There was an anti-war song called "Run Through the Jungle" by a band called Creedence Clearwater Revival a long time ago, and I'd like to write about the "Jungle Runner Bar" handlebars of Crust Bike, which are just as the title suggests, perfect for running through jungles and dirt roads.
The biggest feature of this handlebar is its ultra-wide width of 800mm. The three-piece H-shape also allows you to hold the handlebars in a variety of positions, which is a major advantage on long-distance rides such as touring.
It is made from sturdy chromoly and is slightly heavier than its aluminium counterpart, but the 31.8mm handlebar clamp keeps the handlebars in place and provides an overwhelming sense of stability even when loaded with a lot of luggage, as shown in the image above.
I have actually used the Jungle Runner Bar on gravel roads.
This time, we drove along the " Mikabuko Super Forest Road " that crosses the three prefectures of Saitama, Gunma, and Nagano.
As the name suggests, this is one of the best gravel roads in the Kanto region, with the main unpaved section being 14km, then a paved road before returning to an unpaved road for another 7-8km.
The gravel road, with its gravel and pebbles, was less rough than the Oyachidori Pass that I wrote about in my previous blog, and although it was a long distance, I was able to fully enjoy the thrill of gravel riding. I will write about this ride at a later date.
The bike used for this ride was a custom Specialized AWOL.
I had been using this bike with the concept of how to ride comfortably on gravel and dirt roads, with Compass Cycle's "Antelope Hill 700x55c" commonly known as cheat tires , 1x10s gears, and ESI silicone grips, but by replacing the 670mm handlebars I had been using with Jungle Runner Bars (800mm), I was able to feel an overwhelming sense of stability on unpaved roads, and even on paved roads, I was able to hold the protruding part of the handlebars in front, which put me in an aero position? It was more comfortable than I expected.
The friend I was riding with had a bike with drop handlebars, so we switched bikes halfway up the gravel road and he commented that the gravel road felt like a paved road. Of course, there are good points to bikes with drop handlebars, but if you want to ride on gravel roads in a stable and comfortable manner, we recommend wide handlebars.
The 800mm handlebar width can sometimes get in the way when riding through a concrete jungle, but when riding through a real jungle such as gravel or dirt roads, the Jungle Runner Bar will be your ultimate companion.
I would recommend this to anyone, whether they're already into gravel riding or just want to try out gravel/dirt riding. You will be amazed at how much of a difference just changing one part can make.
