Santa Cruz has steadily been adding to its arsenal of products over the last couple of years and now sitting alongside its highly-regarded Reserve wheels is a range of Santa Cruz Carbon Riser carbon fibre handlebars. Available in two widths – 760 and 800mm – the 9º back sweep and 20mm rise put my wrists in an optimum position and allowed me to fettle with bar height easily, although the only other rise option available is a flat bar with a 760mm width.

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The choice of back sweep and up sweep made setting up the bar pretty simple, and despite not having a grippy finish to aid clamping, it has resisted moving without needing to overtighten the stem. Grading around the 35mm diameter clamp area also helps put the bar into the right position.

For its width the bar sits at the stiffer end of the carbon spectrum and on longer days out it highlighted a need for more cushioned grips over my usual slimline choice.

If you’re worried about fitting a Santa Cruz Carbon Riser to a different frame the subtle logos and finish won’t jar too much. However at prices starting from £140 it does sit towards the top end of the carbon bar market.