Round Up: 26 EWS Cockpit Setups Past & Present

Jan 23, 2021
by Ed Spratt  
Just like when we looked at World Cup DH cockpits every rider has their unique setups for their race cockpit. We have looked back through our collection of bike checks from EWS races to find some of the bar and stem combos that are being run by some of the world's top riders.




Cecile Ravanel:

Cecile Ravanel profile. Montaroux France. Photo by Matt Wragg
Cecile Ravanel profile. Montaroux France. Photo by Matt Wragg
Renthal provides an all-aluminum cockpit for Cecile with a 760mm wide and 30mm rise bar. She also runs a 40mm stem with 10mm of spacers below.



Remi Gauvin:

Rocky Mountain Altitude
Pietra Ligure 2020
For the Pietra Ligure round of the short 2020 EWS season Remi Gauvin opted for a 760mm, 35mm rise bars with a 40mm stem.



Iago Garay:

Iago Garay Megatower
Pietra Ligure 2020
Iago Garay ran a complete Burgtec setup on his Santa Cruz with an alloy 22mm rise bar that has been cut down to 760mm. For his stem, Iago opts for the Mk3 enduro stem in 50mm.



Isabeau Courdurier:

EWS Zermatt bike check
Zermatt 2020
Isabeau runs a full Renthal cockpit, her bars are cut at 760mm and are anchored to a 33 stem.



Adrien Dailly:

EWS Zermatt bike check
Zermatt 2020
Adrien runs 780mm wide Tag Metals Carbon bars in 35mm diameter and a 20mm rise, they are clamped onto a 35mm T1 stem.



Florian Nicolai:

Photo Credit Matt DeLorme
2020
The Bontrager bars are 785mm in width with a 27.5mm rise, they are attached to a 35mm stem which he usually runs 20mm of spacers below. Florian prefers running alloy bars so there is no carbon to be seen here.



Jesse Melamed:

photo
2020
RaceFace NextR 35mm rise and 740mm wide bars bolted to a RaceFace TurbineR 32mm stem for Jesse in 2020.



Maxime Chapuis:

photo
2020
Maxime Chapuis is another rider running a Renthal cockpit with 780mm wide bars and a 33mm stem.



Romain Paulhan:

photo
2020
Romain Paulhan chooses Burgtec's DH bar cut to 760mm with their 35mm Mk2 stem.



Matt Walker:

photo
2020
At the start of 2020 in Rotorua Matt Walker was running a Renthal Fatbar cut at 760mm and a 50mm Apex stem.



Greg Callaghan:

Photo credit Klemen Humar Unior Devinci
2020
Greg Callaghan chooses the shortest Race Face Turbine stem at 35mm which he pairs with a 770mm Next bar.

Greg Callaghan
2019
In 2019 Greg is still running the Next bar at 770mm but he is using a short 30mm stem. Although at the time he mentioned this was a recent switch from 50mm.

EWS Bike Checks
Ireland 2015
EWS Bike Checks
Back in 2015 at EWS Ireland Greg opted for 760mm Syntace bars that are mounted to a 40mm stem. He is also running quite a tall stack of spacers which he says is to get the bars at his preferred height.



Joe Barnes:

photo
2020
A 750mm, 35mm rise OneUp Carbon bar and a 50mm OneUp EDC stem for Joe Barnes on his Orange.

EWS bike checks
Ireland 2015
Five years earlier Joe was running a narrower 740mm Renthal Fatbar Light carbon bar that was mounted to a 50mm Renthal stem.



Mark Scott:

photo
2020 // Photo: Gary Perkin
Mark Scott is another racer with a Burgtec setup as he runs a 20mm rise Burgtec carbon enduro bar that is cut to 750mm. For the stem, he has the 35mm Burgtec Enduro Mk2.



Killian Callaghan:

photo
Rotorua 2019
Killian Callaghan picks Renthal 35mm bars with a 40mm rise and cut to 780mm wide for Rotorua 2019. He runs this with a 50mm Renthal stem.



Ines Thoma:


NZ Enduro 2019
2019


NZ Enduro 2019


Ines chooses a 40mm stem and 760mm bars in 2019 which is down from 770mm the previous year.




