Pro Vibe Aero Alloy Handlebar

The Pro Vibe Aero Alloy Handlebar is comfortable to hold, whether on the tops or drops, with the six-degree flare allowing for a narrower position when on the hoods while retaining maximum control when using the drops. It's not the lightest bar, but it's high quality and will save a heap of cash over carbon alternatives, plus it features internal routing and looks the business.

The Vibe Aero Alloy is available in 38, 40 and 42cm widths, which should cater for most riders looking for a road racing bar. If you're looking for something even narrower then Pro also makes a Pursuit version of the bar, which is available in a 36cm.

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In the 40cm size tested, it weighs 333g on our scales, not far off the claimed weight of 330g for a narrower 38cm bar, so possibly a little lighter than expected. That's still not overly light for a handlebar – Pro's very own carbon PLT Ergo, for example, is over 100g lighter in a comparable size.

As the name suggests, the Vibe Aero is not a traditional round tube bar, instead the tops have a flattened profile, but not so wide that you can't fit your hand round it when climbing on the tops.

Pro hasn't made any claims about how much quicker this bar will actually make you, but a bit of research shows that around 7W can be saved at 30mph when comparing aero profile bars to round profile ones. Of course, this isn't noticeable on the road, but I'll happily take any gains, especially when they look this good.

What I can give my findings on, though, are stiffness and comfort. It can be a tricky balance to get right, but something that the Pro does brilliantly. Yanking on the hoods when sprinting up sharp climbs reveals no discernible flex, nor is there when you are braking hard, transferring your weight through the handlebar.

> How to make your bike more comfortable – check out our 14 tips

It's the same when you're down in the drops. This is a proper racer's bar, and they love to sprint. Aluminium bars do tend to translate road buzz through to the hands more than carbon, and this is indeed the case with the Vibe Aero, but for an aluminium race bar it's really not bad, and I've completed plenty of six-hour rides on it in relative comfort.

With a reach of 78mm and a drop of 130mm for all sizes, it isn't as shallow as some more endurance style bars but nor is it so deep that only the most flexible can make full use of the drops. You are likely to find that 78mm reach slightly longer than the compact bars which come as standard on bikes; 70mm is a more typical number, especially on bars 40cm and narrower.

The Vibe also features 6 degrees of flare, which on this 40cm wide bar means that at the ends of the drops it measures 43cm across. A flared bar can be an excellent compromise of getting the aerodynamic benefits of narrower bars at the hoods while retaining the control of a wider bar, useful for when descending in the drops. Having used the bar for a month or so, I'm a big fan of the 6-degree flare as it means I can still have my Shimano shifters almost vertical while reaping the benefits over a non-flared bar.

The 31.8mm central section of the bar (with the round profile) stretches about 100mm, giving ample room for a Wahoo/Garmin or light mount either side of the stem, which isn't always the case on aero profile bars.

The flattened top section is not only a comfortable place for your hands, but the internal routing also means cables or hoses don't detract from the clean looks, whether you're using a mechanical or electronic setup. The elongated holes are large enough to get the outer housing through without too much of a squeeze, and I set it up with no major stress and a small amount of guidance from a small screwdriver.

Personally, I don't think there's a better-looking handlebar out there for the price. Carbon aero alternatives will set you back a huge amount more – the Zipp SL70 Aero, for example, is £296, and even the excellently priced Prime Primavera is £149.99, though both will save you some weight.

Aluminium bars can be found for less, but few will have internal routing and an aero profile. Two exceptions are the Profile Design DRV/AeroA at £69.99, and the Prime Doyenne Aero at £59.99, but both are made from 6061 aluminium alloy, which is generally regarded as lower quality than 6066 alloy due to lower fatigue strength.

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Overall, I think the Pro Vibe Aero is a really good buy. It looks excellent, performs admirably and is a great shape for both racing and training.

Verdict

Stiff, race-orientated bar that looks great, with internal cable routing, and will save you a packet over carbon alternatives