Shimano’s component brand PRO is joining the stronger, stiffer 35mm clamp enduro & all-mountain crowd with a couple of new Tharsis Trail 3Five mountain bike bars & a new stem. As more aggressive style trail riding grows, gravity-focused riders look to the increased stiffness & control afforded by the larger diameter bar:stem interface.
Update: retail pricing is now available…
PRO Tharsis Trail 3Five 35mm clamp enduro MTB cockpit
Since Pro already divided their top-level MTB component family into Tharsis XC for those lightweight, Tharsis Trail for extra stiffness & Tharsis 9.8 for DH strength, it was only a matter of time before a 35mm clamp option found its place. With 35mm clamps becoming standard for enduro & all-mountain riding, Tharsis Trail 3Five became the place for the more robust, more durable & stiffer interface to provide extra stability on more technically demanding trail rides.
Pro Tharsis Trail 3Five stem, with bar 35mm clamp
The heart of a stiffer interface with a new clamping diameter is a new CNC machined Tharsis stem. Carefully milled out of a block of 7050 alloy, the new £90 / 100€ Tharsis Trail 3Five stem is much more blocky in shaping than its 31.8 analogue to provide an significant boost in stiffness.
Available in 35, 45 & 55mm lengths, Pro claims a weight of 150g, making it 50% heavier than the 31.8 trail stem. The Tharsis Trail 3Five is a 0° stem with a wide 4-bolt removable faceplate and a 40mm tall stack to its 2-bolt steerer clamp.
A direct mount Tharsis Trail 3Five stem is also expected to be available for the same price.
Pro Tharsis Trail 3Five carbon handlebar
With the new stem, then comes new bars. On the top-end is the light £130 /170€ Tharsis Trail 3Five Carbon bar with 9° of backsweep & 20mm rise. Weighing in at just 198g for the 800mm wide T800 carbon riser bar (with cut marks down to 720mm), it is actually 16g lighter than the 31.8 version, while still delivering increased strength thanks to the larger clamping diameter. Steering stiffness is said to higher as well, but Pro says it is “still compliant enough to be easy on your hands”.
Pro Tharsis Trail 3Five alloy handlebar
Getting the same size & shape, there’s a more affordable 7050 alloy version, too. The £75 / 90€ Tharsis Trail 3Five Alloy bar is also 800mm wide with 20mm ride, 9° backsweep, and a claimed weight of 270g
Pricing & availability
Pricing hasn’t been officially released, but is expected to be just a small premium over has been added above. It can be compared to the current 31.8mm clamp Tharsis Trail stem ($150/125€), carbon bar ($220/170€) & alloy bar ($100/85€). Although it is being announced now with very select availability in the market, the 35mm Tharsis Trail cockpit is expected to be widely available to consumers around Sep/Oct 2019.
