DMR’s Wingbar Mk4 sees the brand apply its years of aluminium and design knowhow to an aggressive riser bar.
The UK manufacturer started out making four-cross and jump bike frames in the 1990s and eventually branched out into making pedals and other components.
Among its best-known products are the V12 and Vault pedals.
DMR Wingbar Mk4 35mm specifications
As well as the 31.8mm available previously, the latest Mk4 version of DMR’s popular Wingbar is available in full 800mm width, and with an oversized 35mm clamp zone.
Two further widths are also offered at 780mm (31.8mm) or 800mm (35mm), both with cut marks to saw narrower to your preference.
Uncut, this 35mm-clamp, 20mm-rise, 800mm-wide model weighed 320g.
The bar is drawn from heat-treated 7075 aluminium alloy, which is the same series as used by other big brands.
Its alloy uses zinc as the primary material, as well as some magnesium and other metals. The blend was first developed in Japan for building aircrafts and subsequently re-engineered by American company Alcoa after examining a captured Japanese plane in World War Two.
It has high fatigue life and good ductility and became a standard material for aerospace and aviation uses, alongside some of the best mountain bike handlebars.
DMR Wingbar Mk4 35mm performance
While many brands claim to tune their fatter 35mm bars to similar levels of flex and compliance as 31.8mm offerings, DMR uses the two diameters to offer different flex profiles and ride feel.
As you’d imagine, this 35mm bar is the stiffer of the two and the one chosen by long-term sponsored rider Olly Wilkins, who reckons “that fat clamp definitely makes me feel safer when over-shooting a big jump”.
Not all of us are going to be hitting 50ft jumps like Olly, but bigger riders will appreciate the solid feel here.
There’s minimal flex and bend, and a solid precise feel to the steering when leaning on the tips and twisting the bike through rocky sections. There’s no excessive twang or springy feeling either.
On the trails, the Wingbar feels similar to rivals such as the Race Face Turbine and Chromag OSX, aside from very minor geometry differences that can be tuned with bar roll in the stem.
The glossy finish scuffs up and dulls a bit easier than the shot-peened surfaces elsewhere, although the Wingbar’s graphics resist scratching well.
Thanks to a £65 asking price, the Wingbar is good value, although it’s not the cheapest bar on the market.
DMR Wingbar Mk4 35mm bottom line
DMR’s Wingbar is the heaviest in this test, but offers great value. Compared to other bars, it’s only around 100g heavier, however, so it’s not a massive issue.
Overall, this is a no-nonsense bar with a neutral shape that simply gets on with it for a fair price.
How we tested | Mountain bike handlebars
Expert tester Mick Kirkman and his team went on the hunt for the best mountain bike handlebars out there. As one of the three contact points between rider and bike, handlebars are crucial for performance.
Construction material, width, rise, and back- and upsweep can all affect how a bike rides, and how comfortable you feel riding it.
The testers represent a broad range of shapes and sizes, so you can rely on their buying advice.
Products on test
Product
| Brand | dmr_bikes |
| Price | 100.00 AUD,65.00 GBP |
| Weight | 320.0000, GRAM (800mm, 20mm rise, 35mm clamp) - as tested |
Features
| br_material | aluminium |
| br_clampDiameter | 35mm |
| br_rise | 20mm |
| br_width | 800mm |
| Features | Material: 7075 heat treated and double butted Alloy Width: 780mm/31.8mm or 800mm/35mm Rise: 20mm (tested), 35mm Geometry: 5-degree up, 8-degree back sweep |
