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One23 Bar Saver

7
£9.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Elegant and provides more real-estate, but not very robust
Weight: 
101g
Contact: 
www.todayscyclist.co.uk

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At last, the One23 Bar Saver is an elegant solution to the problem of finding extra bar space for gadgets!

There's no getting away from the brute ugliness of handlebar extensions. The Bar Saver from One23 is a far more elegant solution, using the bolts on your stem cap to attach a plastic bar that can be used for lights, a computer or whatever other gadgetry you wish to festoon your cockpit with. Mounting on the stem cap also means that it lines up evenly and helps to maintain a harmonious aspect.

Fitting the Bar Saver is reasonably straightforward, although the instructions are a little sketchy. The bolts are actually in two parts, the first replaces a stem-cap bolt and the second screwing into the end of the first, sandwiching the plastic bar between a pair of washers. You'll need a tiny spanner to tighten up the inner bolt and be careful doing up the outer, because you can easily damage the bar. It's hard to judge just how tight the inner bolts need to be, but I settled for engaging all the thread and then doing a final tighten on the other two stem-cap bolts. The handlebars feel perfectly secure and I've got no worries about the bolts working loose.

Once fitted the Bar Saver certainly looks very tidy and for years I've wondered why someone didn't make use of the stem-cap bolts as a fixing point. Mine currently has a Lumicycle head unit and the Niterider Mako I tested a few months ago. The only problem I've come across is that the bar is quite close to the handlebars, which makes using a cam-lock (as used by the Lumi and various other lights) a bit tricky. The answer is to attach the light at an angle which gives better access and then rotate it to suit but the bar is made from two halves and doesn't respond well to the twisting forces that this generates and if you're not careful it would be easy to break it completely. In fact the flimsy plastic construction of the bar is my biggest gripe with the Bar Saver - an aluminium bar would be much better.

Although the construction feels a little flimsy and you're paying £11 for nothing more than two bolts and a bit of moulded plastic this is a neat solution to an irritating problem.

Verdict

Elegant and provides more real-estate, but not very robust.

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road.cc test report

Make and model: One23 Bar Saver

Size tested: One

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

No blurb but it's just two fancy bolts and a bit of moulded plastic, innit?

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
5/10

Bolts are fine but the plastic bar feels flimsy.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Very good.

Rate the product for durability:
 
6/10

Hmmm, that's my biggest worry. I like to adjust the angle of my lights by twisting them on the bars and the Bar Saver really doesn't like that.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

It's just two bolts and some moulded plastic, so £11 seems a little steep.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very good.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Elegance and practicality.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Flimsy plastic.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

More elegant than a Spacegrip, but less robust.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 5' 8  Weight: er....85kg

I usually ride: Kona Dew Drop, Dawes Century SE, Carlton Corsa  My best bike is: Guess SC1 scandium

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, Audax and long distance solo rides

 

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