Chromag Fubar OSX 2019
Reviews / Handlebars
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At a Glance
No stranger to pushing the limits on bikes, Chromag are manufacturers of some of the wildest hardtail mountain bikes on the planet. They also turn their hand at components too including the Fubar OSX and the Hi-Fi Stem that we have here.
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The OSX bar is an alloy, 31.8mm clamp bar coming in at 780mm width and a crowd-pleasing 5-degree up sweep and 8 degrees back sweep. Chromag suggest this is their most popular DH and Freeride bar, but coming in at 310g it can find it's home on bikes at the less extreme end of the spectrum.
The Hi-Fi Stem continues in the hard-hitting style as a 3D forged piece designed for 'Ultimate control and performance'. It's a classic four-bolt faceplate design and comes in three lengths to get the perfect right.
Fubar OSX Bar
- Width- 780mm
- Rise- 25mm
- Sweep- 5 degree up 8 degree back
- Clamp- 31.8mm
- Weight- 310g
- Material- 7000 Aluminium
Hifi V2 Stem
- Length- 31/40/50mm (40mm tested)
- Clamp- 31.8mm
- Rise- 0mm
- Weight- 200g
- Material- Premium Alloy
On The Trail
The bar and stem go together well, the bar has marks for cutting them down if needed and crosshairs to get the stem central. These markings work ok but it would be great to see an integrated system for alignment given they are the same brand. Just some lines that perfectly line up for the width of the stem faceplate would be nice. The stem is sleek and smooth in shape to avoid anything painful to hit your knee on in a crash, and the black bolts blend nicely into the stem body.
The bar feel is good on the trail, the numbers give a 'Goldilocks' bar shape with nothing too radical. The feedback from the trail is well controlled and they are a comfortable bar but perhaps lack the really direct feeling of a stiffer bar. These are obviously subtle observations, but those needing a more direct response can go up to the OSX 35 which obviously makes things a bit stiffer.
At 780mm they obviously won't appeal to the super long-armed rider, and the option to cut down from 800 would certainly be helpful (something you get with the OSX 35).
From the stem, there are been zero issues, and it's fair to say this is a tough piece of kit. 5mm bolts with chunky heads just add to the sense of robustness. There have been no slippages or creaks at all and although I may not need a freeride cockpit, this set up certainly instils confidence in the front end of a bike.
Overall
A comfortable and robust setup, for those happy with 780mm and looking for a forgiving ride this bar stem combo is easy to recommend. The OSX bars don't feel like the most precise, and I'd certainly be looking at the OSX 35 if I needed a stiffer bar and/or the option of an 800mm width.
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By Ewen Turner
Ewen Turner is a self-confessed bike geek from Kendal in the Lake District of England. He runs a coaching and guiding business up there and has a plethora of knowledge about bikes with an analytical approach to testing. His passion for bicycles is infectious, and he’s a ripper on the trails who prefers to fit his working life around his time on the bike.
