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Buyer's Guide 2 - High Rise Bars

Nine inches high and rising. Love 'em or hate 'em, they're here to stay!

20 Apr 2016

Productivity Big Bars Intro

By Kerr Bilsland

Following on from Brian Tunney's piece last week on Bob Bars we figured why not present a guide for all the bars on the complete opposite side of the spectrum. Better for your back? Worse for your style? Below are sixteen handlebars of which all exceed nine inches and while you might not be completely for them, you can't deny their prevalence...

S&M Elevenz

As this is a big bar guide it would only be right for us to start out with the biggest of them all. Most will remember when S&M came out with the Perfect tens in 2011 and the reaction people had to them, in true S&M fashion though, they've gone and taken it to a whole other level. Eleven inches tall, made from straight gauge 4130 tubing and featuring a 3/4" crossbar with wide center box so you'll have no worries smashing down sets with these. The Elevenz are made to accommodate the tallest of riders but if you find even with a topload stem these are too low just do yourself a favour and give up.

Sm  Elevenz

Features:

- Material: Straight gauge 4130 chromoly

- Rise: 11"

- Width: 30"

- Upsweep: 3°

- Back sweep: 11°

- Cross bar: 0.75"

- Weight: 2.87lbs (1.3kg)

- Colours: Matte black, Chrome, Trans gold, Trans red and Trans blue

For more info visit www.sandmbikes.com

Elevenz  Trans  Blu 980x656
Elevenz  Trans  Gold

Cult Cuatro bars

Designed by the team themselves Cult's Cuatro bar features classic, comfortable geometry with 4° upsweep and coming readily available as not just a tall 10" piece but also in 8.65" and 9" if you're not in the market for that extra height. This is the only four piece bar we've featured in this and for good reason, Cult seem to have it spot on.

Cult  Cuatro Bars

Features:

- Material: Heat treated 4130 Chromoly

- Rise: 8.65" / 9" / 10"

- Width: 29"

- Backsweep: 12°

- Upsweep: 4°

- Crossbar Height: 7"

- Crossbar Width: 10.8"

- Weight: 34.5 oz

- Colours: Black and Chrome

For more info visit www.cultcrew.com

Eclat Dive bar

When most people think of a Dive bar an image of a scummy underworld with patrons on the scene for a one night stand comes to mind but Eclat have something else to swirl up your imagination. Instead depict some 4130 seamless butted crmo tubing, thicker at the bends for added strength then thinner in the straight sections to keep the weight down. The 10 inch backsweep and 1.5 upsweep are a nice touch and all these good looks will keep your mind off the horrendous hangover you have.

Eclat Dive Bar

Features:

- 4130 seamless butted chromoly tubing

- Rise: 8.6" / 8.9" / 10"

- Width: 30"

- Backsweep: 10°

- Upsweep: 2°

- Crossbar Height: 7.5"

- Crossbar Width: 11.75"

- Weight: 31 oz

- Colours: Black, Trans green and Chrome

For more info visit www.eclatbmx.com

Eclat  Dive Bar 06 960x640
Eclat  Dive Bar 04 960x640

BSD Raider bar

The Raider bar has been around for a bit now but there's no one more deserving of a signature high bar in BMX than David Grant. At 6'5" DBG is one tall ass dude and as seen in his Nearly 4K section you can bet when he's banging out monstrous handrails he's damn glad to have a set of Raiders underneath him.

Bsdproductbarsrvidxr00793

Features:

- Material: Multi-butted, post weld heat treated 4130 chromoly

- Width: 29.5″

- Height: 10″

- Backsweep: 11°

- Upsweep: 2°

- Weight: 1.85 lbs

Colours: Trans gold, Black, Clear coat raw and Chrome

For more info visit www.bsdforever.com

Bsdproductbarsrvidxr00865
Bsdproductbarsrvidxr00225

FIT Hoodbird Bar

Morgan Long's signature bar from FIT sit right in the middle of the high rise scope at 9.5", so if you're unsure about the 10's these will fit snuggly. This is a big bar that doesn't go on the heavy side like some big bars, although doesn’t skimp on strength because of the butted material and larger diameter bends on the two top bends. Also it’s not heat treated, this means it can come in sweet trans colours like that gold with the welds on fleet! To top it off these are American made and you've no doubt seen Morgan Long taking it doing a huge gap to wallride or double access hop so these are bound to hold up.

