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KCNC SC Force handlebar

8
£61.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Light, comfortable and well-priced handlebars
Weight: 
216g
Contact: 
www.clee-cycles.co.uk

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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KCNC are best known for their super-slinky drilled out bits but the SC Force handlebar is a simpler beast, a fairly standard road drop made from T-7451 Scandium alloy that's light and comfy, and not too pricy either.

Our test sample was an oversized 31.8mm bar in a 44cm width, which should by rights be the heaviest one that KCNC do. However, at 216g it's competing with some pretty high end kit out there in terms of weight, and at £61.99 you'd hardly say it was über-expensive: similarly feathery carbon offerings will cost you at least twice as much. I've had the bars fitted to my bike for a test period that's included a 200km audax and plenty of shorter rides, and I've found the bars to be a good mix of stiffness and comfort.

They lean more towards comfort, especially on the drops where you notice the give in the thin walls the most. The weight saving does mean they're not as stiff as heavier bars but you feel it more as give than as flex; I'm pretty chunky at 96kg and I never felt that they were too flexy. They're not for you if you're a beefy sprinter but for more general riding they're a very likeable bar. I tend towards a compact drop these days but I didn't find the 145mm drop too deep and the semi-anatomic flatter section on the bend gives a good position for reaching the levers on descents.

Verdict

If you're looking for a light handlebar – or a comfortable one – then you'll spend a lot of money for a 215g Carbon one, and the KCNC offers a comfy ride and light weight for a shade over £60

road.cc test report

Make and model: KCNC SC Force handlebar

Size tested: 440mm

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

they are, say KCNC, "Beautifully made lightweight road bars"

# Made from scandium T-7451 alloy

# 440mm wide (centre-centre)

# 85mm reach

# 145mm drop

# Designed for road racing

they'd be good Sportive/Audax bars too

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Very nicely made, good shape and well finished

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Comfortable with a bit of give on the drops, you'll need something stiffer for sprinting

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

No problems during testing, we wouldn't expect a lightweight Alloy bar to last for ever though

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10

216g is nice and feathery

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10

Plenty of comfortable positions

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Not cheap but a lot cheaper than many bars the same weight

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfy and light

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

nothing really, I hope they do a compact drop version

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 190cm  Weight: 98kg

I usually ride: whatever I\'m testing...  My best bike is: Trek 1.5 with Ultegra 6700

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

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