Martin Maes:

NZ Enduro 2019
2019
Martin Maes' 2019 cockpit sports a 50mm stem with 780mm bars.

Martin Maes
Finale 2018
Maes' previous setup at the Finale round in 2018 saw a 55mm Race Face stem in combo with a 780mm wide bar.



Dimitri Tordo:

NZ Enduro 2019
2019


NZ Enduro 2019


Dimitri choses a 40mm stem and 740mm bars in 2019.




Zakarias Johansen:

Zakarias Johansen
2019
Zakarias Johansen runs just one spacer underneath his 40mm Race Stem stem which he bolts a 760mm bar. For his cockpit setup, he will keeps this the same throughout the year even if a course is steeper than others.



Christian Textor:

NZ Enduro 2019
2019


NZ Enduro 2019


A 50mm Gravity stem and 770mm bars with 25mm rise for Christian Textor on his Bulls race bike.




Katy Winton:

Katy Winton
Finale 2019
Katy Winton runs 750mm bars and a 50mm stem. For Finale in 2019, she opted for a spacer underneath although she normally runs without.



Theo Galy:

Devinci Enduro Team Bike Checks Madiera EWS
Madeira 2017
Theo Galy equips his race bike with 20mm rise bars cut to 750mm which he combines with a 50mm stem for Madiera in 2017.



Damien Oton:

Devinci Enduro Team Bike Checks Madiera EWS
Madeira 2017
Also in Madeira during the 2017 season Theo Galy's teammate Damien Oton also runs 750mm, 20mm rise bars but he prefers a 40mm stem.

Damien Oton Bike Check
Finale 2017
After running 770mm bars for the Whistler EWS round, Damien swaps this out for a 750mm bar for the tighter Finale trails.



Jerome Clementz:

Jerome Clementz Bike Check
Finale 2017
For Finale Jerome Clementz runs a 750mm wide handlebar, but he does switch between a 30mm and 40mm stem.



Yoann Barelli:

Yoann Barelli Bike Check
Finale 2017
A Renthal Apex 35mm stem and Fatbar handlebar cut to 760mm for Yoann Barelli on his Commencal.



Miranda Miller:

Miranda Miller Bike Check
Finale 2017
Miranda Miller was running a 760mm Joystick bar with 28mm of rise mounted to a 50mm stem in Finale.



Richie Rude:

Colorado USA. Photo by Matt Wragg.
Aspen 2016
Colorado USA. Photo by Matt Wragg.
A surprisingly narrow 740mm Renthal FatBar Lite Carbon with a 30mm rise for Richie which he pairs with a longer 60mm stem




Author Info:
edspratt avatar

Member since Mar 16, 2017
3,021 articles

133 Comments
  • 135 3
 Whilst this is interesting by itself, do you reckon we could at least get rider height alongside their name for even the slightest bit of perspective? Obviously there is a lot more useful data than just that, but it’s the only thing the author can just google.
  • 17 2
 Came here to say EXACTLY the same thing!
  • 11 3
 And reach figure..
  • 7 1
 would be also nice to know if they change the setup according to the race, steepness etc...
  • 2 0
 @bonkywonky: reach would be nice
  • 5 2
 Also, bar height (center of grip to ground...a standard measurement that normalizes for small vs XL head tubes, wheel size, tire height, spacers, bar rise, bar roll, etc).
  • 2 0
 Stack height of head tube and spacers seems especially important
  • 1 0
 Bar height cf Rider Height?
  • 8 1
 and shoe size....
  • 1 2
 Would also like to see images of the riders in the same seated and attack positions.

Are all cockpit set ups showing the riders in the same or similar position (eg seated riding is arms at X degrees, torso angle at Y degrees etc)?

