Genetic Flare Road Bar

Genetic offer a range of mostly very good value products, from bottom brackets to headsets, and almost everything in between. The Flare bar is one of their most interesting, with an 11-degree flare to the drops – hence the name – that proved very comfortable, offering plenty of hand positions and good control.

The bar is made of 6061 T6 butted, heat treated aluminium alloy, which makes it robust, if a little on the heavy side – our 42cm test model came in at 325g, which is fairly heavy in the grand scheme of things, though about right for a £29.99 bar. The tubing is 23.8mm diameter, with a 31.8mm stem bulge for clamping.

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The Flare is actually a compact bar in all but name, with a 130mm drop and 80mm reach. The flare adds 40mm to the width (bar widths are measured at the lever clamp area). It also has an anatomic, or pistol grip, shape, which is fairly rare nowadays; the only person of note really using this shape on a day-to-day basis – though he probably won't be for a while now – being Fabian Cancellara.

I found the bar surprisingly comfortable when in the drops. Having always ridden with either regular compact bars or track drops, I was initially sceptical of the benefits of a flare. I was worried primarily about shifting my hands to reach the levers. In reality it wasn't a problem at all, the levers are simple to reach – even allowing for single finger braking, if you're into that sort of thing.

In fact I found that it gave me greater control over the bike when in the drops, though adopting an aero position was more of a challenge. Flared shapes tend to be used more in cycle-cross or gravel racing, so aren't necessarily going to be found on a traditional road bike, but if you are looking for stability you could do worse.

One aspect I really liked was that the flare and pistol grip give you loads of possibilities for where to put your hands. Even in the drops you can be at the front of them at a slight angle, or at the back which feels like it is considerably more.

The bar itself is fairly stiff and didn't flex too much when really pulling on it during climbs. This does mean it's a fairly harsh ride, and I was grateful for the padded bar tape I'd used.

Of course, this isn't a bar that you would find on a top end machine, but if you're on a tighter budget or even if you want to have some more flexibility in hand placement, it works well. One downside I found, which I am sure I would learn to get over in time, is when leaning the bike against a wall. With a traditional flat sided bar the bike will sit flush, but the flare means you have to carefully balance it against a far smaller area. Once or twice I had to quickly grab the bike before it fell after I'd propped it against railings or a wall at a coffee shop.

For the variety of hand positions the Flare gives you, and the good degree of control the shape provides, £29.99 is a good price. It won't be for everyone and I doubt you'll see this in the professional peloton, but I enjoyed using it.

Verdict

A shape that works well for control, but unlikely to be seen in the peloton