Knocking on Wood with the Gump 760
A few months back when Fabian and I were looking for some news to put in the pre-show, I came upon something quite interesting. A handlebar made out of wood…
It’s already no secret that the cycling industry had many attempts to introduce wooden handlebars. Most of them failed miserably, embraced only by a few hipsters who wanted something “different” to show the world how “unique” and better their bike was.
But I was curious! So I dug a little bit and understood very easily that we were clearly not on the same level of engineering and product design as anything I’ve seen before.
A little bit of history then! Passchier is located in New Zealand, and it’s also where our story begins. All the way back in 1978, Dirk Passchier was an avid kayaker and started experimenting with making his own paddles out of bamboo. At the time, good-quality paddles were made from kevlar to be as light as possible. Therefore, extreme stiffness was a side effect of that kevlar construction. Kinda sounds like a carbon frame right? A light, rigid, and responsive paddle is “on paper”, the ultimate weapon for Kayaking and producing power effortlessly. Well, not really… Like a bicycle, making something a hundred percent rigid might actually decrease your performance and at the same time, your comfort. A small part of the power you produce and transfer in your bike needs to “escape” in flexibility to create the right balance and maximum efficiency between your body and what you’re riding. A comfy ride, equals a longer ride! I honestly could talk about material resistance and flexibility for hours since it is such a fascinating subject, but we’re not here for that so let’s bounce.
Back to our paddles then! When Dirk presented some of his friends with a bamboo paddle it was almost no surprise that this subtle flexibility enabled people to paddle with more comfort and therefore, paddle longer. So 40 years later, why not apply that to bikes then?
After many hours of building, testing, and repeating this process over and over again, the ultimate version of the Gump bar was finally out of the press and ready to hit the trails.
You know me and you know how I love unique products. So after a bit of reading and watching the video of two dudes pressing their own bamboo handlebars in their shack, I was completely sold, I had to try one.
I reached out and Mike kindly agreed to send me a review unit for some testing. The Gump 760 is not aimed at the fixed-gear scene since it’s a product designed for mountain biking, bike touring, and typically something that you would put on your fully rigid 29er.
So why? Why try it on a fixed gear where you need maximum reactivity and precision?
-First of all, if it’s a bar made for bikes without suspension. We easily fall into that category.
-Second, wide bars are something most of us are using, so I didn’t see a reason to not give them a shot.
Consequently, after one lost item, a lot of waiting, and the postal office doing their usual mumbo jumbo, I finally did put my hands on the said review unit so we can eventually get into some technical details.
LENGTH: 760mm
MATERIAL: Laminated bamboo
SWEEP: 22 degree
RISE: 0mm
CLAMPING: Carbon fiber sleeve, 31.8mm diameter
WEIGHT: 330g
PRICE: 250USD
I’ll go straight to the point. If you’re riding brakeless in the streets, this is far from your best option. But if you’re into long-distance and tracklocross, you just find a life-changer.
Let’s begin with my immediate first reaction. That extra flexibility is nice when going over rough roads and uneven surfaces. But it also introduces some sort of a delay between the moment you start your skids, bunny-hops, or any heavy maneuver and the moment the bike actually does what it’s supposed to do. The power transfer from the cockpit to the rest of the bike is a microsecond longer, but it’s just enough for you to perceive it.
I then tried the bars into different situations for a couple of weeks and after a while, my brain finally clicked. When going downhill doing some tracklocross I felt that the “loss of precision” I experienced at the beginning, totally reversed itself when I went through the woods. The bars absorbing the shocks made for a way more stable and controllable ride. What you lose in steering precision, you gain ten times in comfort and control!
My final test was the long-distance gravel riding, and without a doubt, this is where they really shine. It’s a bar made for comfort, so of course, it helps during longer rides. Everything that your tires can’t absorb. The Gump got it covered. (at least for your arms and upper body)
And for sure, this is not the only time you’re gonna see these bars on the blog since I’d like to try one more thing before sending them back. (You’ll probably see in my next article.)
So let’s sum it up then! It is a unique piece of gear, not meant for aggressive street shredding. Putting this out of the way, you really understand that, these bars are for chill rides, long distances, and eventually tracklocross. That’s where they’re meant to be used and that’s where they really improve your riding experience.
Bonus points for not needing bar tape because they don’t get cold during winter, straight up looking like a bow (which is pretty cool), and the beautifully placed carbon piece on the clamping area. Yes, the price point is pretty high, but again, you’re getting a hand-crafted and refined item from people who broke the codes of the lame wooden handlebar we all know to create something truly unique. And if you’re worried about the coordination with the rest of your build, then fear not because they even have it in multiple tints now so you can start making some interesting color combos. Go take a look for yourself: passchier.co.nz
Big respect to Mike and Dirk for surprising me on my own bike and taking the time to send me that review unit. I guess I’m excited about a wooden seatpost now… Or something else, I don’t know, surprise me.
