Truvativ's New Handlebars, Stem, & Grips - Pond Beaver 2021

Apr 8, 2021
by Alicia Leggett  
photo

Truvativ, a branch of SRAM, has expanded the lightweight Atmos lineup with new bars and a stem, and has introduced colorful, lock-on grips to the burlier Descendant series.

The new Atmos bars come in a carbon flat option that weighs 190g and costs $170 USD, as well as aluminum flat and riser versions that weigh 250g and retail for $70 USD. All of the Atmos bars come at 760mm, and are said to be trimmable down to 700mm for the aluminum and 680mm for the carbon bars. The clamping diameter is 31.8mm.

The Atmos 7k aluminum stem rounds out the line, available in lengths from 40mm to 90mm for $75 USD. The 31.8mm stem has either a rise or drop of six degrees and has an integrated GoPro mount.

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On the gravity-oriented side of things, the Descendant lock-on grips are soft and textured for maximum grip and confidence, Truvativ says. They come in black, gray, red, and gum solid colors, as well as marbled red and marbled gray designs. A set of Descendant grips retails for $30 USD.

photo

Information about Truvativ products is available at sram.com/truvativ.



Pond Beaver 2021


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Reviews and Tech Press Releases Pond Beaver 2021 Grips Handlebars Stems Truvativ


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79 Comments
  • 60 23
 Since it is our civic duty to criticize and complain, here we go: Bars come in at 760mm? Why make anything less than 800? Also can we get some legitimate rise? Like 50mm? As for the stem mounted GoPro, looking forward to their contribution to Friday fails. Can only imagine the kind of dreadful POV footage that will flow from this mount on a sweet 90mm stem. As for the grips, all I can come up with is that I want a purple option. Smile
  • 56 59
 "Bars come in at 760mm? Why make anything less than 800?" It's because of people like you we have 35mm standard. Just saying Smile
  • 36 0
 I wish they actually engineered bars for certain flexes and certain lengths. Like small medium and large. 760,780 and 800 for example. And multiple flex options across the lengths.
  • 41 0
 800mm? pfft. I just super glued pvc pipe to my bars and made them 950mm and they are awesome. The bike industry is way behind the times.
  • 4 1
 @tacklingdummy: what you talking about? Superstar components were way ahead of you with the yardstick they did a while back.
  • 33 5
 Too wide bars actually cripple your bike handling, the wider they are (relative to your arms length), the harder is to lean the bike (you have less range of side to side movement). Most people around 180cm with normal ape index should be running like 760 bars.
  • 13 0
 @tacklingdummy: PVC pipe has too much flex mate, I’ve been using a broom stick for years and had no issues yet, few splinters but no breakages
  • 2 2
 @justwaki:
  • 27 3
 @lkubica: you can cut 800mm bars down to 760, you can't stretch 760mm bars to 800.
  • 2 0
 @makripper: Great idea actually.. probably expensive but I think you might have just started a business?
  • 1 2
 @makripper: This!
  • 1 0
 @islandforlife: it's the wild west out there it seems. I'm gunna fly to Taiwan right now with my bags of money just to lose it all in the biking industry lol
  • 1 0
 @makripper: haha, sounds good! On the other hand... we all know how much mountain bikers love to spend money on expensive niche products for a knats hair of improved performance.
  • 6 0
 @BiNARYBiKE to be fair, there are some of us here that ride XC, and a 760mm flat bar that weighs in at 200 grams makes a lot of sense. I’d cut it down to 740mm personally.
  • 3 2
 I'm with you on the rise. I don't run anything less than 35. 40 normally. I despise wide flat bars. Super uncomfortable.
  • 5 13
flag justwaki (Apr 8, 2021 at 14:02) (Below Threshold)
 @carters75: For my "gravel bike" I use 35mm diameter bars with around 10-15mm rise which basically turns them into flat bars. They are flat on top. The benefit is that it creates big space near the stem which is comfortable to put your hands on if you start to get into 2nd or 3rd hour of the ride or want to do a bit of aero tuck. What I found is that "flat bars" require extra backsweep. Old Kore Torsion flat bars were possibly the most comfortable bars I have ever had and they had around 10 degree actual backsweep. They were fantastic.
  • 10 0
 @justwaki: that makes no sense. Do you have a bike?
  • 4 0
 @tacklingdummy: I use just PVC pipe, soooo much compliance.
  • 6 3
 @RonSauce: they’d be doing people a favour by making people realise riding 800mm bars is stupid. Only messing I’ve ridden 800mm bars on dh bikes before and they’re loads of fun but can’t see how you’d ever need more the 760mm on a xc bar. What’s the point in building and designing a bar that’s meant to take the demands of a 800mm bar only to be cut down by almost everyone who buys it. Especially if being lightweight is a factor.
  • 4 2
 @thenotoriousmic: you do realize that proper bar length is relative to body size and arm length, right? Even for XC, this is the kind of one-size-fits-all junk that big (or small) people like myself have been dealing with for decades.
  • 3 0
 @BiNARYBiKE: exactly. I almost made that point earlier then deleted it. There may be people who ride xc and prefer an 800mm bar. It's a very personal part of the bike. A bar can make or break a whole bikes feel. A degree backsweep can make all the difference.
  • 5 1
 @BiNARYBiKE: yes but still nobody rides bars bigger than 760’s with 90mm stems so it’s still pointless designing for it. Make a lighter cheaper 760mm bar.
  • 5 7
 @thenotoriousmic: they'd be doing people a favour by making people realize riding xc bikes is stupid. Only messing I've ridden xc bikes on trails before and they're loads of fun but I can't see how you'd ever need less than an enduro bike unless you just ride with your grandma. Especially if being fun is a factor.
  • 1 0
 @makripper: ENVE bars are set up this way. They're each tuned for their width. I like 780s or narrower, so I run the M6s. The M7 and M9s come in at 800 and 810. And heck there's even an XC bar at 760.
  • 1 0
 @McArdle: Broom stick. Nice. I like that idea too. But PVC flex is next level compliance. PVC (Plastic Vibration Compliance).
  • 1 0
 Look at the weight, it their xc and trail offering. Makes sence to limit the lever length if you are going for light weight. There is your answer. These bars would not survive sqampage and they are not meant to be. Wider options still exist, only not in the xc lineup. But you are right concerning rise, even descendant stuff is super low.
  • 2 0
 @tacklingdummy: hahahhahahaha
  • 1 0
 @makripper: right !!!
  • 2 1
 @tacklingdummy: I bought the expensive version of this, a pool noodle Inside of the PVC reduces the chatter by about 18%.
  • 2 0
 Look at the poll Pinkbike put up today. There are 20 polls among different height ranges and riding styles, and in 18 of the 20 polls the majority prefers a bar longer than 760. I rest my case.
  • 1 0
 @V8Interceptor: You went big and dropped some serious coin. Nice. Spank Industries using some sort of spray foam in their bars. Might be a interesting experiment if you have some older bars and spray foam laying around.
  • 2 0
 @Jvisscher: if you need an endurobike for anything else than riding with grandma,you have no skills,or just like being totally overbiked..
  • 1 0
 @lenniDK: yup! Ha ha I see you caught my sarcasm and play on what thenotoriusmic said.
  • 3 1
 @lenniDK: travel shaming is a big problem ever since mr Levy introduced Downcountry to the world. Since then many middle aged men live in constant fear of getting called out on being “overbiked”
  • 1 1
 @justwaki: it’s marketing. Get everyone to buy x-travel bikes, then convince them they need y-travel. Meanwhile 99.9% of the trails are the same today in Squamish as they were when X-travel was pushed.

