Aerozine XB1.2 Black Compact Road Bars

Component company Aerozine have only the one set of road bars in their catalogue but the XB1.2 bars are a good quality compact option for those not wanting a full drop.

They are made from 7050-T6 grade alloy which is used a lot in the bike industry for its high strength, ideal then for a pair of bars that are likely to see plenty of stresses past through them on every ride.

The central section is oversized with a diameter of 31.8mm and some room to fit lights and computers before it tapers down for the bar tape. The tops have a slightly wider wing type profile to give a bit more surface area to rest your hands on which does make them much more comfortable over longer rides. The come in width options of 42 or 44cm with ours weighing 294g, not superlight but pretty good for the price.

Traditional bars have a perfect curve for the drop but the Aerozines have a more defined 'anatomic' flat section in the middle of the drops, often referred to as a pistol grip. I find it works best on compact bars like these as there is less chance of catching your wrist on the tops when you're tucked down in the drops.

So what's a compact bar then? Well basically the reach and drop dimensions are less than a more traditional drop so the reach to the hoods and down to the drops isn't as great. The XB1.2's have a drop of 125mm (about 15mm less than normal) but a very short reach of just 65mm though this is mostly caused by that pistol grip shape. All this means that the change in position from tops to drops is very small but its enough to get your head down a bit to sprint or get out of the wind.

The black version we've been testing has a hard-wearing finish and the brake levers gripped well with no slippage whatsoever. The cables run neatly in the channel underneath to.

The XB1.2's spent most of the time attached to my fixed, so saw plenty of pulling and pushing from climbing and starting efforts but there was barely any noticeable flex. The downside of that is they can be a little on the harsh side especially if you are riding an already stiff frameset.

Overall the XB1.2's perform well with a decent enough compromise of stiffness and comfort. They offer plenty of hand positions as well and thanks to the compact dimensions they are all accessible to pretty much every rider.

Verdict

Well priced multi position handlebar, a bit of padded tape might be required for long trips.

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