Back from the past Mt Zoom’s Ultralight Bar Ends are extremely light and are great for climbing

A while ago Mt Zoom sent us some of their Ultralight Bar Ends to go with their handlebars we were testing. At first, we didn’t really know what to do with them. It’s the best part of 10 years since this writer rode a bike with bar ends.

Okay, that’s not strictly true. When I raced the Absa Cape Epic, an 800km stage race, I fitted bar ends to my bike. On long rides like this, having another hand position can be a real comfort bonus and particularly good to relieve loads on the wrists. They really come into their own when you’re climbing; you can hustle the bike up the ascents in a way you can’t in the standard grip position.

The only place you see bar ends these days is on the start line of a cross-country race, and even there their numbers are limited. Racers have progressed to wider bars over the years and the bar ends are increasingly left in the bottom of the spares box.

Is there still a place for bar ends in this modern era of mountain biking? A quick straw poll showed an overwhelming consensus for leaving them in the 90s.

That’s a shame. For certain riders and certain types of riding (I’m thinking 24-hour races and the like here) they still have a use. if you fall into that camp the Mt Zoom Ultralight Bar Ends are a lovely modern interpretation of a classic piece of gear.

They’re extremely light at just 45g for a pair. They’re made from 7075 aluminium with a titanium bolt helping to keep weight down. They’re shaped with a light knurled finish and five shallow grooves that go some way to making them a little more ergonomic when you’re clasping them. They’re short at just 112mm in length and with a slight gentle bend they give a nice comfortable position for wrists.

We don’t expect bar ends to ever become as ubiquitous as they were in the 90s, but if you like the idea of an extra hand position, you could do a lot worse than give the Mt Zoom Ultralight Bar Ends a try, and for £25 they’re not even a very expensive experiment.

Verdict

Light and good looking they offer an extra choice of positions and are great for climbing.

Price: £24.99
Weight: 45g
More information: MT Zoom Ultralight Bar Ends

What Mt Zoom says about the Ultralight Bar Ends

Why have you forsaken them? Loads of extra hand positions to give relief and help you climb. Extra machining bring these in at a paltry 46g for the pair, so why not? Solid, strong and look particularly ace.

Our Mark 2 version is 5mm longer, has a metal end cap and because we’re nice … they are supplied with FREE bar end grips. Bonus!

– Total length 112mm, 80mm from bar
– Angled slightly inwards with a little contouring – for better grip
– In Henry Ford Black
– 7075 alloy body & titanium bolt
– Includes spare bar end plugs /handlebars plugs
+ FREE bar end grips, great for wet weather or generally if you prefer a thicker bar end