When I went into corsa cycles to buy a bike and the guy asked me what I wanted, I said, I don’t know what all your down country/trail labels mean. I wanna ride comfortably numb. What do you have that is ideal for that?

He looked at me with a quizzical look on his face. I hadn’t thought about it like that before...
  • 1 2
 @Jvisscher: Marketing... i think yes and no. I mean, it definitely hit the right spot, it fell on a fertile ground. Unlike most things, people embraced it right away. Off course it makes little sense. In most cases the only change when compared to n Enduro bike is that rear travel went down by 40mm and fork travel by 10. Other than that a woke as fuk trail bike is identical. Same tires, same bars and stem, same drive train, same wheels. Ironically these trail bikes usually have shittier shocks than Enduro bikes.

But I think the ground was fertile just like with gravel bikes in road world. It is simply a non racing area, and Enduro racing made 150-170 bikes seem too racey.
  • 15 2
 Clamp size??
Are we assuming everything is now 35mm? You know, the standard no one asked for...
No one was making special compliant bars for 31.8.
  • 23 0
 Truvativ is sram, so probably 32.99.
  • 3 1
 Says the stem is 31.8. I’d assume the bars are the same.
  • 18 8
 Do people actually buy truvativ? Serious question. So bland looking imo, i need to check ive spelt it correctly as its a pretty stupid name, and there is nothing stand out that is ahead of the competition?
  • 7 1
 I like truvativ cranks because they have the best value for carbon. I agree that everything else they make is less than innovative though.
  • 19 0
 @toop182 not everyone needs a flashy bike lol I prefer the simplicity of them.
  • 12 8
 @TrekXCFactoryRacing: so because its not colorful its not innovative lmao that's an absolutely stupid statement.
  • 6 0
 Still have a Truvativ Boobar on one of my bikes. Great handlebar.
  • 4 4
 @mhoshal: No its just another pair of carbon bars and stem that have no benefits over the competition. They aren't lighter. They don't have some revolutionary new diameter or rise. They don't make any attempt to make you more comfortable (like One-up bars). Thus they don't make me faster (what I'm interested in hence my username), or make the ride more enjoyable in any way (what I'd assume most people are looking for). So go on about how innovative they are and why my statement was "absolutely stupid". As a bonus, they aren't cheaper, which is why I own a pair of their carbon cranks. And to be clear, I have nothing against colorless stuff. I own one grey bike and one matte black bike.
  • 6 1
 @TrekXCFactoryRacing: out of curiosity, are OneUp or any of these other innovative bars proven to do the things they do? Or is it just marketing? In other words, have they been demonstrated empirically to make you faster?
  • 7 0
 Not picking on anyone here, or Truvativ, but what’s the deciding factor in picking any handlebar? They’re all more or less the same: @740-800mm (pick a size). 8-9 degree back sweep, 5-6 degree upsweep. Aluminum or carbon. 35mm clamp or 31.8. Maybe some colors. Take those specs, and each manufacturer makes a bar that is more or less identical to all others within each given spec, So why a Truvativ over a Race Face, or a Specialized or a Bontrager? I mean, maybe a couple stick out — SQ Lab and their 15-degree back sweep, but mostly it’s all the same. Pick a bar and be a dick about it.
  • 3 1
 @Hayek: Exactly. I’ve seen the claims OneUp makes, but 1.) I don’t have the problem with 35mm bars that they say theirs solves, and 2.) how much difference is there, really? It’s just marketing talk... no way to prove it.

