Skip to main content

Joystick 8-BIT handlebar


Joystick started life in Canada but their range has recently been getting a lot of love in the UK and we’re not surprised. The 8-BIT bar is a seriously wide (800mm) piece of smoothly tapering pipe that adds masses of steering leverage.

At 304g it’s on par with other similarly wide bars for weight and it’s got a reassuringly solid but not hand-tinglingly stiff feel on the trail. The six-degree upsweep is slightly steeper than normal though, which is obvious once you get to the tips, and while a nine-degree backsweep is standard these days, the extra width makes it feel like you’re running a 10mm shorter stem than you actually are.

Price 105$


Popular posts from this blog

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

ENVE M50 29" Wheels

Utah based company ENVE have been making drool-worthy carbon components for some years now. Despite the fact that carbon rims are becoming more and more common on mountain bikes these days, you can guarantee that ENVE wheels will be a talking point when someone is eyeing off a steed. Instantly, the big bold logos on each rim scream "fast", "light" and to some extent, "expensive" The kids call this 'bling'.

CANYON NERVE AL 8.0

  S ince their entry into the UK market a few years ago, Canyon have made a name for themselves as purveyors of well-made bikes that exhibit often extraordinary value. The secret (or catch, depending on your point of view) is that the brand don’t have dealers – they ship bikes directly to your door.

COMMENCAL EL CAMINO 3

Commencal are going from strength to strength at the moment and they’ve taken their tough trail hardtail bang up to date with 650b wheels. With its skinny rims, crankset and fork, the El Camino certainly isn’t perfect and it’s the least hardcore bike here. The handling, smoothness, speed and all-round agility of the basic bike still make it a real blast for technical trail riding though, and it’s a great base for upgrading over time.

Scott Scale 950

The Scale 950 uses the now traditional-for-cross-country 29er wheels to excellent effect, with a fast but fun character that's happy racing or railing.