The aim behind Mt Zoom products is to offer the lightest components for the most demanding racers, so durability is important, as it a keen eye on price. And nowhere is that more clear than with their carbon fibre handlebar, described as the “the ultimate cross-country bar.”

Ultimate by nature, but not ultimate by price. The Ultimate Carbon Flat Bar is offered in two versions, Ultralight and Barend Friendly, the former weighing just 94g in its lightest incarnation, with a 25.4mm diameter central section and 580mm width. Wider and fatter options are available in the range.

We’ve just received the Barend Friendly version, which makes it ideal for cross-country or marathon racing (we’re thinking some of the 12-hour races we’ve got lined up this summer), when paired up with some bar ends (what do you mean bar ends died out in the 90s?)

There’s a few more layers of carbon fibres to ensure the clamp forces of bar ends, which put a massive amount of force through the bars when you’re out of the saddle and heaving on them, doesn’t lead to any structural issues.

Despite that reinforcing carbon, the bar, in 640mm width picture here, only tips the scales at 116g. That’s with a 31.8mm clamp area. A 0° rise makes them ideal for the growing number of 29ers, to keep the front end low, and they have a 6° rearward sweep.

The handlebar is well presented, made from 3K carbon fibre with cleanly cut ends. The bar has been designed to make precision setting up, in the stem and with brake and shift lever placement, easy due to large areas of printed markers.

Printed 10mm incremented cutting marks wrap all the way round the bars to make cutting them down easy. The stem and bar end clamp areas have a roughened surface to prevent things slipping. The central section of the bar wears a printed grid for precision lining up of the bars in the stem.

Given how light they are, it’s pleasing to note they have no rider weight limit.

We’ve also got our hands on some of Mt Zoom’s Ultralight Bar Ends. It’s been a few years since we last used bar ends, when we did the Absa Cape Epic stage race. With a couple of longer distance events coming up, we’ll be looking to reintroduce ourselves to the advantages of riding bar ends, particularly on climbs.

The bar ends are made form 7075 aluminium with a titanium bolt helping to keep weight down to just 45g a pair. They’re 107mm in length and angled inwards slight, with a contoured shape to make them more comfortable to grip. Logo-ed bar plugs come supplied.

We’ll be putting them on our resident test/race bike and trying them out. If they’re good enough for Ant White, they’re good enough for us

Ultralight Bar Ends £24.99
Ultimate Barend Friendly bar £74.99

Available from http://mtzoom.com