To be clear, I’m not saying they don’t make a good bar that I and a lot of other people wouldn’t find perfectly wonderful. They look nice, and the colors are a nice touch. And they offer them at a very competitive price point. No reason not to buy them. But in the end, are they just trying to differentiate their bars from all the other 800mm bars with a 20mm rise, 8mm backsweep and 5mm upsweep? Gotta give people a reason to buy their bars over all the other identical bars out there. Some companies go with weight, others with strength, and they’re going with comfort and compliance.
  • 1 0
 Im a big fan of the boo bar. 31.6, danny hart black boxes and the descendant bar. Feels solid and stiff but doesn’t feel harsh at all.
  • 1 0
 @thenotoriousmic: me too. Had the stevie smith bar as it had perfect angles for my old demo 8. Had a descendant bar afterwards as well. It felt great too.
  • 1 0
 I have one of their 35mm stems. The weight is actually competitive with some of lightest you can buy, and at about half the cost.
  • 1 0
 @Hayek: To answer your question, I don't think that the OneUp bars have much compliance that can be measured, but worldwide cyclery did a video review and said that they really noticed your hands aren't sore after you ride like with traditional bars. I've read a few other articles with the same conclusion (can't cite though, sorry). As far as make you faster, probably not. But I think they're probably do work. I know my hands get sore after a long day in the saddle.
  • 2 0
 @GBeard: I stand corrected
  • 4 0
 Some guy name Brandon Semenuk uses them. Seems half decent.
  • 1 0
 @Hayek: after riding them for 3000km and switching out for others, OneUp is night and day different than anything else to me. Like I thought my fork had blown or something when I switched to aluminum bars.
  • 2 0
 @TrekXCFactoryRacing: A friend I ride with has the OneUp bars and he says the difference was/is pretty noticeable.
  • 1 0
 Well if its engineered by the same people who made the guides, they'll never break.
  • 1 0
 @transitions-are-neat: guides did the job at the time. Probably the most common specced break for a while before shimano got again.
  • 1 0
 @transitions-are-neat: Haha glad you've had a good experience with Guides. My friend killed a new set a few weeks ago (I guess they're G2s now though).
  • 10 0
 I’ll be the first to say something positive.

Those *marble looking grips are rad.
  • 11 0
 Username checks ou....oh wait

(Agree, sweet colorway)
  • 7 0
 A 31.8 760 bar is just what I’m chasing. Nice not to trim a fresh bar down just to stiffen it up.
  • 3 0
 @irck Renthal Fatbar Lite
  • 1 0
 @snakebitemtb: Would love to run one except that they don't have enough sweep for me. 9* and they'd tick every box for me!
  • 5 1
 You had my interest at handlebars, and my attention at stems and gopro mounts. Let me grab a cup of coffee and put on some nice music before I sit down and read this one. This is going to be a good day.
  • 1 0
 How about just one bar with something other than 8' of backsweep and more grip diameters. SRAM knows that we are different enough to want different rises so maybe we are different in more ways than that? I guess it serves the corporate monolith better if we all eat from the same plate.
  • 2 0
 Different sweep, agreed. Bar diameter, no need for yet another standard - easy enough to just get a different grip.
  • 1 0
 PNW have done a mount like that on a stem for ages. Agree with @toop182 Truvativ are like an OEM brand.
Theyd be better focusing a range of really solid , trustable components at a really low price.
No one at the top end will choose Truvativ for their upgrades ahead of any of the other higher end component makers.
  • 2 0
 I don't even want to know about a grip if your not going to list the diameter of it. Seems like this is on truvitiv as every article I see about these grips doesn't list it.
  • 1 0
 I like that the bars and stem are "trail/xc" but the grips are totally on the gravity side of things. What if i wanted them to be trail/xc grips?!
  • 3 0
 You can fool us SRAM, those are relabeled Salsa items.
  • 1 0
 These are perfect, all the trees in my trails were planted for 760 mm bar width bikes!
  • 2 0
 Looks like a deathgrip.
  • 11 0
 Yeah, they look identical from 100m away.
  • 1 0
 they stole the stem GoPro mount thing from Seth
  • 1 0
 PNW did it before seth
  • 1 0
 #maketruvativrelativeagain
  • 2 0
 that's a Zipp stem
  • 1 0
 Cool gopro mound!







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