Founded with a passion for all things cycling-related, Enve Composites has been focused on producing high-end carbon fiber components for road and mountain bikers alike. With most of their components being manufactured out of their Utah facility, Enve is one of a few companies still making products here in the United States. This last year Enve was busy releasing new wheelsets, and now they’ve released a 35mm handlebar and stem to keep up with the ever-shifting standards. We got a first glimpse of the new bar/stem combo at the 2018 Sea Otter and put plenty of miles on them through the summer and fall seasons.

Tech info:

The M7 is the first 35mm-compatible bar and stem that Enve has produced. With the introduction of the M7 line, Enve set their M6 lineup to be more purpose-built around cross-country riding and racing. Starting with the handlebars, Enve simplified the lineup of options, making it easier for riders to choose the right bar. All of the M7 handlebars come in a 35mm diameter with a standard 800mm width. The bars can be trimmed down to 780mm to suit riders’ varying width preferences. Enve didn’t design the M7 bar to be run any narrower, as they claim this would affect the ride quality of the bar. The M7 bar is available in 10-, 25- and 40mm rises, with an 8-degree sweep that is similar to other bars made for all-around trail riding. Each pair of handlebars comes with a sticker pack with various colors to match Enve’s wheel decals. The retail price on our 10mm-rise handlebars is $170.

Finishing up the M7 line is Enve’s new 35mm stem that was designed to be paired with the handlebar. The M7 stem is available in three lengths—35- 50- and 65mm—with all having a zero-degree rise/drop. The stem has a complete carbon fiber design with an aluminum faceplate and titanium hardware to keep the overall weight down. Retail price on our 50mm stem is $280.

On the trail:

There is no denying just how good the quality and design of Enve products are, and when pulling the M7 bar and stem out of the box, we were once again reminded of this. The handlebars have a unique shape that slims down drastically from the center, more so than other 35mm bars we have ridden from other brands. Some riders may not be interested in color-matching their handlebars, but we thought the included sticker pack was a nice touch. With our bars trimmed down to 780mm, the weight came in at 242 grams with the 50mm stem at 92 grams. We used some carbon paste when installing the bars to the stem and torqued the faceplate down to the recommended 5.5 N/m. Once on our bike, the 8-degree sweep felt comfortable and gave the bars a worthy trail feel.

Hitting the trail, the M7 bars were quite comfortable and didn’t feel harsh once we hit rough chatter and imperfections in the trail. After long rides our test riders didn’t feel any extra fatigue in their hands or forearms that other overly stiff bars can produce. Out of the saddle when climbing or pedaling hard, the bars offered a little bit of flex but didn’t feel like a half-cooked noodle. Compared to other bars and stems that we have ridden, the ride quality and stiffness of the M7 are quite a bit better, but there is also the price. This bar/stem combo will cost more than other options, but the quality and durability are noticeably better.

Star Rating-★★★★☆

Hits

• High quality
• Color-matching decals are sweet
• Compliant feel over trail chatter

Misses

• It’s expensive
• Limited stem lengths compared to other brands

www.enve.com

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