Cockpit set up is all down to the individual and based in their comfort and performance requirements. If the individual set up all leads to a similar position? Then those positions, angles etc are more important than bar height? Width etc.
  • 58 1
 Jesse and Rude both running 740mm bars...Pikebike readers all get their hacksaw's out.
  • 2 9
flag momjeans (Jan 23, 2021 at 7:28) (Below Threshold)
 Both with voided fork warranties apparently... along with most of these top factory ride pros. If the fork companies really gave a shit I don’t suppose we’d see those would we?
  • 14 0
 @momjeans: how does bar width after fork warrantee?
  • 1 0
 @momjeans: what does this mean, what did they do to void their fork warranty?
  • 11 0
 @robw515: I'm sure he's talking about their OneUp threaded top caps.
  • 3 0
 @gigamike: Thanks Mike, that makes sense, couldn't figure out why handlebar width affected a fork warranty, and it's because it doesn't.
  • 3 0
 Jesse isnt a very large guy. 740 is probably very appropriate for his size.
  • 2 1
 @Thirty3: Not getting the math .... Isabeau 6 inches shorter runs 20mm longer stem !
  • 3 0
 On a small bikes vs richies large sized yeti. Plus intense bikes are TINY @vggg:
  • 4 3
 @vggg: Stem length has almost nothing to do with rider height. Especially if you are comparing different bikes with different reaches, seat angles, preference etc.
  • 7 0
 @jaydawg69: inversely proportional. Dont even ask about the algorithm for spindle warranty and how it relates to combined spoke length/radius. Its the main reason we havent seen alot of mixed wheel sizes in 2021. Hopeful the lawyers can get it controlled soon.
  • 1 1
 Aero=free velocity. Narrow bar is also a constant reminder to keep wheels on ground
  • 1 0
 Richie bmx style pumping monster is way better to pump with narrow handlebars...
  • 3 0
 @robw515: For the record, One-up treaded tool never did void the fork warranty, there were statements from both fox and sram confirming that. I've seen people post that even creaky CSUs got warrantied even though an EDC was installed...
  • 1 0
 Lmao kinda exactly what I was thinking. I've been enjoying 800mm, now I'm curious what 780 would be like. Whatever though, I don't get paid to ride fast and I enjoy wide bars haha.
  • 12 0
 Remember in 2016 when everyone thought they should run 800mm bars? I guess that trend is dead and people have gone back to what actually fits them. Maybe in 2024 everyone will realize they don't need 38mm stanchions. Or that pants don't make sense for pedaling in.
  • 7 1
 We’ve still got 38mm bar-stem interfaces to come before then...
  • 3 0
 That's interesting, for sure. I believe this is the result of the evolution of longer reach numbers. When bikes had generally shorter reach numbers, riders were "looking" for more stability (larger base of support). Unless you can change your bike frame all the time, it's hard to change reach. You can lengthen the stem, but only so far. So riders went with wide bars because they're easy to change and the wider base felt slightly better. However, what they didn't realize they were "looking" for was a little bit more anterior/posterior stability (more reach). As reach numbers have caught up over the years, giving riders the reach they were looking for, bar lengths have naturally normalized to less than 800mm (except for really tall people).
  • 17 3
 No Sam Hill? shame on you Pinkbike shame........
  • 5 1
 Sam = 760 Hill bars & 50mm stem
  • 4 0
 @mayha49: actually 750mm
  • 12 1
 Some neat Garmin solutions there, but no lanyards on the Garmins we can see. Do they just get given a new one if they knock it off in a crash? Or am I the only one using the lanyard and just paranoid?
  • 13 0
 Always run a lanyard!
  • 3 0
 After the crash in my profile pic it smashed my garmin and tossed it pretty far. After that I always use the lanyard. It's saved me a few times as now I don't run an upfront mount and I've yeeted it off my stem mount with my knee while standing and mashing.
  • 7 0
 Looks like most are adding a lot of spacers under the stem even with high rise bars. That reduces the reach. How come the manufactures don't increase the stack height so we can get rid of those spacers. Im ready to toss my 25mm worth of spacers and 35mm rise bars and get a 60mm rise bar. All those spacers look silly.
  • 4 0
 I think for a lot of them the reason for so many spacers is that they ride steeper tracks than most of us would be comfortable walking down. Higher stack let's them be more upright on steep stuff. Also, with all the spacers they can fine tune their reach. I'm with you though, I like to preserve my reach by using a riser stem and bars (currently a funn equalizer +10 and oneup bar +35). I'm also long legs, short torso and chimpanzee arms so I think my fit has always been a bit funky. My guess for as to why head tubes are so short is to allow for that adjustability....? I dunno....
  • 3 0
 @Trudeez: You are right- a riser bar preserves reach (while affectively lengthening your stem), but a riser stem does not; it has the same effect as more spacers (but it looks better).

