This new Vision Metron 5D Evo brings a new chapter to one of the longest-running integrated 1-piece carbon handlebar + stem cockpits on the road racing scene. Vision says the 5D is the winningest handlebar in pro road racing – having been on the road race circuit for 9 years – and ridden to wins at all 3 Grand Tours and 5 Monuments. And now its new EVO evolution refines that popular race-winning carbon bar in a lighter, stiffer, more comfortable and faster 1-piece road bike cockpit. Oh, and it’s cheaper too!
Vision Metron 5D EVO integrated carbon road cockpit
Around since mid-2016, the Vision Metron 5D was an early adopter of a complete 1-piece bar & stem setup with internal routing in the pursuit of improved aerodynamic performance. Remember, that was back in the days of pros still racing on rim brakes.
Just a couple years later, an ACR update to the 5D cockpit made all the cables disappear with fully hidden routing integration. And it heralded in a boom of cables routed through headtubes and headsets – for better or worse. Now all we see on the latest modern road bikes are 1-peice carbon cockpits with no visible cables.
Vision say they developed this latest iteration of the Vision Metron 5D EVO handlebar “alongside the world’s best athletes”. But now that more amateur cyclists are also riding integrated cockpits, they wanted a more refined and versatile solution too.
What stayed the same?
Vision’s new Metron 5D EVO still features the unique 10° forward bend. That was designed to open the chest and elbows for better breathing on the climbs. Each of its drops also still has the small 5mm offset to create more room for your wrists and extra spring stability – much like flared bars. And of course, the ACR integrated cable routing carries over too.
What’s new?
It is forty grams lighter, now just 320g (110mm x 42cm).
It’s faster thanks to improved aerodynamics from a 15mm lower stack height on your steerer tube, now just 40mm tall.
Plus, it is both stiffer AND more comfortable thanks to an improved carbon layup that better damps road vibrations.
And it comes in two depths to the ergonomic aero tops. The standard EVO-L size. And a new EVO-XL with a deeper profile to the top wings to better fit riders with bigger hands where the bar is not wrapped.
Improved compatibility
The new Vision Metron 5D EVO bar will also perfectly fit more bikes these days. Vision has 3D-printed a new swath of ~12g composite ACR headset upper bearing cap cone spacers to seamlessly integrate the new bar into many of the latest aero road bikes. All with your cables neatly tucked out of sight.
Whether you buy a bike fitted with a 5D EVO bar, or if you upgrade to the sleek new cockpit.
Those integrated spacers are now available for 30+ bikes from the likes of Argon18, BMC, Cannondale, Cervélo, Colnago, De Rosa, Factor, Giant, Merida, Orbea, Pinarello, Scott, Specialized, Titici, and Trek.
Tech details
The full carbon bar features a compact 125mm drop and 80mm reach. The bar now comes in a matte 3K carbon finish, with subdued gloss black & gray graphics.
It now comes in two sizes of the top wing profile (L or XL). With 4 stem lengths of each, 4 bar widths, and all with a -6° stem angle.
The smaller diameter EVO-L bars come in 90mm x 38 or 40cm; 100mm x 38, 40, or 42cm; 110mm x 40 or 42cm; and 120mm x 40cm. The larger diameter EVO-XL bars come in 110mm x 44cm; 120mm x 42 or 44cm; 130mm x 42 or 44cm; and 140mm x 42cm.
All measurements are for the virtual stem length factoring in the forward sweep, and the center-to-center width at the levers.
The new Vision Metron 5D EVO cockpit has fully internal ACR routing designed for hydraulic brakes and mechanical or electronic shifting. And it includes an integrated compartment for a Di2 junction box.
An out-front GPS mount is sold separately for an extra $22 that bolts to the underside of the stem.
Vision Metron 5D EVO – Pricing, options & availability
The new Vision Metron 5D EVO handlebar now comes in 14 sizes. That’s more than ever – to fit an even wider range of pro and recreational road cyclists.
No matter what size you need, they all sell for the same $698, including an integrated aero top cap. Sure that’s a whole lot of money to spend on a handlebar. But it is the same price or even fifty bucks less than the previous non-Evo version. Get the new bars already spec’d on some new road bikes now. Buy them direct from Vision’s USA webshop. Or through standard bike dealer shops.
