Sklar PBJ Handlebar Review: Another ATB Alt Bar

Riding shots by Nathan Reimer

Every brand out there, including small-batch bike brands, seems to have released its own optimum, do-it-all handlebar. With so many beguiling phrases floating around, like “all-day comfort” and “wide and comfy,” it’s starting to feel like all of these bars are the same. This isn’t a bad thing, and comparing their shapes will show that most alt-bars are eerily similar to one another, despite very minute differences. This means that once you hone in on what you like, you likely have a handful of options to pick and choose.

The selection process becomes a little more straightforward if you primarily ride one bike or have one you’re very familiar with. After using a specific handlebar for a while, even folks who don’t identify as “bike nerds” will be able to distinguish what a 30° backsweep versus 20° feels like, or what a 50mm rise does to your riding position when compared to a stock, low-rise handlebar. I’ve found alt-bar bliss on my Hudski Doggler in the 25°-30° backsweep range with some rise to keep things casual, and thanks to Hudski, they spec their bikes with their Longhorn bar, which falls right into that category.

A few months ago, Adam at Sklar Bikes reached to send over a sample of his first production handlebar. He said it was designed specifically for his upcoming Performance Basket Jammer (PBJ), which shares a somewhat similar attitude to my Hudski. I jumped on the opportunity to compare it to other alt-bars and use is as an exercise to further dial in the fit and feel of my Doggler.

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Introducing the PBJ Bar

The PBJ handlebar is an aluminum riser bar made for long, all-day rides, bikepacking trips, and commutes. It’s made from 7000-series aluminum and has a 31.8mm clamp diameter, 28° back sweep, 40mm rise, and an uncut width of 795mm. At first glance, you might think it looks like several other swept-back, cruisy mountain bike bars we’ve covered (find a few in the Further Reading grid below), and you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. Aside from the Sklar logo and a cute name, the PBJ handlebar falls somewhere in between a mountain bike bar and an aggressively swept-back alt bar.

The PBJ bar has a few unique features that make it particularly tempting as a replacement or upgrade for modern bikes with long reach and short stems. The most striking is the PBJ’s center bend (that creates the rise in the bar) and its slight forward rotation. Not only does this keep the total reach of the bar in check, but it means the resulting hand position isn’t as far behind the stem as it can sometimes be with a strictly swept-back bar. A slight forward curve means it plays nicer with modern mountain bike geometry and doesn’t require a longer stem to accommodate the backsweep. In the real world, this means you get the cruisy comfort of an alt bar but still maintain the off-road confidence and length of your bike.

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I’ve been running the BPJ bar on my size large Hudksi Doggler, which has been feeling slightly too short after spending so much time riding long, modern mountain bikes. With this in mind, I ended up pairing the bar with a longer stem (with a touch of rise), and it has really dialed in the fit of the Doggler. The 28° backsweep is just enough to keep things casual and comfortable, but not enough to feel out of place of singletrack or rough descents. It aligns nicely with Sklar’s Performance Basket Jammer concept for folks who like to pick up some snacks from the bakery but still mix in some spicy turns on the way home.

As it happens, the PBJ bar isn’t’ that dissimilar to the Hudski Longhorn bar, which also has a slight forward curve to keep the reach in check. The only major difference being the Longhorn bar’s 6061-T6 alloy construction versus the PBJ’s 7000-series. While I couldn’t identify a difference in ride quality, 7000-series aluminum is said to be stronger than the 6000-series, could theoretically weigh less without sacrificing strength. In reality, the PBJ bar is slightly heavier and nearly double the price.

If imagine the PBJ bar would easily swap in for a more traditional bar if you’re happy with the reach and fit of the bike. Despite the slight forward bend, the bar does a good job at transforming the bike into a slightly more casual and upright ride. I could see the PBJ bar working nicely for anyone bikepacking on a hardtail mountain bike, swapping between a wider, less swept bar for technical trail riding, and the PBJ bar for multi-day trips, potentially without swapping stems.

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PBJ versus the Rest

The PBJ handlebar isn’t wildly different than other flat all-terrain bars. The 28° backsweep, 40mm rise, and generous width are comparable to many other handlebars, as shown in the comparison chart below. The slight forward curve seems to be unique to the PBJ, but it’s also not hard to recreate by using a longer stem. However, it also means the PBJ handlebar is a realistic direct stand-in for any standard, less swept-back bar. The PBJ bar is on the pricier side compared to other alloy bars. Like the Tumbleweed Persuader Bar, which also has a higher-than-average price tag, the PBJ bar radiates a sense of quality that’s easy to like. Sklar is also the new kid on the block when it comes to production accessories, and this is their first production handlebar, so it’s safe to say order numbers also play a role in the final price.

Alloy All-Terrain Bars Compared

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Comfort-wise, the PBJ handlebar doesn’t stand out against other alloy bars I’ve used. The 28° backsweep and 40mm rise is a nice combination for anyone who wants a performance comfort fit. It’s upright but doesn’t sacrifice control and weight over the front of the bike when it’s needed. The first thing I normally switch out on my bikes are the grips, almost always opting for Ergon GA2s, but I didn’t find myself wishing for the extra support offered by their “mini wing” when using the PBJ bar. I tossed on some tacky yet surprisingly plush PNW Loam grips and haven’t had any discomfort during long off-road rides or while bikepacking.

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If I had one complaint, it’s that the PBJ bar’s 31.8mm clamp area doesn’t extend wider before tapering down to 22.2mm. A wider 31.8mm area would make it even more friendly for handlebar bag straps and accessories, which sometimes like to wander away from the stem. I imagine this might reduce the bar’s flex, but it’s hard to say how important that is when using high-volume tires.

• Material: 7000-Series Aluminum
• Weight: 395 grams (14 ounces)
• Place of Manufacture: Taiwan
• Price: $118 USD
• Manufacturer’s Details: SklarBikes.com

Further Reading

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