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Maxm MX-5 Handlebar
By James Sharp
Handlebars play a pretty simple role in mountain biking, really. They give you someplace to put your hands and a way to control your bike. They provide space for shift levers, brake levers, computer, heart rate monitor and lights. They range from not too heavy, to “Holy cow, this doesn’t weigh anything”. But most importantly, they shouldn’t break, period. This is especially true with bars made of composite materials like carbon fiber. Unlike aluminum alloys, carbon fiber won’t bend or crack. It will give way all at once. This is called catastrophic failure, a bit of an understatement if you ask me.
This is where Maxm steps in. They utilize a new technology called IsoGrid. This is a thin-wall carbon tube, reinforced with a grid work of bundled fibers. The bundles of fibers are co-molded with the rest of the structure, resulting in an incredibly strong handlebar that is very lightweight. How light you ask? The MX-5, reviewed here, is a low-rise (one inch) bar that is 24 inches long. It comes in at 135 grams. The strength to weight ratio can be as much as 10% better than comparable carbon handlebars with overall strength increased by a claimed 40%. Those are pretty hefty claims.
 This is a great handlebar. It feels more solid than other carbon composite bars that I have used in the past, without losing the high frequency vibration damping quality that carbon fiber bars are known for. As with other composite bars, care needs to be taken when bolting on brake levers and the stem. Any scratch can result in a stress riser which, in turn, can lead to a failed bar. If care is taken, there is no reason that the MX-5 shouldn’t last a lifetime. In fact, it carries a lifetime warranty with it.
Summary: The Maxm MX-5 costs $100. While that may seem expensive, for a bar of this caliber, it is good deal. A comparable low-rise carbon bar weighing in at a similar 135 grams is as much as $140. With IsoGrid, Maxm is able to maintain the structural integrity of the handlebar, while decreasing its weight. If you are in the market for a light riser, this is your bar. Maxm also makes a flat bar and a higher, wider riser bar, both with IsoGrid technology.
James Sharp is a contributing editor for GearReview.com specializing in mountain biking.
For more information, contact:
Maxm Components
1711 W. University Drive, #158
Tempe, AZ 85281
Phone: 480-377-9490
E-mail: info@maxmcomponents.com
www.maxmcomponents.com
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