Cycle News Staff | January 21, 2020
The new Renthal R-Works Fatbar36 MX handlebar is 36% lighter than Renthal’s standard 28mm diameter Fatbar®, previously the lightest weight high-end motocross handlebar on the market.
The following video gives an overview of the new Fatbar36:
VIDEO | Renthal R-Works Fatbar36 MX Handlebar
Renthal Zarilium™ Alloy
Weight reduction for the R-Works Fatbar36 was achieved by making the R-Works Fatbar36 from Renthal’s new proprietary aluminum alloy, Zarilium™. This new alloy has 20% greater ultimate tensile strength than Renthal’s 7010T6 aluminum alloy, while maintain the same elongation properties.
Renthal 36Tech Technology
Fatbar36 has been re-designed with a larger clamping area, now 36mm, but it has the same strength and flex characteristics as Renthal’s 28mm-diameter Fatbar. It is made with Renthal’s new standard 36Tech tube technology, which has a 36mm clamping diameter that tapers down to a conventional 22mm control section at each end. Renthal says that the larger-diameter clamping area improves torsional security by 59%, meaning it is 59% harder to move the handlebars when they are secured in the clamps.
Renthal R-Works
This new handlebar is the first product under an all-new product family being created at Renthal called R-Works. The R-Works products will be made from the top-of-the-line materials and manufacturing processes, like the Fatbar36.
Renthal explains why it created R-Works: Renthal’s philosophy has always been to produce a product to allow its factory riders to win races and then sell that identical product. However in recent years this philosophy has come under pressure due to the cost of the latest technologies and market pressures on pricing. R-Works prevents us from having to compromise based on market expectations on price. It is all about producing product to win championships and push the boundaries. Our expectation is that the technology we develop under R-Works will eventually work its way down to all of our product, continually improving all of Renthal’s products.
Renthal R-Works Fatbar36 MX Handlebar Bends and Dimensions
The new Fatbar36 works with standard controls, but it does require using 36mm clamps. Renthal offers a range of bar mounts to allow you to fit the handlebars to your original triple clamps.
Renthal is currently offering the new R-Works Fatbar36 in four of its most popular bends, however, Renthal has changed its dimensions terminology, and now uses the terms Bm and Bv.
Renthal explains why the new terminology: To create the Fatbar36 we needed to make the clamps higher to prevent the Fatbar36 from contacting the top of the forks. To offset this, we have manufactured the Fatbar36 slightly lower than our Twinwall and Fatbar range when looking at the Bm measurement. Although in isolation Fatbar36 may appear lower in height when combined with the 36Tech bar mounts the position is exactly the same as the corresponding Twinwall or Fatbar bends.
Here’s what you need to know to make the switch to the new terminology for Renthal’s handlebar lineup:
- Bm is a direct replacement for B and relates to B measured. Bv is specific to Fatbar36 and is a virtual measurement that helps users compare Fatbar36 to the existing range of handlebars.
- Bm is the vertical measurement from the center line of the mounting diameter to the center of the end of the bars. Fatbar36 will always be 4mm lower when comparing this dimension to Twinwall and Fatbars.
- Bv is the vertical measurement from the baseline of the Fatbar36 to the centre of the end of the bars. This measurement will give you the true height of the Fatbar36 when comparing to a Twinwall or Fatbar.
To help with the transition to the new terminology, Renthal has a chart on its website www.renthal.com to help identify which Renthal Fatbar or Twinwall bend relates to the new Fatbar36.
Renthal R-Works Fatbar36 MX Handlebar Pricing
All four of the available bends are priced at $179.95 and six different 36Tech bar mounts are available, at a price of $79.95 each.
For more information, visit renthal.com/moto
