The Wren Perseverance Adventure Dropbar bundle includes a wide 530mm handlebar, armrests and extra-long bar tape. As the name suggests, it’s designed for epic adventures but comes with a big price tag and isn’t the lightest option.
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The bundle comprises several products, each available separately or as part of the package. These include the Wren Perseverance Adventure Dropbar (£199.99), Perseverance Armrests (£129.99) and two rolls of Perseverance Extra Long Handlebar Wrap (£59.98).
Wren Perseverance Adventure Dropbar bundle – Technical details
The handlebar is made from 6061 alloy and comes in a single width of 530mm (centre to centre) at the hoods. It has a 70mm reach, a significant 29-degree flare and a relatively shallow drop at 105mm, giving a total width of 610mm in the drops (centre to centre). While the claimed weight is 754g, our test model weighed 610g. The looped extension is welded to the main bar and extends 260mm.
There is plenty of space on the central section for clamping devices or even attaching additional bags, with some bags specifically designed for looped handlebars.
The looped section isn’t designed for aerodynamic benefits but to offer a different arm position, allowing you to rest your forearms and distribute your body weight more efficiently. This, in turn, reduces fatigue in your back, shoulders and arms on long adventures. The armrests are simple and well-designed, attaching to the 22.2mm section of the handlebar with a swivel adjustment and lock. They are made from polycarbonate, bolted to CNC alloy mounts with padded sections secured by Velcro. The armrests aren’t exclusive to the Perseverance Dropbar and can be fitted to any handlebar with the same diameter.
The handlebar wrap included in the bundle consists of two 3500mm rolls. Adding together the handlebar, armrests and wrap – the total system weight is 895g. While this might not appeal to weight-conscious riders, it’s clear that the target audience is not the weight-weenie crowd.
Fitting and setting up the components was straightforward, though I’d recommend testing the armrest position before securing the tape. Adjustments to the tilt, angle and fore-aft position are easy to make. With the extra-long tape, I wrapped the bar from the ends, around the armrests and finished at the centre of the extension. The tape is thin and has no adhesive backing, making it easy to rewrap if needed, although you might want to overlap it more or use gel inserts to increase the thickness due to its thinness.
Wren Perseverance Adventure Dropbar bundle Cockpit – Performance
Despite the armrests, the handlebar width allows various hand positions on the tops, hoods and drops. The wide flat tops provide better control compared to more common 40-44cm handlebars. Since there is no access to the brake hoods or gears in this position, I only used positions on the tops or armrests on straight and flat terrain. While this style of riding is limited in the UK, it’s easy to imagine using the extensions for days on end in other parts of the world.
The armrests are well-padded and comfortable, with a scalloped shape that holds your arms better than most TT-style armrests I’ve tried. The padding is thick and comfortable against bare skin, though it could be a bit bigger, as the deeper padding doesn’t extend to the edges, leaving some pressure points uncovered.
The short 105mm drop makes the bar more comfortable to hold for long periods, and the extra width inspires confidence on technical descents compared to a narrower bar.
While the additional hand positions and control on descents are beneficial, I didn’t often find a significant advantage over a standard handlebar. For general riding, the extra width can be cumbersome leading to discomfort and slower handling.
The alloy handlebar can feel harsh off-road, with the thin Wren bar wrap not helping. For some of the testing, a suspension stem was fitted and, while this did improve things, I was still able to feel vibrations from the bar wrap and handlebar. Alternative options to improve comfort are available from other brands, including Redshift which has a 3150mm tape (£39.99 for two rolls), and also the Top and Drop Cruise Control grips (£69.99). A similar option could be to use MTB-style grips on the end of the drops and wrap from where they finish.
Wren Perseverance Adventure Dropbar bundle Cockpit – Verdict
There are several other similar handlebars, some with even more extreme width options, including the Curve Wallmer available up to 600mm. The most similar is the Redshift Kitchen Sink, available up to the same 53cm width, featuring similar geometry and a looped section, although it isn’t designed to be used with armrests in the same way.
The Kitchen Sink is cheaper at £159.99, compared to the £199 for the Wren Perseverance Adventure Dropbar alone. We also tested the Merit Rodla looped carbon handlebar, available in widths up to 580mm, priced at £250 and significantly lighter at just 360g.
Some elements of the Wren Perseverance Adventure Dropbar bundle work well but, as a complete package for typical British riding, I found it offered limited benefits over a more traditional handlebar. The out-front “aero” armrests provide a brilliant extra position for longer journeys but, in most cases, a set of bolt-on bars would be a more cost-effective and simpler option.
If you’re planning a major adventure in areas such as the Great Plains of the USA or other regions with extended sections of flat terrain, the Perseverance Adventure Dropbar is a good option. However, I would recommend using a different bar wrap with added gel or foam to enhance comfort.
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Product purpose:
THE CONCEPT
Your cockpit is your home when you’re out on big rides. This is a cockpit designed to live in, day-in, and day-out. While there are a lot of funky bars out there, we’ve found them all to be lacking in one way or another: too much backsweep with loops that are too small and limited in functionality.
LOOK AT THOSE CURVES
Fabricating bars with this many bends and angles isn’t easy but it’s worth the effort.
Our Perseverance Dropbars take the best features of the bars we love to ride:
• Wide enough at the hoods to feel confident in challenging terrain and fit bikepacking gear comfortably (wider than the VAST majority of dropbars out there but not as crazy as the handful of 600mm wide dropbars in existence)
• A shallow drop with just the right amount of flair to feel like a proper grassroots offroad gravel bar and not just a small tweak to an existing race-centric road bar labeled as gravel
Then adds a functional aero loop that is ergonomic with plenty of space for accessories and gets your hands above any mounted bar bags (no more jamming your fingers between your bars and your bags). Our loop out front is also wide enough to provide some real control and leverage while on rough terrain right from the tucked position.
From the second you take a spin on Perseverance you’ll immediately understand why these bars are a step above the rest.
I DON’T RACE. DO I NEED A HANDLEBAR LIKE THIS?
There’s a myth out there that aero and time trial handlebar extensions are just for racers or folks looking to set fastest known times.
This is simply not true.
Here are a few reasons why cockpit extensions are spectacular for anyone of any skill level looking to go #bikepacking:
1.) Reduce back fatigue. Aero bars allow riders to stretch their backs out on mellower terrain and put less weight on their spine and more on their glutes and quads.
2.) Reduce wrist, elbow, and shoulder fatigue. More positions to reduce pressure points on those long rides.
3.) Increased bar bag stability. Floppy, bouncy handlebar bags suck. Having another axis of support stops the dreaded bag-flop and improves handling.
4.) More accessory mounting real estate. This is especially important for getting a bike light above handlebar bags and out front of the bike.
Our Perseverance #Adventure Handlebar takes the best attributes of traditional aero bar add-ons and integrates them in a tidy and robust package with angles meant for exploration.
Build extra:
Material: 6061 Alloy
Weight: 754 grams
Width (at the hoods): 530mm
Reach: 70mm
Drop: 105mm
Backsweep: 6°
Flair: 29°
Stem Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm
Clamp Diameter of Loop: 22.2mm
Loop: 301mm base / 250mm long with tapered nose / 78mm rise
Wrap: 3500mm extra-long premium bar loop wrap (sold separately) – long enough to wrap the bars from the drops to the tip of the loop.
Finish: Anodized Gold/Bronze with Black Decals
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