When the guys at Performance Bikes told us they had some shiny FUNN gear for us to look at, we weren’t quite prepared for the colour assault our eyes were in for. The main attention grabber being the Fatboy Chameleon bars, although the two pairs of pedals, the cross-country Tactic and downhill Mamba, can’t be labeled as dull either.
FUNN Fatboy Chameleon Handlebar
The Fatboy bars, built from aluminium alloy, claim to be light enough for XC while sturdy for the impacts of all mountain and downhill riding.
These bars start their life at 785 mm, with clear markings for shortening operations, while the diameter measures in at 31.8mm. The bar is modestly shaped with a 15 degree rise, 8 degree backsweep and a 5.5 degree upsweep. In terms of weight, FUNN’s claim of 340 grams at 785mm is decent for a wide bar. Our own weigh in confirmed this figure.
Being part of FUNN’s BOB (Bored Of Black) series, these bars get a special aesthetic touch. In this case, that bit of flair is a colour shifting glitter effect. In the shade this bar is pretty understated but as soon as you bring it into the sunlight it shows its true colours. From when I first unpacked the Fatboy, I’ve been impressed with its unique look. There are two colour combinations, a green and blue, and red and orange.
The Fatboy Chameleon sells for around R680. If the bars aren’t quite enough bling for you, FUNN also make matching Chameleon stems and seatposts to go with your bars.
FUNN Tactic Pedals
The Tactic is punted as a compact light race and everyday cross country pedal. To secure your feet to the pedals, FUNN has gone with the popular SPD-style clipless system.
The Tactic consists of a CNC forged aluminium body, a CroMo axle and a DU bushing with sealed bearing. The pedal body comes in 5 anodized colours (Red / Orange / Blue / Silver / Black), great for customizing your bike. The axle and clipless system are black but the bare metal contact points on the pedal body are a nice touch.
Being aimed at the XC market, weight is important. FUNN claims that a pair of Tactic pedals are 310 grams. The pair in our possession came in at 315 grams.
The Tactic retails at R980, which makes them similarly priced to the Look S-Track and a couple hundred less than Shimano XT, each weighing marginally more than the FUNN Tactic.
FUNN Mamba Pedals
Designed for enduro, all mountain, trail and downhill riding (include whatever new category the marketers have come up with this week), the Mamba combines double sided SPD-style clipless with wide pinned platforms. The pedals allow for up to four traction pins on each corner. There is also a one sided clipless model, which can be ridden with flat shoes on the other side.
The pedal body is CNCed aluminium which houses a DU bushing, needle bearing, and a sealed cartridge bearing to spin around the CroMo axle. The rotational parts can be regreased via FUNN’s Grease Renew System (GRS). This involves removing two screws, and injecting new grease into the pedal which forces out the old dirty stuff.
The Grease Renew System. This works by removing the screw (pictured left) and injecting the new grease into the hole (pictured right). There is a corresponding screw and hole on the other side of the pedal for the used grease to escape.
The claimed weight for a pair of the doubled side SPD is 560 grams, our own scales showed slightly less with 522 grams for the pair (without grease).
The Mamba is available in black, grey, red, blue and orange. Again, FUNN making life a bit easier for the colour conscious rider or custom builder. The double sided Mamba retails for R1,350, while the single sided option is R1,250.
I want those Mamba Pedals so bad, need to start saving up again and come up with an excuse for my wife on why I need to spend more money on my bike.