Micro-Review: A-Frame Titanium Riser Handlebar
A few months ago, Anthony from A-Frame Cycles asked me if I wanted to review their Titanium Riser Handlebar as it would probably be a good fit on the No. 22 Little Wing. And since I wanted to try this specific bike with riser bar, it was the perfect opportunity to get some feel for $180 Titanium Riser bar.
At 700mm wide, they’re a bit narrower than the 740mm Enve SWB bars I have on my old daily. However, having bars that are ready to go without needing to trim them was way more practical than dealing with something that is 800mm from the shelf.
With 25mm of rise 8 degrees of back-sweep, and 5 degrees of up-sweep, these have clearly been design with street riding in mind, and accounting for the extra flexibility you have with Titanium components.
Titanium offers a weight that falls between carbon and aluminum, but with the added ride quality that only Ti can provide, you’ll definitely notice how the bar absorbs more vibrations compared to an aluminum counterpart. It will just, overall, smooth out your ride, and since I rock the slimmest form of bar tape, trust me, it makes a difference. For reference, they feel way better than the Deluxe Ti Combo flat bar that I got years ago. I always found them too soft, and the straight-bar style wasn’t for me.
So, what do I think about it? Technically, if you enjoy long rides or just like riser bars, titanium will improve comfort without compromising too much on rigidity. Plus, at nearly $200 less than the Thomson equivalent, they’re a solid deal.
That said, your main reason to go for titanium bars is likely to match them with other titanium components on your bike. And for that, I really appreciate the discreet branding from A-Frame, keeping things clean and classy.
🛒: aframecycles.com
🎞: Kodak Color Plus 200
📷: Leica M6
📍: Kyoto