Also keep in mind that reach grows as the bike is angled down, so adding spacers and losing some reach makes sense on bikes that are primarily built to be pointed downhill.
  • 3 1
 @ninjatarian: not necessarily true regarding bar height and preserved reach, it really depends on rotation of bars. Some riders do run them somewhat vertical...which wont effect reach..... but many run them rotated back a touch, in which case, bar height is translated to shorter cockpit also....
  • 3 0
 @RadBartTaylor: Very true, this does assume you run them vertical, which in my experience most people do seem to set their bars rolled slightly forward / vertical, whether they realize it or not.

You also have to consider sweep which can shorten the cockpit, and then there are bars like the Nukeproof Horizon V2 that offset the bar forward to negate this loss of reach.

Tons of factors at play with cockpit setup- much more than I think most people realize.
  • 12 2
 glad to see narrower bars around 760 are now the thing
  • 4 4
 That might be because of the narrow EWS tracks.
  • 71 2
 @cxfahrer: or because we should not be riding bikes like desert lizards in plank mode
  • 3 0
 I'm 183 high with positive Ape index and wide shoulders. Until last week I had 760 mm bars on my trail bike. I would prefer 780 in bike parks, but I found that 800 was just too wide for me. However, on local trails is more common than not to see small thin guys or girls riding full width bars. Combine that with super slack HA and I don't even understand how they ride on narrower trails
  • 8 0
 Given the whole article is kind of pointless, its equally pointless commenting on what one is glad has or has not occurred in the bar/stem world. Its entirely personal and what works for one does not work for another. And that goes for different bikes with the same owner....
  • 5 0
 @ilovedust: Agree, but you have to admit that 800 mm bars on a small girl's bike is just ridiculous whatever hers preferences are
  • 1 1
 @ilovedust: Except a lot of riders take their cues from the pros. Most riders that run really wide bars haven't done so because they thought it felt good. They were led to believe it was "better."
  • 4 0
 On my light downcountry bike 760 feels great but on my gt, which is much heavier, 760 feels too narrow. 780 feels about right. Maybe someday ill try 770, lol.. the Goldilocks number
  • 2 0
 @pakleni: Same at 193cm height 780 often feels like driving a truck
  • 1 0
 @ilovedust: seems like perfect match of comment to article then Smile
  • 4 0
 @pakleni: honestly I like when all bikes come with wide bars so you can cut to whatever you want
  • 4 0
 Too many haven't done the 'close ur eyes and grab the bars-without grips on-test'.
  • 2 3
 @pakleni: but what is she’s super hot. Also what if she has some GG sized cans?
  • 1 0
 @cxfahrer: MIght be because good 5'8" tall riders know that a 800 mm bar doesn't help them ride better
  • 2 0
 @Thirty3 I'm at 770mm, princess & pea situation
  • 6 0
 I would also like to see pics of them riding as well...I have a feeling Richie's little fingers are on the edge of the bar while others with 800mm bars have 30mm of bar sticking out beyond their hands. I don't know why but that always makes me roll my eyes.
  • 4 1
 Surprised nobody is running more than 785mm. I cut my current bars to 780mm but then added single lock-on grips so they are almost 800mm again...to lazy to cut them again. They only feel a touch wide now. My next bike i will cut the bar so the end of the grips are 780mm.
  • 1 0
 how tall are you?
  • 4 0
 I was surprised too, then I looked up the rider heights with the widest bars. None of them are over 6' tall. So my 800mm bars at 6'2" aren't insane.
  • 7 1
 I find the different computer mounts interesting
  • 2 0
 Textor’s one is best, especially as it just seems to be the normal bar mount tucked into a nest space on the stem (and then cable-tied)
  • 1 0
 “best”? Getting a bit over-excited there, meant “interesting”....... I think
  • 1 1
 Now that you said this.

