Curve Carbon Walmer Review: Supple and Strong

When Curve Cycling first unleashed the alloy Walmer Bar in 2019, it quickly became a fan favorite and the brand’s best-selling product. The general premise of the bar was simple: take the stability and control of a flat bar and splice it with the comfort and multi-hand positions of a drop bar. The result was a flared dirt drop that was quickly crowned the “widest drop bar in the world.”

• 
• 

Fast forward five years, and after endless requests and relentless badgering from die-hard Walmer fans around the globe, Curve has finally introduced the Carbon Walmer Bar (cWalmer Bar). Designed to retain the shape of the OG Walmer Bar, Curve claims the carbon version brings performance improvements through weight reduction, enhanced comfort, slick cable management, and uncompromising strength. 

A CLOSER LOOK

The cWalmer Bar is squarely aimed at comfort-conscious gravelleurs or anyone who loves long days in the saddle on mixed surfaces. Constructed from a proprietary blend of Japanese Toray carbon fiber grades—dubbed “Blend 75” by Curve—the bars feature additional Kevlar and 3k reinforcement to reduce the risk of crush damage from the stems and levers. A big relief, considering the number of carbon bar recalls in recent years.

In terms of real estate, Curve has extended the 31.8mm clamping area to allow plenty of room for mounting accouterments like clip-on aero bars for folks who might want to race. Made in China, the cWalmer Bar is currently available in three sizes: 43cm, 46cm and a 50cm version, which I’ve been testing. The claimed weight of the bar is 334 grams (+/- 10 grams). Though on my scales, it actually came out at a dead 300 grams. Winner! 

The cWalmer Bar costs $298 USD/$279 AUD/£240 GBP, which might seem expensive at first glance. But, when compared to the other popular options on the market, such as the carbon Ritchey Beacon or the Salsa Cowchipper, I think it’s priced competitively for its feature set and impressive strength rating. More on that below.

• 
• 

Note for customers in the USA: The prices shown on Curve’s website are in AUD. Given how weak the Aussie Dollar is against the USD right now, you should be able to save quite a bit. Also useful to note is that the price includes Australian GST at 10%, which you won’t have to pay as a US customer, though any international customs fees won’t be covered by Curve. 

THAT WALMER WIDTH

Reminiscent of the headline-grabbing widths found on the original Walmer Bar, the cWalmer is wide, especially for a carbon bar. On paper, the largest size (50cm) is enough to rival most wide alloy bars, but that measurement only reflects the width at the hoods. 

Courtesy of its 30-degree flare, all the sizes of the cWalmer balloon out an extra 15 cm in the drops. That means the smaller sizes go from 43cm to 58cm, 46cm to 61cm and on the 50cm version, flares to 65cm, making it the widest carbon gravel bar I know of in the market. 

• 
• 

Geometrically speaking, the bar retains the same 30° flare, 7° backsweep, short 60mm reach, and shallow 110mm drop found in the original Walmer. However, despite sharing a lot of the same design DNA, the Carbon Walmer is more than just a redux of its alloy ancestor.

CARBON CRAFTED COMFORT

Eager to put the Carbon Walmer Bar through its paces, I wasted no time setting it up. The included bar tape was a thoughtful touch from Curve, making the installation process that much smoother. With everything dialed in, I hit the fast-rolling gravel of southern Thailand. 

• 
• 

From the first pedal, the bar’s newly designed top profile grabbed my attention. More akin to what I’d expect to find on a performance-focused road bike or MTB, the cWalmer features an ovalized top section (between the clamping area and the drops) that’s intended to bring ergonomics and comfort to the forefront. Achievable thanks to carbon fiber’s ability to be shaped and molded into unique forms, Curve Founder Jesse Carlson claims, “The ovalized profile helps distribute pressure more evenly, therefore reducing hand numbness and fatigue on long rides.” A bold claim, but it’s one I can confidently say holds up under real-world scrutiny.

