Overview
Product Rawland Cycles Elgokse handlebar / stem combination.
Price US$150
Available from http://www.rawlandcycles.com
Welcome to the first in the very occasional series of Retrobike product reviews. First up on test is a Elgokse bar / stem combo manufactured by Rawland Cycles. In case you are wondering Elgokse is Norwegian for bullmoose which given the bars shape is very apt.
The bars bring the classic 80s bullmoose design right up to date. They are constructed from chromed steel, the bars themselves are 700mm (27.5") wide with plenty of sweep and them stem is 100mm plus/minus 6 degrees. The stem is 1 1/8” ahead but the package is supplied with a quill adapter.
Elgokse bar / stem combo
Living mostly in the 1990s when it comes to bikes my normal bar of choice is the 23” hyperlite, possibly with bar ends. As such I was genuinely interested to log some miles with a wider bar with more sweep. Read on for the full review….
The Review
The first part of the test involved deciding what to fit them on. The obvious applications would be something modern with a heavy nod to the past or on something from the 80s or 90s. I decided to fit these to a modern-ish Pipedream, a bike I’d logged plenty of miles on with regular risers
Once the bars had been fitted it was necessary to set the sweep on the bar. After a couple of quick test rides and after consulting with Sean Virning from Rawland I decided to run the bar swept up into my body rather than flat like a north road bar.
How did they ride? Great! I was a little unsure how I’d find the bars but after plenty of miles I came to appreciate both the sweep and width. The bars shape made for a more relaxed position than the norm - I found the sweep to be really natural. The extra width was also appreciated, given plenty of extra control and leverage over the front end.
The construction of the bars cannot be faulted - fans of well made steel components will not be disappointed. The quality of welding and chrome is excellent and the laser etched logos are a nice touch. As one might expect had no issues with bar or stem slipping during the test.
Rider's eye view
Click here for more pictures of bars as fitted to bicycle.
Conclusion
A well made handlebar stem combination suitable for both retro and modern machines. The bar / stem works both functionally and aesthetically.
For
High quality handmade construction
Durable and Stiff
Great position
Price – you can easily spend US$150 on a average modern alloy bar / stem combination – as such these represent good value.
Against
Lack of stems lengths. Those who a super picky about their position may wish to measure carefully before purchase.
Ahead only, quill adapter supplied though.
Stem clamp bolts are rear facing. Potential for knee interfaces.
Heavy. But really, who’d buy these for a weight weenie build?
Retrobike Rating
eight out of ten
Product Rawland Cycles Elgokse handlebar / stem combination.
Price US$150
Available from http://www.rawlandcycles.com
Welcome to the first in the very occasional series of Retrobike product reviews. First up on test is a Elgokse bar / stem combo manufactured by Rawland Cycles. In case you are wondering Elgokse is Norwegian for bullmoose which given the bars shape is very apt.
The bars bring the classic 80s bullmoose design right up to date. They are constructed from chromed steel, the bars themselves are 700mm (27.5") wide with plenty of sweep and them stem is 100mm plus/minus 6 degrees. The stem is 1 1/8” ahead but the package is supplied with a quill adapter.
Elgokse bar / stem combo
Living mostly in the 1990s when it comes to bikes my normal bar of choice is the 23” hyperlite, possibly with bar ends. As such I was genuinely interested to log some miles with a wider bar with more sweep. Read on for the full review….
The Review
The first part of the test involved deciding what to fit them on. The obvious applications would be something modern with a heavy nod to the past or on something from the 80s or 90s. I decided to fit these to a modern-ish Pipedream, a bike I’d logged plenty of miles on with regular risers
Once the bars had been fitted it was necessary to set the sweep on the bar. After a couple of quick test rides and after consulting with Sean Virning from Rawland I decided to run the bar swept up into my body rather than flat like a north road bar.
How did they ride? Great! I was a little unsure how I’d find the bars but after plenty of miles I came to appreciate both the sweep and width. The bars shape made for a more relaxed position than the norm - I found the sweep to be really natural. The extra width was also appreciated, given plenty of extra control and leverage over the front end.
The construction of the bars cannot be faulted - fans of well made steel components will not be disappointed. The quality of welding and chrome is excellent and the laser etched logos are a nice touch. As one might expect had no issues with bar or stem slipping during the test.
Rider's eye view
Click here for more pictures of bars as fitted to bicycle.
Conclusion
A well made handlebar stem combination suitable for both retro and modern machines. The bar / stem works both functionally and aesthetically.
For
High quality handmade construction Durable and Stiff Great position Price – you can easily spend US$150 on a average modern alloy bar / stem combination – as such these represent good value. Against
Lack of stems lengths. Those who a super picky about their position may wish to measure carefully before purchase. Ahead only, quill adapter supplied though. Stem clamp bolts are rear facing. Potential for knee interfaces. Heavy. But really, who’d buy these for a weight weenie build?Retrobike Rating
eight out of ten
