Easton EC90 ALX blends road & gravel ergonomics into ultralight handlebar

Borrowing from their EC90 AX gravel bar, the new ALX model trims the flare a bit and adds a narrower 38cm option to give “all road” riders a lightweight, ergo drop bar for any surface.

With a 10º flare, the ALX is a bit narrower than the AX’s 16º flare, keeps the 80mm reach, and is just 2mm shallower with a 123mm drop.

The tops are ovalized to create a nearly flat perch, and the diameter of those is size specific to match the average hand size of riders likely to use that bar. So, the 38cm bar is going to have a smaller diameter on the flats than the 44cm, with intermediate bars scaling up or down accordingly.

The individual shaping and sizing and layups also give them similar stiffness, flex, and damping characteristics, too. So, the small bars will feel just like the big bars despite typical rider size and weight differences.

They gave it their Maximum Contact Drop design, which is the shape of the bend going into the hoods combined with the flare. It serves two purposes – opening up tons of wrist clearance when you’re in the drops so that you can move the bar and bike around unencumbered in a sprint.

On the hoods, the angle of the bend keeps your hands comfy when resting on the corners.

The 10º flare is a little more road friendly, particularly when riding in packs since it won’t stick out so far, making it less likely to catch on your neighbor’s bike.