4130 cro mo / 1in or 2in rise / 22.2mm clamp size/ 28in width/ Colours: grey or black / 10deg back 3deg upsweep / Weight: 425g
Contact: Mountain Road Imports 0870 756 8511

The GI Race 0.49 is basically a dirt jump bar for smooth riders where the 0.49 indicates the wall thickness of the bar in millimetres. There is no bulge in the central portion as the handlebar has a constant diameter of 22.2mm across its width. Which means that you can only run it with a BMX stem or matching Atomlab unit. Overall the profile is good, but riders who prefer more upsweep will need to roll the bar forward slightly to gain their preferred position. There is a small but noticeable amount of spring to this thin-walled bar that makes it easier on the wrists when you tag a jump or land flat-bottom. Also, the steel is more likely to bend than snap if you really hammer it, which is reassuring even if the GI Race weighs twice as much as an alloy bar. The gloss black painted finish has held up remarkably well and we’ve been impressed by the steel’s damping properties. That said, if you break parts regularly or like to ghost your bike, we suggest that you get the thicker walled street version instead.

MBR RATING: 8/10