One Up Components makes some of my favorite cockpit parts, I’ve been riding their carbon riser bar for years and it’s amazing. Same with their 2nd generation dropper post.
So, when they introduced an alloy version of a handlebar that adds a little flex to soften blows, I was intrigued. And when their 3rd gen dropper promised significant weight savings, I reached out. Here’s how it all came together, starting with actual weights.
One Up Cockpit – Actual Weights (and Details)
Actual weights for the front end are:
- Handlebar: 348g
- Grips: 103g (pair)
- Stem: 160g (35mm length)
The new One Up V3 dropper on the left is a 180mm travel post and weighs 484g. That’s compared to the 150mm V2 dropper on the right at 500g.
So, longer travel for less weight…yes, please.
At a glance it’s hard to tell them apart save for graphics and the ridges on the collar. Read our launch coverage for all the tech details, but basically it’s a new, lighter cartridge with fixed air pressure that saves most of the weight.
I tested One Up’s Thin Grips, which are 29mm in diameter and 138mm long. They also make Standard (30mm diameter, but with ridges on the bottom, and Thick Grips (32-35mm diameter). All come in six colors plus Black, and all are $27/pair.
To be honest, I’m not sure why I requested the Thin Grips as I actually like the design of the standard ones better (and the 0.5mm extra cushioning wouldn’t hurt either, but these Thin Grips are great.
They’re grippy even in the wet (I always wear gloves, so no comment on bare handed grip), and perhaps as a testament to the bar’s ability to soak up the bumps, haven’t felt harsh…which is a compliment for thinner grips, I can’t say that about every brand. They’ve also held up well. The only potential knock is the ends are closed, so they’re not compatible with bar-end tools without some cutting.
The handlebar accomplishes its vertical flex by using an ovalized shape at the rise. It’s a bit thinner from the front, and a bit wider from the top.
Having ridden both the carbon and the alloy version, and generally NOT being a fan of how harsh alloy bars are, I’m surprised at how much I like this bar. To be fair, it’s on a 170mm bike with big tires, but it’s still immediately apparent that the bar is doing something to mitigate impacts and fatigue.
If your (or your wallet’s) preference is alloy, One Up’s Aluminum Handlebar is a great option at just $90.
One Up’s Stem comes in 35mm (tested), 42mm, and 50mm lengths, all with 0º rise and only for 35mm handlebars. Bar clamp width is a stout 55mm, which makes it very sturdy but still leaves a little room for computer mounts.
Stems aren’t the most exciting product, but their critical, and this one does what it should without drama. It also looks good, is reasonably light, and will handle everything from trail to freeriding.
Ride Review
I mostly summed up my feelings on the cockpit above. The handlebar is the standout, offering better (any!) compliance than other alloy bars by a large margin. If you feel a little roughed up after longer, more aggressive rides but can’t pinpoint why, swap this (or their carbon) bar in and I bet you’ll like your bike a lot better.
As for the dropper post, it’s great, and it’s worth giving a nod to the V2 version (shown above) because it’s still available and just $185 (compared to $270 for V3). I ran this post for quite a while on some rough stuff, in varying conditions, and it’s still performing well.
But my Fezzari (now Ari) La Sal needed more drop, so the 180mm V3 replaced it (below).
Not only is the One Up V3 post one of the lightest (if not the lightest standard dropper post) on the market, it also comes in an huge range of travel, from 90mm up to 240mm! It can be adjusted by 20mm, and you can drop another 10g with their titanium bolt kit. It’s also super easy to rebuild with basic tools, and all parts are available
As for performance, it’s smooth and actuates easily. While you can’t adjust the return speed anymore, I have no complaints with its speed or reaction. It goes down and up just like I want. The only improvement I’d make is to angle the front saddle rail clamp bolt forward to make it easier to adjust, but that’s an issue with almost every seatpost out there, not just One Up.
One Up makes a great Dropper Post Remote lever, too, which I used here. The post has a standard brake cable attachment point on the bottom, so you can run basically any remote you want that clamps at the lever, but I’m a fan of matchy-matchy components, and One Up’s has the added benefit of a three-position mount that lets me fine-tune how far inboard it is without having to change my brake lever’s position, and that works whether you pair it with its own bar clamp or a Match Maker setup.
Final call? Get it. It’s light, long, and smooth, which is everything I want out of a dropper post.
