MXA TEAM TESTED MIKA METALS 7075 PRO SERIES HANDLEBARS

WHAT IS IT? Mika Metals 7075 Pro Series RC bend handlebars are designed to help reduce arm fatigue by being flexible without giving up durability. The 7/8-inch 7075 aluminum handlebars come in eight different bends.

WHAT’S IT COST? $69.95.

CONTACT? (559) 651-4120 or www.mikametals.com.

WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with the Mika Metals 7075 Pro Series handlebars.

(1) Design concept. Mika Metals Pro Series 7/8-inch bars are constructed from aerospace aluminum for maximum strength. The bars are made to last and survive impacts. Mika Metals’ unique engineering allows the bars to be strong yet still flexible enough to reduce arm fatigue.

(2) Bend. The bars we replaced were Renthal 7/8-inch RC-bend bars, so we were curious as to whether Mika’s RC-bend bars would be the same as Renthal’s. We quickly discovered that the Mika bars had the same bend but were a 1/2-inch shorter.

(3) Bar pad. Mika Metals bar pads are injection-molded from closed-cell foam so they will not break down. Mika bar pads are offered in eight different colors.

(4) 7/8-inch versus 1-1/8-inch. Mika Metals makes 1-1/8-inch bars in the same bends as the 7/8-inch bars. Choosing which diameter is right for you comes down to the combination of strength and flexibility you are looking for. The 1-1/8-inch bars will be stronger in the event of a crash.

(5) Feel. Once we switched from the Renthal RC bend to Mika Metal’s RC bend, we could feel the effects of the shorter Mika bar. It wasn’t something that we couldn’t adapt to, but it was surprising that every test rider could feel the difference.

(6) Colors. The bars only come in one color—black. You can change the accent of the bars with eight different bar-pad options.

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? We expected the Mika RC-bend bars to be identical to other RC-bend bars. The Mika handlebar may have the same sweep and rise, but the length is different. This made a difference on the track. You can always saw some off, but it’s hard to saw some on.

MXA RATING?

All of MXA’s test riders liked the feel, flexibility and durability of the Mika bars, but the slight specification differences bothered them.