Deity Speedway 35 Handlebar: Rider Review

There are a few changes on any given bike that can make it feel much better. One of them is the handlebars. Upgrading your bars can make old faithful feel like a whole new bike. Our friend Christopher gives us the rundown on his new Deity Speedway bars. Check it out below!

I used a fork I took off of another bike when I built my 5010 up from the frame. The 5010 has a longer headtube than the bike I took the fork off of, so the steer tube did not stick out as much as I would have liked. Using a 20mm rise bar at first, I felt like I was pitched forward more than I would like on descents due to the short steer tube. This led me to want my handlebars to be a bit higher in order to help shift my weight further back in order to feel more centered on the bike. I was already using a stem with a rise, and no spacers above the stem, so without shortening my bars more than I would like to, my only option was to look for bars with a higher rise.

Overview

My requirements were that the bar be carbon, have a 35mm diameter to fit in my stem, have at least 30mm rise, and be least 800mm wide (they had to look cool too!). Browsing online, I came across the Deity Speedway Carbon bars and they looked sweet. Apparently, they had just come out, just in time for when I needed them! On paper, the bars fit my needs and the price was in line with the competition, so I went for it. Positive experiences with other Deity components in the past gave me confidence that these bars would be of high quality as well.

When the bars came in, it was clear not only that they met my needs, but that they greatly exceeded my expectations. A nice touch that was immediately noticeable was the textured surface where the stem clamps and grips contact the handlebars. The added friction allowed me to use a little less torque on the stem clamp and grips while maintaining equivalent security, which must put less stress on the bars in the long run. The stealth graphics also complement the all-black accents on my bike, so it is a perfect match visually. Before cutting the bars down to my preferred 800mm width I gave them a shot at the factory 810mm width.

I did notice an improvement in my comfort on the bike, but it did feel like the benefits of the 10mm increase in rise were slightly negated by the 10mm increase in width compared to my previous bars. I went ahead and cut the bars down by 5mm on each side, which was easy to do because the bars are already marked in 5mm increments. Deity really thought out the details when designing these bars. Similarly to other carbon bars I have ridden, the bars dampen vibrations well and minimize hand and arm fatigue while preserving a good feel for the trail. I can’t speak to their long term durability, but they feel very solid, all while maintaining a low weight.

Final Thoughts

I bought these bars primarily for a minor change in my bike’s geometry, and they certainly achieved my goals and then some. If you want a bit more rise out of your bars and the ride qualities or carbon bars, I suggest you give these a shot!