The MTB cockpit: almost everything from Reverse Components in one go
Handlebars, stem, grips, brake and gear levers, as well as the remote lever for the seat post: the MTB cockpit includes all control elements. It is the command center of your mountain bike and a decisive factor for control on the trail.
The German manufacturer Reverse Components has specialized in mountain bike and e-bike components since 2004. The products from the Black Forest are designed for use under harsh conditions and are intended to meet the highest possible safety and quality standards. That sounds good at first glance, but also a bit like a lot of marketing.
At second glance, however, the handlebars and other parts from the Freudenstadt-based company actually do exactly that: bring joy. At least for me, as I have equipped the cockpit of my bike almost exclusively with parts from Reverse.
Handlebars: Nico Vink Signature Series
Depending on preferences or body type, riding style, bike, and area of use, the choice of handlebars varies. Width as well as rise, upsweep, and backsweep, which describe the three-dimensional curvature of the handlebars, and the material all play an important role. With a weight of almost 400 grams, this aluminum handlebar focuses on robustness, stability, and reliability. However, those who place a lot of value on lightweight construction will not be happy with it.
In summary, the riding position with these handlebars can best be described in one word: "comfortable".
Features
- Width: 810 mm
- Diameter: 35.0 mm
- Rise: 48 mm
- Upsweep: 5°
- Backsweep: 9°
- Weight: 390 grams (+/- 5% weight tolerance)
- Permissible total weight: 130 kilograms
- Material: Aluminum 7075 (double-butted)
You can find all bike handlebars in our shop here.
Stem: Reverse Black One D-2
By connecting the handlebars and the fork steerer, the stem has a significant influence on the seating position, ergonomics, and the steering behavior of the bike. Comfortably upright or sportily stretched: length and angle are decisive here. The manufacturer offers a stem calculator on its website, which shows how stack and reach (vertical and horizontal distance from the bottom bracket to the top edge of the head tube) change when the length and angle of the stem vary.
A rather short stem, the Black One-D2 from Reverse, is mounted on my MTB. In combination with the positive angle of eight degrees, the focus here is also on a comfortable position and more control on descents.
Features
- Length: 35 mm
- Handlebar clamp: Ø 31.8 mm & Ø 35.0 mm
- Angle: 8°
- Height: 40 mm
- Clamp width: 50 mm
- Steerer tube diameter: 1 1/8"
- Weight: 152 grams (+/- 5% weight tolerance)
- Permissible total weight: 130 kilograms
- Material: Aluminum 6061 T6
It's hard to find more stem than this. Here you can find all other models that we offer in the Galaxus shop.
Headset spacer: Reverse Ultra Light
Then, of course, there is the headset spacer, whose rings sit under the stem and thus raise it. More spacers, as you might have guessed, mean a more comfortable seating position. The Ultra Light set comes with 2 x 5 and 2 x 10 millimeter parts, which makes the spacer very versatile. Furthermore, with its few grams, it is one of the lightest products on the market. Despite being made of aluminum.
Features
- For 1 1/8" fork steerers (Ø 28.6 mm)
- Size and weight: 5 mm (2.6 grams) and 10 mm (4.7 grams)
- Outer diameter: 34.1 mm
- Material: Aluminum
Grips: Lock On Nico Vink Signature Series
The grips are an important interface between rider and bike. They play a significant role in control and riding pleasure and prevent pain. The lock-on grips of the Nico Vink Signature series are screwed tight with aluminum rings. This prevents them from twisting and allows them to be changed quickly.
With an outer diameter of 30 millimeters, these grips are also suitable for smaller hands and offer good control on technical descents. The relatively soft rubber compound allows for an overall comfortable grip.
Features
- Grip structure: Ribbed
- Outer diameter: 30 mm
- Inner diameter: 22.2 mm (standard handlebar end diameter)
- Suitable for all common handlebars on the market
- Width: 130 mm
- Weight: 109 g (+/- 5% weight tolerance)
- Material: Reverse Standard Compound / Aluminum (Lock Rings + Chip Bar-Ends)
Everything under control? Well, that's good then.
Groupset and brakes
The cockpit naturally also includes the shifting system and the brake levers. Since I was able to test the then-new XTR Di2 from Shimano last summer, I've been hooked. That's why these components are also installed on my current mountain bike. Why exactly? Read it here for the first time or again:
Bells and whistles
Nice that you made it this far. Thank you for that. As an attentive reader, you certainly haven't missed the small black plastic parts in front of the grips. These handguards already caused a stir among large parts of the bike community here at Galaxus two years ago.
Biking clearly follows well-defined rules, which the self-appointed two-wheeled moral guardians watch over with eagle eyes. And colorful plastic parts on a bike really have no place there. Where would we end up? After all, biking has never had anything to do with freedom, fuck the rules, and such things. Right.
No, wait. The mountain bikers of the first hour started 40 years ago with exactly this claim. You can see nicely what the "march through the institutions" has made of the rebels of yesteryear. Be that as it may.
The plastic things are simply meant to serve as hand protection. And yes, I did it again and screwed them onto my mountain bike. At least this time in sad black and not obscenely cheerful orange like on the e-bike from Bixs.
Oh, and before I forget, lever grips are also installed, no, glued, to my bike. This way, I always have a good grip on the brake lever with my index fingers, even in wet gloves. In addition, the small stickers relieve the hands on longer downhill sections.
So, that's really it for today.
From radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
Interesting facts about products, behind-the-scenes looks at manufacturers and deep-dives on interesting people.
Show all
