The MTB Bible

Please give us the description of the Ritchey WCS bar. This was to me the essence of this Bible......how could Tom Ritchey make an Easton bar lighter than an Easton Highperlite......both made by Easton?!?!?
 
RITCHEY PROLITE WCS HANDLEBAR

The Ritchey/Easton project also yields the ProLite WCS bar, made of EA70 butted aluminum alloy, (the EA70 alloy is discussed in the Answer Hyperlite review), which seems to be the lightest aluminum only bar yet made. The ProLite WCS is understood by many to be the same handlebar as the Answer HyperLite with a different degree of bend, and a different surface treatment. The ProLite WCS surface has a brushed finish that leaves fine patterned lines running the length (longitudinally) of the tubing. The Ritchey WCS bar at just 123 grams weighs less than the HyperLite, though it is likely drawn from the same bar blank. This weight savings is achieved through a slight of hand. The Answer bar is 23" (584mm) long, while the Ritchey bar is just 22 1/8" (560mm). With a slight amount of the tubing length missing from each end, the weight is marginally less. We cut a Prolite WCS in half lengthwise to make some wall thickness measurements. The forward wall of the bulge area is 1.66mm thick, the rear wall of the bulge is 1.59mm thick. At the bend, the forward wall thickness has reduced to 1.26mm, while the rear wall is 1.31mm thick. Over the remaining 7 1/4" (185mm) the wall thickness reduces to .86mm in both the front and rear walls. (The cut bar is on display in our retail store.) The bar diameter is 7/8" (22.2mm) at the ends, where the tubing is .8mm thick. and 1" (25.4mm) at the un-knurled bulge in the center. This ATB flat bar is made in a 4 degree or 6 degree bend, and anodized to a pale Gold (Platinum) color. Made in USA.



Not my words. Copyright BikePro. Used as illustration only
 
By cheating thats how Ritcheys bar is lighter than the Hyperlites. And this bible of Retrobike porn actually tells you.
Wish I still had mine.
 
Lid":1ah7ob99 said:
Please give us the description of the Ritchey WCS bar. This was to me the essence of this Bible......how could Tom Ritchey make an Easton bar lighter than an Easton Highperlite......both made by Easton?!?!?

I think Tom's spec was 10cm shorter than Easton's hence lighter. Funny you should say that because for a few years they were made by Alico in Taiwan. Obviously out of Easton aluminum. I bought the same spec bar as a light bar for after market sales and if you looked at it closely you could see the Ritchey logo under the black finish and we sold them for a whole $19.
 
very interesting...a bakery i used to work in the fancy M&S loaves were from the same batch as the asda ones...just different bloody bags!! haha

this bible thing...i want one! :D
 
bike pro

What year was that published? If there are any pages about Machine Tech I'd be interested in some pictures/downloads.
 
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