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Bikepacking the American Cordillera – Passchier Gump brings them home

By passchier_admin - Aug 21 ,2023 - in Review

On 28th April this year our friends Hana Black and Mark Watson completed their goal of cycling the length of the Americas: rolling into Ushuaia on a freezing autumn day after traversing sixteen countries and over 51,500 km of bikepacking.

Mark says “We never imagined our dream of touring the Americas would become such a large part of our lives, but after a year on the road we came to realise that the ride provided a huge amount of satisfaction and discovery: it ticked every box for us, with physical and mental challenges, connection with the environment, social contact, learning and opportunities for creativity. The constantly changing cultures and landscapes maintained our interest right to the end. It was an addictive experience.“⁠

Having switched from titanium handlebars to our bamboo Gump 760 bars (sporting one natural wood and one Jenny) for the journey, here’s what they have to say:

“We switched to the Passchier Gumps and have been blown away by how comfortable they are day after day. With the combination of 2.6 inch tyres and Passchier bars we have not once felt like we needed suspension, even though we ride a lot of rough roads and singletrack. The 22 degree sweep finds a great balance between comfort (no wrist or hand aches) and excellent handling for a loaded bike on technical or loose surfaces. They’re the bars we’d pick for long distance touring from here on, and have stood up to the rigours superbly.”

On concluding their epic and unique ride of the Americas, Mark commented “There’s a huge amount of satisfaction in arriving in Ushuaia finally, but what’s been most important is filling every step of the journey with as much wonder and challenge as possible and trying to make each day memorable. Having never been south of Mexico before, we have seen and experienced so many things we could never have imagined – from the mountains to the deserts and jungles, ancient cultures, customs and the simply incredible riding we have encountered. But now that we have got this project finished there will be room in our minds to think about the next one! So stay tuned.” ⁠

Learn more about their journey at www.highlux.co.nz where you’ll find blog posts, route maps, and more.⁠

