Okay, as you know, I try to keep up on all the crazy “alt bar” madness out there but since the advent of the modern 29″er and now the “urban hipster bicycle” thing, the category has gone completely berserk. So I am indebted to Peter Keiller of Misfit Psycles for alerting me of the presence of this new bar. Dubbed the “FME” bar, (don’t ask, I can’t publish it!), this is a sort of “drop bar/FuBar” cross. What came out of that is rather interesting on several levels.
Here is what Peter had to say about the new bar and a few specs as well.
“Mountain drop…multi-use…for MTB (hydraulic) levers and not mech roadie things. est. msrp 40$
Width: Measured 640mm
Center: Measured 130mm
Sweep: Measured 42deg
Drop: Measured 66mm
Grip: Measured 195mm
Weight: Actual 336g
Basically drops for people that don’t use drops.
Basically the uber popular FU bar on 3″ dropping steroids.”
My initial reaction is that monster crossers, folks wanting to try drop bars off road but not digging the options, and Salsa Cycles Fargo owners all would be target users of this bar. The mountain bike controls you have will work with this bar, and that is a huge deal for many folks right there. No futzing with road levers and being limited to mechanical disc brakes. Nice! Look for this bar to be available in October.
Thanks to Peter of Misfit Psycles for the info and images.
It looks to give better hand options than running an inverted Mary Bar as well don’t you think GT?
I don’t have a ton of complaints with a flipped Mary, but it does look to be a bit more versatile in the hand position department… We’ll see how the durability of a $40 bar is. That’s my primary concern. But if it holds up, I’d definitely give it a look, as I like off-road levers on my Fargo a lot.
“We’ll see how the durability of a $40 bar is. ”
The bike industry loves people like you.
Keiller: see, if you had overpriced these like most other providers of bent aluminum, “MG” would have already ordered a set. But now he’s worried that your alumnium isn’t as strong as WTBs aluminum, because you charge less for it. We-todds.
Looks like the steel Great North Road bars I’ve been using for the last 40 years.
Great position. Like the price too.
Great – just got a Fu2 to do this very thing. One thing – it is hell for stout – no worries about a failure for me. It just makes sense to use the alt-bar approach Misfit is bringing us here, as I am not a huge road brake/shifter fan.
Oh well, if I need more drop, I’ll jump in for this one.
Peter is an absolute pleasure to work with, BTW.
Thanks for the attention Ted.
When an industry magnate such as yourself acknowledges my existence…it makes me feel good about being a whore.
MMcG – it currently seems to have ‘fewer’ hand positions then the FU (and by association the Mary) as a result of the exaggerated sweep and large radius bend…with the increased drop and subsequent ‘forward/down’ position in the grips is currently the best way to ride.
SO FAR, the PRIMARY position is (a matter of opinion) more comfortable on the FME then the other two – but – specifically designed NOT to be them either.
Make sense?
MG/GRRR – speaking of cents…durability trumps cost and weight. That said we don’t use glamorous packaging or have villa’s in the south of Detroit to pay for. It will be fair and stout or it won’t be at all.
Lee T – Peter is a mean dick. Saying otherwise would tarnish his street cred.
Peter
If the FME is as strong as the Fu-bar there will be no worries on breakage. That thing’s so overbuilt that normal sized bar-end plugs don’t fit. I hammered mine in with a rubber mallet.
Funny that the person worried about a bar breaking due to price is running a Mary bar – those NEVER break, do they?
Bob, have you broken a Mary bar? I’ve seen two bent Mary bars — both after hard crashes that would have destroyed most handlebars.
And if anyone would like to discuss my credentials, ask Guitar Ted — he’s got my back. Optimus or Bob, your disrespect is laughable. Come ride with me and I’ll show you what’s up any day of the week. I guarantee you will be left slack jawed.
I’m not kidding.
Your credentias as a blog poster? I agree, impressive.
I wasn’t refering to your riding ability (which is difficult to gage via the comment section on ths blog), I was refering to your victimization by marketing.
Peter, thank you for the excellent description. I totally agree that durability is king. I used to be sponsored by Keith Bontrager back in the 90s, and I’m sure you’re aware of his old “Cheap, light, strong… pick two” motto. Well, nothing has changed today. It’s still true, 100-percent. So if you want to make a strong $40 handlebar, especially one with as many bends as you’re putting into that thing, it’s gonna’ be not too light. I expect that, and I’ll take it over not so strong any day of the week.
But that said, I’m 6’1″ and 151 lbs, so I can get away with parts that a 250 pounder couldn’t dream of. I’m sure you’re aware of the difference in physics between aggressive riders of those two different weights.
Cheers,
MG
I work in marketing… and I’m fortunate to pay retail for nothing.
Nothing? What sort of marketing do you work in that enables you get everything at wholesale?
Sidebar: Peter, will MG get the bars below retail since he works in marketing? And, will his bars not be as strong as a full priced $40 bar?
Wow… Have a great weekend, Optimus. Thanks for the laughs. I hope you’re able to get out and ride your bike this weekend. You do have a bike, right?
I had one… but I bought it 50% off, and it turned out to be only 50% the strength of a full priced one. Needless to say….. it exploded.
GT.
In your experience, does controversy INCREASE or DECREASE a demographics tendencies to procure the products involved in said controversy?
If it is possible to arrange a chocolate pudding death match between the main players, with only the product in question to be used as a weapon, would this INCREASE or DECREASE the desirability of same?
Peter
I’ll death match MG with FME bars as weapons…. my full price $40 FME Bar will shatter his weaker, marketing-industry-insider-wholesaler-priced weaker FME Bar, and Guitar Ted will crown me king of the blog commenters.
Question: I have an FU2 Bar, if I flip it upside down to make an FME Bar, can I just send you a $20 royalty?