In my experience, on smooth gravel and roads, the bar’s oval shape and carbon layup really worked well to dampen road chatter and spread out unwanted pressure points. For the first time, I found myself resting on the tops rather than one of my preferred positions: the drops or the hoods. And as my rides began to creep over the 100-kilometre mark and get a bit rowdier, I noticed the usual hotspots and numbness I tend to feel on longer rides all but disappeared. But where I found cWalmer Bar came into its own was when the going got rough.

• 
• 

Across chunky descents, washboard gravel, and root-strewn singletrack, I was a little worried that the oval shape might introduce too much flex and make the bar feel like a wet noodle. But I needn’t have worried. Curve have clearly worked hard to fine-tune the characteristics of the bar, and as a result, it manages to toe the line between stiffness and compliance remarkably well. Its vibration damping took the edge off the choppy terrain, and it kind of felt like I had taken an extra five PSI out of my tires. What impressed me most was how the bar managed to achieve this level of comfort without compromising on steering precision or stiffness.  

NO MORE CABLE BULGE

Sticking with the theme of improved comfort for a minute longer: Alongside the cWalmer’s ovalised profile, Curve have also used carbon’s moldability to create a simple yet stylish solution to cable bulge. 

On most drop bars, the cables/hoses are taped to the inside of the bar and then wrapped in place. While less visible with double wrapping, it’s hard to completely remove the feeling of the hoses. For some riders, this is just part and parcel of riding a drop bar, but for others, it can be a source of discomfort and annoyance. To remedy this, Curve have designed a custom routing recess on the underside of the bars for brake hoses and gear cables to tuck neatly into. Once wrapped with bar tape, the recessed section creates a smooth oval shape that inhibits cable bulge. 

• 
• 

I’ve never encountered any significant discomfort due to bulging cables, so I can’t say if the cable recess makes a noticeable difference in that regard. However, I will admit the clean lines and smooth transitions created by this design flourish do make for an aesthetically pleasing way to solve the boring business of cable management. It’s a small touch but one that demonstrates Curve’s commitment to creating components that not only perform at a high level but also look and feel like premium products. 

STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

Over the last few years, you might remember a series of pretty high-profile carbon handlebar recalls in the bikepacking world. While recalls are a necessary and responsible practice in any industry, they can erode consumer confidence pretty quickly, especially when it comes to NASA’s space plastic. 

To combat this, specialist labs have been established with improved testing protocols that better reflect real-world riding scenarios. These new tests are beyond what many of the traditional, open-mold factories are capable of (or willing to replicate) in-house. With a decade of carbon fiber experience under their belts, Curve had already built strong relationships with these production partners, so they had everything they needed to build a super strong bar. 

• 
• 

To ensure its structural integrity, Curve has used a mix of Kevlar and 3K carbon to internally reinforce the cWalmer Bar. While not absolutely necessary with high-end carbon construction and careful installation, given the recalls, Curve wanted to provide customers with complete confidence in the cWalmer’s strength, and they went to some pretty bonkers lengths to get there.  

During testing, the bars were subjected to a series of stress tests that included applying different loads to each side of the bar—both in and out of phase—to simulate various riding scenarios and impact conditions, fatigue testing up to 120,000 cycles, and crucial failure testing (how it would potentially break or deform in a severe crash).

Ultimately, this testing and attention to detail meant the cWalmer Bar didn’t just smash the standard ISO gravel bar test. It also passed the ISO test for XC mountain bike use. It’s a seriously strong bar! Whether you’re racing in gravel events, bikepacking across countries, or sessioning your local singletrack, these bars have you covered. Just avoid hitting up DH-specific runs, bombing drops, or sending it over any road gaps, please.

• Modell/Size Tested: Carbon, 500mm/650mm at drops
• Claimed Weight: 334 grams
• Actual Weight: 300 grams
• Place of Manufacture: China
• Price: $298 USD/$279 AUD/£240 GBP
• Manufacturer’s Details: Curve Cycling

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...