Reviews

Passchier Handle Bars
Passchier Handle Bars
5.0
Besides being a piece of art, these bars are actually quite functional. In a word, smooth! Even on my fully suspended Mountain e-bike, I've been having wrist issues. You would not think that there is a difference on suspended bike but they're definitely is. These bars take those small hits and vibration that the suspension doesn't have a chance to respond to. Since my handlebar clamps are for 35 mm, I used the SQ labs adapter plates, 31.8 to 35 mm. The craftsmanship is simply superb. The craftsmanship is simply stunning!
Mark Spencer
Mark Spencer
1699880775
I've had a stubbornly broken and plated ulna and a broken bone chip in my wrist for the last 3 years. Cycling was too painful until I bought a Gump 760. It's enabled me to enjoy cycling and bikepacking again. Much less pain than any of the carbon/Jones/swept bars I also have.
Ian Huntsman
Ian Huntsman
1699308932
The difference in comfort is astounding, I use the Gump 760 on my rigid single speed and the compliance of bamboo is amazing. Last Saturday I did a 30 mile race on this bike and even then my wrists were fine. Not so with the last handlebar I had on this same bike !David TurnerFounderTurnerbikesSince 1994
David Turner
David Turner
1698698138
After discovering these bamboo bars on a gravel bike tour out of Christchurch with Pacific Cycle Tours, I bought a pair and installed on my full-suspension mountain bike back home in North Carolina in the US.I LOVE these bamboo bars! I can feel them flex just a bit when I am climbing hard, which is perfectly fine, and they have sort of a "live", supple feel to them as I handle through rocks and roots that furthers my sense of confident control on the bike. AND, I believe I am experiencing less nerve compression-related numbness. Nice!
Kurt Arehart
Kurt Arehart
1670418060
Wow these bars are made for riding! I put a set on my hard tail commuter e-bike and they have transformed the ride. I'm running Schwalbe Marathon Kevlar tyres at 60PSI which has worked out well for avoiding punctures (not one in 16 months!!) but a bit hard on my arms, neck and upper body. Well that's not the case now, as the flex is perfect for dealing with lumps and bumps, and yet the bars are still accurate and stable for inner city high speed precision (avoiding buses). I love these bars - thanks heaps!
Simon Morton
Simon Morton
1668045595
I ordered a pair of the Gump 650’s. It was acomplicated affair getting them through Colombian customs and getting them delivered. It took 4+ months. But it was worth it! They are beautiful, but as beautiful as they are, they are even better in terms of function. They have definitely taken the edge of of riding the rough streets and bike paths of Medellin. I put a set or Ergon cork grips on them, and they feel like a short travel suspension front end! Simply fantastic!
Dave Marquez
Dave Marquez
1666827551
Stunning bars! Changed my rides by adding extra confort and a kind of flexy travel on hard sections. Mike is a very cool and responsive guy. Do not hesitate!
Lucas Schneider
Lucas Schneider
1665550589
If you have hand/wrist/arm issues, you need to check out this handlebar. After riding it for 5 months now, I simply can't believe how much of the road is absorbs on my daily commutes. It has enough flex that you'll think your front tire is going flat, which means you can actually add some pressure to go faster without harshing the ride. It's ideal for the daily commuter, townie, light touring or gravel bike, but not ideal for mountain bikes or types of riding where you put a lot of force into the bars and need quick response. They are flexy, in a good way!
Nick Sande
Nick Sande
1664769298
I couldn't be happier with my Passchier bars as they are the statement piece of my dream build commuter/flat bar graveller. I picked a pair up to relieve my hands and wrists from the small bumps and vibrations you get from NZs rugged streets, cycle paths and back roads. I didn’t want the weight and look of a suspension fork on my Surly Straggler so I opted for the more low-fi option of bamboo. The dampening of forces going into the upper body is amazing and I ride without wrist pain everyday. If you’re on the fence about these don’t be, invest in your longevity on the bike. Good ergonomics and shock absorption will keep you riding until your legs can’t pedal any further.
Erica C
Erica C
1662671957
Simply put there is no product quite like this on the market. If your are looking for bars that absorb force from the ground up and from your body down then these will end your search. The flex is like a fork ramping up, it is soft in the beginning then ramps up the closer you get to the end of its travel. Quite amazing that all this achieved with a material like bamboo.
Geoff Wright
Geoff Wright
1662618677
I am lucky enough to have a pair of Gump 760’s which I had on my hardtail MTB (amazing ride-feel), and are now residing on my rigid commuter e-bike. Last year I broke my left wrist and also my right collarbone, so you can imagine my arms are very sensitive to vibrations and jarring! I have found the Passchiers to be honestly life-saving in allowing me to ride around in pot-hole filled wellington, where I would probably have been shedding tears having to hop up on curbs every 10seconds when bike lanes abruptly end, the Passchiers really do absorb most of the really violent jarring from daily riding. I also think they are incredibly hot, I am constantly getting compliments about the aesthetically pleasing nature of the bamboo bars. They make my bottom-of-the-line e-bike look like something special (and matches the tan-walls so well). When I get my touring bike for the Tour Aotearoa these will without a doubt be coming with me! Honestly if comfort is a barrier for you getting out on your bike, 100% recommend these bad boys, they make life easier!
Alysha Simonsen (Eesh)
Alysha Simonsen (Eesh)
1661854473
Pretty amazing bars.
Isaac Spedding
Isaac Spedding
1661854104
