The FSA Metropolis is billed as a “[e]rgonomically design city bike handlebar” with a flip-flop design. At first glance, it looks like the curious mating of a Nitto Albatross bar with an On-One Mary, with a bit of oversized MTB bar thrown in for good measure. The grip area is long, long enough to provide a few more inches of extra hand space even with my brake levers and thumb shifters. The forward curve is just rounded enough to provide an additional grip area. Much like the Albatross, this offers a position similar to riding the hoods on road bars, oh-so-useful for out of the saddle climbing. As if this wasn’t enough, FSA flattened the bar as it approaches the stem clamp, and offered yet another hand position should you choose to use it.
Being a grumpy old commuter, I’ve been riding the bars in “high-flyer” mode (flipped up). This decreases the effectiveness of the flattened center section, but provides an overall comfortable ride. In “low rider” mode (flipped down), I suspect the flatten section would be a bit more useful. I’m not a fan of the 31.8mm clamp, if only because I think so much metal is a bit ugly, and the flattened section is perhaps a by-product of FSA’s carbon road offerings. Those picked nits aside, the Metropolis bar is a fine entry in the range of interested, upright bars available. Though targeted at city riders, I suspect the bar would serve reasonably on a light duty xc mountain bike or even an all-arounder, given the hand position options available. For the number crunchers, the bar weighs just a hair over 300g and measures 620mm wide, with a +/-45mm rise/drop and a 45 degree back sweep.
Available for about $38, see www.fullspeedahead.com for more.
Contributed by Brian Janaszek, local rider and commuter that we at Urban Velo have known for a long time, in a time before kids where there were alleycat races involving sketchy vans backing through Lawrenceville alleys.
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