The Easton EC90 ALX handlebar is one of the lightest gravel handlebars you can buy, aimed at all road and gravel riders. With a size-specific ergo shape on the tops and slightly increased flare over the regular Easton road handlebar range, comfort has supposedly been designed into the package but I found the opposite was true when riding.
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Easton has a reputation for producing lightweight carbon components through MTB, road, and the AX series, and is aimed at all forms of drop-bar riding on and off-road included. The EC90 ALX handlebar comes in at a claimed weight of 205g.
The handlebar is available in widths 38cm to 46cm, measured centre to centre at the hoods, and each width has a size-specific ergonomic top section. All sizes feature 80mm reach, 125mm drop, and 10-degree flare to the drops.
Easton says the handlebar is DI2 compatible, allowing a DI2 junction box to be fitted to either end of the handlebar drop, with the cable that would need to be routed externally to the shifter. There is no cable port at the shifter mount points or at the centre of the handlebar for fully internal routing.
Easton EC90 ALX handlebar – Technical details
When installing the handlebar there was one small, but relatively simple addition that I liked, and that was the mounting marks for the shifters. On many other bars, these marks have been lower than what I would expect and of limited use. On the EC90 handlebar, the markings seem well placed, with many both above and below where I had the shifters mounted.
The top section of the handlebar has a slight ergonomic oval profile and an indent for the cable routing underneath. This shape is size-specific with overall circumference increasing with bar width.
Easton claims a weight of 205g for the 42cm, and this was very close to what our test bar weighed in the same width at 208g. This puts them in line with the lightest bars available, and the only set previously tested that registered below this weight is the discontinued Mt Zoom ultralight handlebar at 195g.
When setting up the handlebar I used the ergonomic top as the guide, with the angle rotated slightly backward, as this felt like the most natural and comfortable position. Doing this did mean the drops ended more vertically than I would have liked, with no horizontal section to finish.
Easton EC90 ALX handlebar – Performance
From the beginning of the first ride, the stiffness is immediately evident, with not a hint of flex in any direction. Even when sprinting out of the saddle, the bar felt completely rigid in all areas – from the top section through the hoods and into the drops.
Heading off-road and the stiffness continues. it becomes a major negative, giving a very harsh ride. Despite using reasonably wide 44mm tyres and running sub-30psi pressures, not to mention using a 3mm thick bar tape, the impact on handling was quite dramatic.
The harsh feel impacts confidence on descents and, on rougher downhills, I found myself slowing to a crawl and still feeling rattled around. If there is any slight potential of going uphill faster by dropping a little weight the difference is quashed by the time lost going downhill.
Easton has added a small amount of flare to the geometry compared to the road handlebar line-up, increasing from 4 to 10 degrees but all other stats are identical. Putting the flare figure into actual width from a 42cm width and the hoods, the drops measure 46.5cm at the end of the drops. The flare is minimal compared to almost all other handlebars aimed at gravel riding with others including the Lauf Smoothie but for an even wider stance, there are many options around 25 degrees. Should you want even more flare, the Ritchey Beacon has a fair figure of 36 degrees.
Easton EC90 AX handlebar – Verdict
The EC90 ALX costs £299 placing it just below the £440 ENVE G Series as the most expensive handlebars of this nature. Is this price justified? If you only ride on the road, want something very light, and prefer a little more flare than some road handlebar options it is perhaps a consideration, but still a very expensive one. For off-road riding, it can’t compete against the competition. Comfort and vibration damping is very important for off-road riding, and the Lauf Smoothie offers the best in class and it is £100 cheaper. The Spank Flare 25 proved that an aluminium handlebar can be comfortable too, but it does have a weight penalty, weighing 341g.
The Easton EC90 ALX is impressively light, but it is also very stiff and that impacts the ride comfort and quality in such a way that I seriously question its design for gravel riding. If you are a weight weenie and value weight over comfort and have deep pockets it might be something to consider, but in terms of off-road performance, it falls well short of every other handlebar I have used.
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Product purpose:
Our tried and tested maximum contact drop is back with a new happy medium flare of 10 degrees for versatility, comfort and safety when riding in packs. We listened to our riders who wanted a wider range of sizes, and we now offer 38cm in addition to 40/42/44/46cm widths all with ergonomic and size-specific hand/lever placement. With a competitive weight of just 205g in the 42cm width, the ec90 alx is one of the lightest in its class and and fit for every road.
Build extra:
205g – 42cm width
38/40/42/44/46cm c-c at the hoods
10-degree flare
31.8mm Clamp Diameter
80mm Reach
123mm Drop
Size Specific ergo top section
Easton MCD drop (Max Contact Drop)
Di2 Bar End Junction – Both Sides
IntelligentFlex™️
TaperWall™️
Product construction
Product construction extra:
Product performance
Product performance extra:
Product durability
Product durability extra:
Product weight
Product comfort
product value
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