The 10-degree bend allows your arms and wrists to be in a more natural
position. Your wrists are at a 90 degree
angle, which reduces the stress on your wrists.
It also opens up your chest a little and makes it easier to
breathe.
There are two areas on each side of the bars that have
indentations. The first is at the top
corner near the bend (behind your shifters).
This is another awesome feature and one of the most used for me. I find
that it is the perfect place for my wrists to rest and it’s extremely
comfortable. There is another
indentation on the drops that is ergonomically designed to fit your wrists when
you are in the drops. It really does
make it more comfortable and I feel like you have a more secure grip in the
drops. It makes me feel more confident
when in the drops to have that extra grip.
The Metron 4D
handlebars also have a 2-degree outward bend, which means that the end of
the bars are further out than where the bars drop down. It is one more feature
that sets this set of bars apart from the competition. This outward bend, like the forward bend
mentioned above, allows you to have a more natural alignment and opens up your
chest for easier breathing. I felt extra
confidence with the outward bend while in the drops.
This set of bars are compact with a 125mm drop and 80mm reach. I feel like the shape and positioning of the
bars was perfect for me and I can feel the difference between these and my
Giant bars. My Giant bars were 420mm
wide and the Metron 4D
handlebars were 440mm, which also allowed my chest to open up more. I really liked the fact that I could breathe
easier on my hard intervals or sprints.
The Metron 4D
handlebars weigh in at 240 grams, which is insanely light. That is due in large part to the continuous
carbon composite construction. My Giant
Connect bars were about 300 grams. While
that doesn’t seem like a huge difference, it is. The Metron 4D
also features cable grooves that are compatible with the new Di2 systems and
has a larger internal cable tunnel as well.
There are textured areas where the stem and shifters attach to the bars,
which will reduce the chance of your bars or shifters slipping. I think this is a great feature as well.
Vision Metron 4D Handlebars (starts at 3:34 into the video)
So now that I have gone through the laundry list of features, let’s
talk about my testing. My riding partner
is a beast. He used to race crits when
we was a young pup and on my best days, I can almost keep on his rear
tire. He always wants me to ride this
road with him that would extend out ride by about 3-4 miles. It is about the roughest road that I have
ever been on and with my aluminum bars, it was absolutely unbearable. The vibration fatigued my arms and even gave
me headaches. Needless to say that I
refused to ride that road after a few attempts.
I got the Metron 4D
handlebars and decided that road would be the perfect test to see how well
the bars would dampen vibration.
I was completely surprised that it took away most of the vibration and
my arms had almost no fatigue from the ride.
My legs on the other hand were like jelly. I am absolutely convinced that carbon bars
are well worth the money. Besides a good
set of wheels, I think this is probably the most significant change you can
make to your bike. I am less fatigued on
normal riding as well, which means that I am able to ride longer with less
energy and enjoy it more with the carbon bars.
Pros:
Dampens vibration
Carbon is as strong as aluminum but without the weight
The 10 degree forward and 2 degree outward bend put you in a
better alignment
The flat (aero) bars are more comfortable and cut wind
resistance
The indentations feel great when riding in and out of the
drops
Internal cable routing can hid your cables
Vision’s Media Links:
I
can’t say enough good things about the Vision
Metron 4D Compact handlebars. It almost made me feel like I was riding a
whole new bike. The bars retail for
about $369 but is well worth the price.
Why spend $1,000 or more on a mostly carbon bike and leave the aluminum
bars on? The comfort, design, and
features of the Metron
4D makes them a must have in my book. You can find them online or at a local bike
shop near you (click
here for locations).
I don’t think I will ever go back to aluminum bars again. If you have any questions about carbon bars
or the Vision
Metron 4D, please shoot me a comment and I would
be more than happy to answer them.
Note:
I received this product in exchange for a review. The review is my
personal opinion of the product and I was not required to give a particular
opinion of it. I am not a doctor, so
please use all of the products that I review at your own risk.
References:
(1) http://www.fullspeedahead.com/carbon-fiber-aluminum-handlebars/
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