Great handlebars!I put the Gump 650 on a rigid pub/beach commuter bike I built. They're a great fit with the style I wanted and work well with the hard, skinny tyres.They look great and the flex/give they provide definitely smooths out the bumps and makes the ride much cruisier.If I ever (eventually) build a long-distance touring/bike-packing bike, I'll definitely put another set of Passchier on for the ergonomics and comfort.Ride on!
Chris Keen
Chris Keen
1658912792
Bars have gone onto my Van Nicholas Titanium hard tail. The bike had been run as SS mountain bike but the geo was little dated so has been reinvented as a flatbar gravel/commuter/lite MTB and retired from full on mtb duties.The bars sit at a sweet spot for me in length and backsweep. Similar to my MTB.When they arrived I had been running carbon rigid forks. I didn't really like them and swapped back to a suspension fork, mostly as just fitted bike better. I honestly very rarely even take them out of lock out and would happily go back to a rigid. I'm not sure I'd be saying that with Alux bars. I'm running a 50c grave tire (WTB Venture). I find I can run a slightly higher pressure than I sometimes would which is great when most rides it does will have bit of road/bike path before hitting firetrail and single track. I do describe the bars, to those that ask, like knocking a few PSI out of your tires without the need to. I only notice the flex when track standing at lights.Overall I really do love the added small bump cushion it gives. Matches that nice plush Ti frame. I'm not sure I'd like them on my MTB as no replacement for a suspension fork unless the fork is purely for small bump comfort. Perfect for what this bike is used for. They look fantastic in my opinion and who doesn't like some random asking, "are those bars timber".  Own few bikes and one of my favourite bits of bike bling.
Wayne dB
Wayne dB
1657257745
These bars brought an extension of life to a 66 year old rigid (neck) and single speeder. Thanks- they'll keep me going.
Michael Feldman
Michael Feldman
1655337642
These handlebars are extremely comfortable and have held up well on my bamboo mountain bike.
Charlie S
Charlie S
1654216397
amazing handlebars. Solved all wrist issues on my first ride. saved bike riding for me. can't say enough about them.only downside is all the attention...everyone wants to ask questions about my super cool wooden handlebars!!!
Taylor Zimmerman
Taylor Zimmerman
1651521932
A real game changer. With wrist issues and and riding a rigid fat bike, these bars gave just the right amount of flex to take the sting out. Only flexy where you want them to be, a great blend of beauty and performance.
Ryan Burnham
Ryan Burnham
1650367982
Have never had a more comfortable, easier ride than with my Passchier Gump 760s! They make every ride so much more supple, absorbing every bump and massively taking the pressure off my wrists, arm and neck. Really great service too. Very happy!
harrieth mcpherson
harrieth mcpherson
1648773162
These handle bars have completely change the way my bike rides. Its like upgrading your front suspension without spending hundreds or thousands on front forks. The vibration from bumps has been reduced so much that I hardly notice them now,
Jason Johnstone
Jason Johnstone
1647479821
I am super happy with my new handlebars. They have a very natural feel position wise on the bike. I just completed the Whanganui/ Whangaehu Valley 3 day bikepacking loop. No more sore wrists, arms or neck at the end of a day's ride. A total game changer for my confidence on tackling some more longer multi day bike adventures. Plus they just look all round awesome.
Jo Leask
Jo Leask
1646181934
Just amazing
Byron Mann
Byron Mann
1642733280
My husband bought these as a gift (based on the YouTube review of Russ on Path Less Pedaled), because I ride the Munda Biddi … which is a 1000km gravel trail that winds from Perth to Albany through towns and free campsites.I was surprised what a difference they made. The pain and tiredness in my wrists was all but gone at the end of each day.
Fayley A
Fayley A
1640170518
Gump bars are epic. I replace the front shock with a fixed fork on my eMTB commuter and went with the gump bar to reduce vibration and shock. Im also a bit of a anything made of wood fan, so fair to say all boxes ticked. I like the new color range too. Cheers NZ made.
Robbie McMillan
Robbie McMillan
1638907312
Love it
Jar Rad
Jar Rad
1638788806
I've been riding these Passchier Gump handlebars for a month now and they are superb. I went for the 650mm length because I commute in a busy city, and they are perfect for nipping between obstacles. You can feel the bamboo flexing slightly, which softens the road and makes a very comfortable ride on rigid aluminium forks and skinny tyres. I also love that they are made from renewable bamboo, which is eco friendly and looks fantastic in the flesh.
adam gilbert
adam gilbert
1638396286
I just tried the Gump 760 bars and they immediately put a smile on my face. Not only do they look great, but the benefit and unique feel was immediately apparent. I build custom bikes for a living and I'll be recommending these from now on.
Christopher Kudla
Christopher Kudla
1631574959
I've been using the Gump 760 bar (22 degree sweep) for a couple of months now and and it's made my fully rigid 29er feel like a different, and much more comfortable, bike. I have no suspension at all, so on rough gravel roads and moderate single track, this bar has taken the sting out of road vibration. Some of that gets absorbed by the vibration damping quality of the bamboo, but most of it comes from the flex. These bars move! The flex gives the bike a pliant, slightly suspended feel and feels like a perfect match for this type of bike. They also look really cool and match the paint job on my bike quite nicely! Would use again!
Mark Watson
Mark Watson
1626169646
