At 206g for the 800mm version (820 and 840mm widths also available), the eXotic SuperWide is very light even by carbon standards, and it’s cheaper than most alloy options that are 50 per cent heavier. It’s only available in a 31.8mm diameter and with a 25mm rise, but the eight-degree backsweep and five-degree upsweep feel fine. There’s no central grip strip, so we’d advise torquing up your stem bolts as tight as safely possible (8Nm) and adding some grip paste to stop the glossy unidirectional carbon finish slipping. There are no cut marks either. Ride feel is well balanced, with a bit of initial flex for comfort but a firmer feel under pressure for decent accuracy when you’re pushing the pace. Despite initial cost/weight concerns, the bar hasn’t made any worrying noises during testing. Our previous CarbonCycles sample was fine too, and the company have been trading for over 20 years, which is reassuring from a back-up point of view.
Price $87