Hbb Trns Gold A

Features: 

- Rise: 9.5"

- Width: 29"

- Backsweep: 11°

- Upsweep: 3°

- Weight: 2.19 lbs

Colours: Matte black, Smoked chrome, Regular chrome, Gloss clear and Trans gold

For more info visit www.fitbikeco.com

Hbb Matte Black A
Hbb Chrome A

Fly Geo bar

Fly have always had a lustrous look with their product line and the Geo bar is the latest culmination of admirable Spanish detailing. Available in two lofty sizes, Fly have covered their bases here for the finicky folk who deem ten inches to be just a tad too high. If thirty inches is too wide for you as well, Fly have included handy cutting guides so you can be sure to get exactly what you want if you choose to customise.

Productivity Geo Bar All

Features:

- Material: Heat treated and multi-butted chromoly

- Rise: 9.75" / 10"

- Width: 30"

- Backsweep: 10º

- Upsweep: 2º

- Weight: 878 g / 1.9 lb

- Colours: Flat black and Stainless

For more info visit www.flybikes.com

Kink Hulk bar

Aptly named (although they won't turn green if you huck your whip) the Hulk Bars from Kink will muscle their way through all the obstacles thrown their way. With a nice strength to weight ratio thanks to the post weld heat treating and 13 butted tubing you'll be hanging on these for the long run whilst staying light. 

Bars Hulk Group

Features:

- Material: 13-Butted 4130 Chromoly Steel, Post Weld Heat Treated

- Rise: 10”

- Width: 30”

- Backsweep: 12°

- Upsweep: 1°

- Weight: 29.2oz

- Colors: Black ED, Chrome

For more information visit www.kinkbmx.com

Verde Regent bar

The highest bar Verde has ever made, the Regent is on the the lower scale of high compared to the others but would suit someone who isn't ready to poke themselves over the edge! Plus there's lots of sultry colours available on these to suit any wild scheme you might be imagining.

Verde Regent High Bar Black

Features:

- Material: 4130 Chromoly

- Rise: 9.25"

- Width: 29.5"

- Backsweep: 12°

- Upsweep: 1°

- Crossbar height: 6.5"

- Crossbar width: 10.625"

- Weight: 36.4oz

- Colours: Burgundy, Chrome, ED black and Military green

For more info visit www.verdebmx.com

Verde Regent High Bar Chrome

We The People Buck bar

It seems WeThePeople have a real knack for handing Dillon Lloyd some of the best product names out there. They've also handed him something else with his signature 'Buck' bar - the interesting 25.4mm oversized clamping area that's come as a new feature. This is supposed to create a stronger and stiffer bar which Dillon will very much need! Note though that if you wish to run the 25.4mm bar you'll need to run the WTP Hydra stem, if not the buck bar is also available in the regular clamping size.

Wtp  Buck  Bar 25 4 2016 01

Features:

- Material: Multi-butted and heat-treated chromoly tubing

- Rise: 9.15"

- Width: 29"

- Backsweep: 11°

- Upsweep: 1.5°

- Crossbar Height: 6.75"

- Crossbar Width: 11"

- Weight: 30.4 oz

- Colours: Gloss black, Matt black, Chrome and Trans red

For more info visit www.wethepeoplebmx.de

Wtp  Buck  Bar 25 4 2016 02
Wtp  Buck  Bar 25 4 2016 03

Division Brand Double D Bars

Division have added the Double D to their arsenal as Mitchell McDonald's signature bar. The brazed logo on these is a great touch and if you aren't familiar with Mitch please correct that right now so you understand why he's been bestowed his own bar!

Division Double D Bars

Features:

- Material: Multi Butted Full Post Heat Treated CrMo

- Rise: 9.5"

- Width: 29.5"

- Backsweep: 12°

- Upsweep: 1°

- Weight: 1.88 lbs

- Colours: Black and Chrome

For more info visit www.divisionbrand.com

Division Double D Black Close

United Supreme bar

The United Supreme bar is made for the the tall guy on a budget. You'll find every aspect of the Supreme bar coming to the same significant standard of all of United's other handlebars except for the heat treating process. Without this the bar stays affordable whilst not running the risk of losing quality. Thicker straight gauge tubing and a larger 22.2mm diameter crossbar is what keeps these sturdy and reliable.