I've been using my Gump bar for about 4 weeks now and have been enjoying it very much. Thanks for a great product and I hope it is successful for you. I like the Kiwi ingenuity of taking a completely different approach to such a standard item and anything that is designed and made locally is worthy of support.
Glen Rowe
Glen Rowe
1625978496
Where to start?Eye-catching, natch!Always been a fan of large sweep bars and I've fallen for the 22º sweep Passchiers, A few weeks of riding over the summer hols on my rigid forked Surly convinced me of their functional beauty also.I was amazed at the smoothness and lack of sore arms after several varied lengthy descents ranging from gravel to rocky singletrack,Now, about that bamboo frame...
david whittam
david whittam
1617660938
Absolutely beautiful bars not just to look at but to ride. I have been running mine for a few weeks now and they cut the chatter on my rigid mtb out better than anything other than a fork.Perfect for brevets and commuting and any mountain biking where you are not spending a lot of time off the ground. I will stick with my carbon bars for racing, bike parks and dirt jumps (maybe alloy for that) but most of my days are spent in the saddle these days and these are my go to for 95% of rides.
Liam Crozier
Liam Crozier
1612141142
These bars are AMAZING!! Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, they also make the ride a whole lot more comfortable. The bamboo has just enough flex to help absorb the shock on the bumpy trails and reduces the grip fatigue on the longer rides. Prepare to be stopped and questioned about these bad boys because they are a head turner!
Ben Cidre
Ben Cidre
1595535636
I've been riding a set of "Gump" bars for a few months now. They've got a comfy amount of back-sweep (22 Deg) which can be hard to find these days. The sensitivity on gravel (and chunder-ous cycle paths) is unreal, they work at a frequency that most suspension forks aren't able to. These bars are great, your wrists will thank you..
david connor
david connor
1592783019
I've been rocking the Passchier bars for a few months now and absolutely love 'em.Used them on a 10 day bikepacking adventure across the North Island in late Feb and they were comfortable and perfect for that.Be prepared though, if you get a set, and you should, you will get a LOT of comments and questions about the. They look really cool, and let's be honest, isn't that the most important thing?Images to come
Scott Emmens
Scott Emmens
1589149439
Continued to bike around my bubble with the super sweep bamboo bars from Paschier. Have been using these wooden wonderbars for some months now, and find them so comfortable. Good for short rides and even better for long rides. Amazing vibration dampening from the lightweight lamination. And they look great.
Dan van Asch
Dan van Asch
1588728288
Hi,I own a Spot brand city commuter bike as my contribution to a comfortable, environmentally friendly, alternative for transport to and from work, and for short personal trips. The bike has an aluminium frame and Carbon front forks making it a relatively lightweight bike. The gates carbon belt drive make a very smooth effortless drive via a low maintenance seven speed hub, to the road tyres.I have made improvements to the original handle bars by installing a par of Ergon GP1 hand grips which provide a large ergonomic contact area between the rider and the bike. It adsorbs some of the vibration frequencies transmitted up through the front forks. The increased contact area of the handlebars and your hands largely reduces mussel discomfort around the wrist and palms.When I found out about laminated bamboo handle bars, I could understand how the long natural fibrous bamboo material could also contribute to reducing, and softening the vibration frequencies.After installing a 22 degree, 650mm width bar on my Spot commuter bike, I took a ride over a variety of surfaces around my suburb. These surfaces ranged from smooth asphalt, chip seal road surfaces, concrete paths, off road surfaces including wooden board walks, grassed areas, various gravel grades, compacted clay surfaces ranging from smooth to rutted tracks.I found the comfort of steering was significantly improved. The angle and width of the bars put my wrist and elbow angle into a very natural, and comfortable shoulder width position. There was a definite reduction in the intensity of vibration through the handgrips. The natural position of my hands, wrists, and elbows made controllability of riding over rough surfaces relatively safe and comfortable, even at speed.I felt I could ride for a longer period of time without feeling any added stress to my wrists and arms. I would attribute this to the shape of the bars, but more importantly the ability of the laminated bamboo fibres to absorb most of the various vibration frequencies. The other added appeal is the aesthetics of the bars. The clear lacquer coated laminated bamboo colour adds a natural contrast to the bikes appearance. I can only fully recommend these bars especially if you spend a lot of time on your bike, such as touring or regular commuting. Even someone who is a bit of bike nut, these are the “bees knees” for comfort and style.Happy CyclingPeter Harrison
Peter Harrison
Peter Harrison
1587459224
Fitted a set of Gump bars on my Surly Karate Monkey. Absolutely love them. Nice amount of flex to absorb small bumps etc but very strong as well.And they look great too!
bruce norris
bruce norris
1587349448
I fitted a set of Gump bars to my Surely adventure bike and just love them. They are flexi enough to absorb small bump feed back but feel very strong as well. and you cant get past the fact that they look awesome as well!Great product and service.
Bruce Norris
Bruce Norris
1585514715
Have been trialing the 22 deg handlebars on my cargo bike. Feels solid and stylish - have received several questions about them! Love the idea of using wood where possible, and NZ made too! They are comfortable, with just a little extra flex than my old bars.
Christian Williams
Christian Williams
1582145306
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