Rabbit hole. |
V
  • 1 0
 Big fan of concentrics on bar stools.
  • 1 0
 Nice to see quite a few all alloy cockpit set up. Just found my second crack to carbon bars (underside) while off bike with one catastrophic failure if carbon bar prior. All 35mm diameter carbon and all different brands. Recently just went back to metal cause of this. Bit bummed, since carbon does feel a smidge better in choppy/rough terrain especially with case of ongoing forearm/elbow tendinitis, but I just can’t trust it anymore or care to put myself at risk for failure if not catching crack prior, especially since run open face lid for all my riding (non racer here)
  • 5 1
 all I will say is logo alignment!!!
  • 3 0
 so many logo's. an Adidas jacket i bought has 8 adidas logo's on it. i get the point already!
  • 5 0
 @Dave144: Adidas jacket with eight logos? Location checks out...
  • 1 0
 @Dave144: sounds like a solid purchase.
  • 4 0
 Isabeau has really wide bars for her size.
  • 2 0
 Katy too....wider than Jesse and as wide as Richie.
  • 1 0
 bigger lever to help smaller rider? Would kinda make sense
  • 3 0
 I bar graph would be interesting for some data analysis, or a bar width vs height line chart thing
  • 3 0
 Agree. No way I can ride confidently today without this information.
  • 1 0
 Looks like a lot of them choose smaller frames and shorter stems. They stay with reach from about '18. Today S is older M etc. I really courius what bike/size choose Jack Moir for this EWS season.
  • 1 0
 Do you think I should get a 40mm or 60mm length stem? My bike only has a 450mm reach, and I don't want to make it feel too short.
  • 2 1
 In my experience, a longer stem actually makes a bike feel shorter, because you weight the front wheel more. Check out Lee McCormack’s e-book on fit, “Dialed”. I found it well worth the money, at least as a baseline fit.
  • 1 1
 @Auto-XFil: Thanks for the help! Looks like a great read!
  • 3 0
 Innes Thoma, Reverb and lockout ??? on same mount.
  • 3 0
 Canyon shapshifter remote
  • 3 0
 Richie is around 6 feet? Wonder if he's on a medium frame with that stem?
  • 3 0
 IIRC, Richie currently rides a medium frame with 750 bars & 50mm stem.
  • 1 0
 5'10"
  • 3 1
 The impossibly stiff renthal carbon bars damaged Joe Barnes' wrists so bad he must now run one up flex bars.
  • 1 0
 What bar width do I need?
What stem length?

if in doubt...760mm and 40mm combo...Seems to be where it's at I take from this.
Job done, go ride your bike.
  • 2 0
 You bunch of weiners, just ride your bike!
  • 1 1
 Do you think I should buy a 20mm or 35mm rise bar? I ride a lot of downhill and enduro. If anyone could give me some advice, that would be great.
  • 2 0
 Drop bars for sure. But the wider ones made for gravel as we’re not roadies here
  • 7 5
 If it's Renthal name it, if it's not, shame it...
  • 4 1
 But that red Burgtec MK3 tho...
  • 2 0
 Cecile's spacers under the stem look like 20mm, not 10mm. :o
  • 1 0
 Yeah, that's not a 10mm.. Might even be 25mm.
  • 2 0
 The “Gravity” bar is an FSA handlebar
  • 1 0
 Katy Winton's computer mount, i want one, where do I get one?
  • 1 0
 I want to know how many are using 31.8 and how many are using 35 mm bars.
  • 1 3
 If we tallied up the price of all the components in all of these images as if the riders had to pay for any of the parts, I'd be saying it's lower than $100

I mean, how much are custom headcaps anyway.
  • 2 0
 The Rat runs 800s
  • 1 0
 Where is the conversion to work with my tape measure?
  • 1 0
 @Colinlindberg: 12 inches.
  • 5 6
 Renthal stems are so flexy I can’t imagine what an animal like rude does to them. Seen so many renthal carbon bars snap too it’s scary.
  • 1 0
 Maxime and Iago's are the purtiest methinks...
  • 1 0
 Do these measurements include length added by grips?
  • 1 0
 Do most racers not use a GPS?
  • 1 1
 Iago Garay is running a mk3 stem
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