Ha Un Supreme10 Black 1024x1024

Features:

- Material: Seamless 4130 cromo straight gauge tubing

- Rise 9" / 10"

- Width 30"

- Backsweep 12°

- Upsweep 1°

- Weight 2.0 lbs / 907 g

- Colours: Black and Chrome

For more information visit www.unitedbikeco.com

Ha Un Supreme10 Chrome 1024x1024

Volume Captain bar

Broc Raiford has risen to BMX stardom in recent years and has been deservingly rewarded with a signature frame, fork, seat and bar from Volume. His Captain Bars have the most outlandish colour way of this article with the white splatter being a fitting addition to his usual bike setups. These bars hold up to Broc's reputation for being a harder and bigger rider, with their heat treated chromoly and tubing butting points, and won't disappoint in the slightest. 

Catptain Bars

Features:

- Material: 13 butted, heat treated chromoly. Thickest point is 1.8t (.070)

- Rise: 9″ / 9.25″

- Width: 28.5″

- Backsweep: 10°

- Upsweep: 2°

- Crossbar OD: .75″

- Crossbar Height: 6.75″

- Crossbar Width: 11.3″

- Weight: 33.5 oz

- Colours: Flat black, Black / White splatter and Chrome

For more info visit www.volumebikes.com

Odyssey Highway bar

Odyssey have been tweaking their 41-Thermal® process to perfection for over a decade now and even put their money where their mouth is with a lifetime warranty. Odyssey know how to have a laugh but their products are definitely gimmick free. These bars won't stand for any nonsense.

Odyssey Highway Bar Blk

Features:

- Material: 41-Thermal® processed 4130 chromoly

- Rise: 9.5″

- Width: 29”

- Backsweep: 12°

- Upsweep: 1°

- Weight: 35 oz

- Colours: Black and Chrome

For more info visit www.odysseybmx.com

Mutiny Ridiculously Big Bar

We've already featured Mutiny's Ridiculously Big Bar in a past Productivity but here's a reminder... Coming in at 9.5 inches tall these are big (but maybe not just as ridiculous as the name suggests) and will be easy on your back, but just on the right side of tall to help stop you getting squirrely in the air. If that doesn’t seal the deal for you they’re 420 baked for that maximum high factor.

Mutiny 2015 RBB Bar

Features:

- Material: heat treated butted chromoly

- Rise: 9.5”

- Width: 30”

- Backsweep: 12 degrees

- Upsweep: 1 degree

- Weight: 32 oz

- Colours: Black

For more info visit www.mutinybikes.com

Mutiny 2015 RBB Bar 1

Colony Tenacious Bars

Clint and Cooper got all of the teams input for the Tenacious bars and it shows! Full post heat treated multi butted 4130 CrMo construction, multi butted tubing featuring thicker tubing on the grip bend and cross bar for extra strength and larger diameter cross bar with higher placement on bars for extra strength.

Tenacious Bars Group

Features:

- Rise: 10.0

- Width: 30"

- Backsweep: 11.5 

- Upsweep: 1.5

- Weight: 34 oz

- Colours: Gloss Black or Chrome

For more info visit: www.colonybmx.com

Merritt Where In The World Bar

Brad Simms made sure the geometry on this was prime for him to pull his hops into the stratosphere, so we're sure if you're in the market for that these will do you perfectly. With multi-butted, heat-treated chromoly, dual-radius bends and a 19mm crossbar, it's made to handle any hassle you had before.

Merritt Bs 1 Up

Features: 

- Material: Heat-treated chromoly

- Rise: 8.5" or 9.5"

- Width: 29" on the 8.5" and and 29.25" on the 9.5"

- Backsweep: 1°

- Upsweep: 12°

- Weight: 27.6oz

- Colours: Black and Chrome

For more info visit www.merrittbmx.com

Merritt Bs 1 Up Detail
Merritt Bs 1 Up Detail2

That wraps it up for this big bars buyers guide. If you fancy coppin' one of these hit up either Source or Dan's Comp. Everyone has a precise preference and hopefully you're able to find what you're looking for. Till next time!

Official DIG partners: BSD | ColonyCultDivision | EclatFITFlyKinkMerrittOdysseyS&MUnitedVerdeVolumeWTP | Mutiny