ELEMENTECH? Why are we staying with Ø25.4mm handlebars?

Obviously, many companies are currently pushing to go to Ø31.8mm bar diameter. This size has the claimed advantage of being “stiffer and stronger" But let's examine these “benefits" in more detail:

Strength: Large diameter tubes with thin walls are great in the main tubes of a frame (such as the Element XC frames). However, in clamped areas, this concept doesn't work as well…so wall thickness on oversize bars need to be the similar to Ø25.4mm bars. This is why Ø31.8mm bars and stems are often heavier.

Manufacturability: Oversize bars are challenging to manufacture, as they taper 43% from the stem to the grips before they are bent into a riser shape. In such a complex system, thin walls and roundness are difficult to control. This is why many oversize bars do not have very round stem sections which fit poorly in the stem sections. For Ø25.4mm bars, the taper is only 14%, so tolerances can be tighter and bars can be rounder with consistent strength.

Weight: Compared to Ø25.4mm, a set of oversize stem + bar tends to be 25~30g heavier.

Stiffness: For a rigid road bike, this has some merit. However, on a bike with flattish bars, fat tires and 100mm+ suspension, handlebar stiffness is less of an issue. Note also that since heavier parts are inherently stiffer, some of the extra stiffness of Ø31.8mm is simply due to weight increase.

Reliability: Element Technic bars in Ø25.4mm have been carefully developed and are manufactured with precision. They have a proven service life. Why change for the sake of fashion? Only when we can find a way to do an oversize bar properly will we go to Ø31.8mm.