Ha! You guys are pretty dang funny.
Okay, just for the record, I do happen to know that MG has, and still does ride circles around most folks. He’s got a motor and the skills to use it, plus he’s got more dang metal in his body from crashing than my Karate Monkey does in its frame. 🙂
Anyway, controversy on any forum is good for traffic and exposure for this product, as you well know oh Lord Of Misfit Psycles! 🙂
And as far as a chocolate pudding death match, I’d rather watch some pinch hitters of the female persuasion. Thanks for the suggestion though.
You guys go ride yer bikes, fer cryin’ out loud! Have a great weekend! 🙂
I’ve decided to forgive MG, take him under my wing and bring his riding to the next level (intermediate).
Peter, I accept your soon-to-offered Dissent frame, and will act as an Ambassador of your Evil Empire.
LOL… Thanks Optimus. No harm, no foul. You’re a worthy sparring partner.
And G-T, my Brother. Thanks for havin’ my back, as always. You can roll the singletrack with some pretty mean authority, and have a heck of a good time doin’ it too.
Hope all of you guys have a great weekend. I get to go celebrate my Grandpa’s 90th birthday on Saturday with my parents and family, and there’s nothin’ half-priced about that kind of fun. It’ll be all good…
Cheers,
MG
Yay, MG made me laugh
Enjoy your grandpa’s birthday tomorrow
Grandpa MG is the man.
Grandpa MG could probably ride circles around me too
and I’m OK with that
Aah, just like my much cheaper trekking bar, just MORE. More width, slightly, much more drop.
I’d like it with a really long stem. No, longer than that.
Bars with sweep and width in that range are just all-round top performers. Getting sufficient bar height may be a challenge similar to with dirt drops, albeit much better.
With a lng stem, you get a nice stretched out aero tuck position that is reall comfy, around that inner bend. May sound very roadie/gearie, but as a SS rider, I like the efficiency of aero tuck when I spin/coast. The onl thing quicker is a longer gear. Hey, it got me through asphalt race starts back in the day when SS’er were rare at the races.
$40 bars leads to school yard threats of my mom is better than your mom? Peter, you never cease to amaze me. Please stop taking my milk money.
Off-topic, but kinda on-topic, my wife swears by her FUBars. Not only has her handling skills improved, but her long time back and shoulder problems were alleviated for the first time ever. She likes how the hand position puts her in a more natural and balance position than any other bar she’s tried (titec h-bars, mary, riser, and flat bars). She normally doesn’t comment on bike parts unless they don’t work, so the fact that she raves about the fu bars means something me.
So a note to fellas with ladies that like to ride but are having fit problems, stability/handling/comfort issues, put them on some FU bars and see if it helps them. It’s called MsFit isn’t it?
As to quality, I have the FU, FU2, and the NU bars as well as the FUgly stem and there’s no fear of failure due to quality in my mind (and those that know me know I worry about things breaking constantly). Rigid SS, rocky gnarly trails, pump tracks, bike polo, dirt jumps, and urban free ride hasn’t but scuffed them. I’d rank them even in strength with titec or bonty’s.
Optimus, I am giving you a virtual high five for that awesome display of blog comment beatdown! I am still laughing! What a great way to start the weekend!
I couldn’t agree more…
… that was me.
😉
MG
Are these FME bars really available? Where can I order one?
@Johnathan Gennick: Not yet. You’ll have to wait until October. The bar shown above is a prototype sample.
Can anyone tell me the benefits of drops on MTB’s
They look strange but I think I like it.
Where I live riding a 29ers is strange enough.
@TK: Hit this link: http://www.g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/2008/10/drop-bar-for-mountain-biking-part-ii.html
This is something I wrote and it has a lot of links to some folks that explain why they ride drop bars. Check it out.
Hey Ted, thanks for the links.
Is there a way of working out stem length when converting to drops or is a bit trial and error
@TK: The best thing is to hold your drop bars up to your bike with your current bars in place. Get things aligned so the drop portion is at where your grips are now. Then approximate the rise and reach from that point.
Thanks again GT.
Now the big question is can I get Misfit stuff in Australia???
34 TK
on Aug 18th, 2009 at 6:23 am
Thanks again GT.
Now the big question is can I get Misfit stuff in Australia???
That is a little tougher…you can buy direct but (depending on the item) shipping can be a bear.
“34 TK: Now the big question is can I get Misfit stuff in Australia???”
That is a little tougher…you can buy direct but (depending on the item) shipping can be a bear.
Petah . . if we had not shared a fire at the Dirt rag Forum ride, I would call you a phag for trying to infect MTBing with roadie gear!
This is exactly what I need in bars, at least shape/dimension-wise (wouldn’t mind paying more a lighter material).
Peter – will these be offered in the silver out of the gate?
I’d already started reworking my plans for a build in progress, but just saw that the Misfit site shows a Sept. 2010 arrival date. Yikes!
December/January are the revised dates.
Out of the blocks in SILVER and BLACK.
After some 90 days on the prototypes they have all but replaced my FU as the go-to bar…who’d a thought it.
Excellent, thanks Peter. Is the silver anodized or raw?
technically the black is anno. silver is more of a plate.
not raw i guess is the proper answer…although raw for custom anno has crossed my wee mind.
Wow Peter, these sound great. Now, are there any options for riders who hate Canada?
When ca we get these? Anyone know yet?
Y’all realize it’s just a flipped-over cruiser bar, right?
Was someone trying to futz with road levers on a 22.2mm?
And I gotta ask: is there a flipped-over cruiser bar that is NOT compatible with hydraulics?
I wish you all luck.
I first flipped over an upright bar in ’84 or ’85, but I couldn’t find any hydraulic brakes that were compatible.