Zipp

SLC2 Carbon Handlebar

If you're a carbon fiber handlebar holdout, one of those people who still believe that only alloy bars are stiff enough and reliable enough to entrust to your two-wheeled baby, the Zipp SLC2 Carbon Fiber Short/Shallow Handlebars might just be the ones that change your mind forever. Light, stiff and durable, the SLC2 Carbon bars encompass all that Zipp holds sacred and will be the ultimate upgrade to your cockpit.

Although supremely light, these bars are stiff enough that Katie Compton has used them for three seasons of bone crushing cyclocross racing. The SLC2 bars are born out of Zipp’s desire to push the possibilities of material and geometry to their limits. They have a 31.8mm diameter at the clamp area, and that diameter extends to more than 60% of the width of the bar top. This makes it clip-on compatible. That's why these are one of the most popular bars with triathletes who want to use a traditionally curved bar, but also demand the aero option for their position. Zipp strategically redesigned the carbon laminate structure, adding strength and stiffness around the clamp area to handle the increased loads from the extensions. The larger diameter combined with the intelligent layup results in a breathtakingly strong, stiff, and light bar.

You might think that such a beefy bar would result in a deadened ride quality. However, this is not the case. Zipp makes skillful use of its Visco-Elastic Constrained Layer Control or VCLC technology to absorb vibrations before they reach your hands and wrists. The key to the VCLC is a visco-elastic material sandwiched between layers of rigid carbon within the laminate. When you ride over rough roads, much of the shock is absorbed by the VCLC system, delivering a 10% reduction in vibration. And to ensure the durability of all their cutting edge technology, Zipp tests all their equipment to the EN standard +10% because the EN test is actually one of the best indicators for the lifespan of a product ridden constantly under the worst conditions.

The Zipp SLC2 Carbon Fiber Short/Shallow Handlebar is the only Zipp Carbon bar designed for clip-on extensions, and it's perfectly matched with the VuKaClip and your choice of VukaExtensions. It comes in sizes 42, 44, and 46 cm when measuring from outside to outside. Here Zipp is also careful to point out that the measurements should not be taken from the bar ends, but at the rounded point of the bars where the hoods will eventually sit. They have a short-shallow bend with an 84.5mm reach and a 128mm drop.