Video: Renthal Celebrates its 50th Birthday

Dec 17, 2019
by Renthal Cycling  

Renthal was founded in 1969, with 50 years associated with the Worlds fastest riders. Here's take a look back at our company, from the early days, through to present day, with interviews with Jeremy McGrath, Mitch Payton and Rachel and Dan Atherton.

Renthal was founded in 1969, by good friends and motorcycle enthusiasts, Henry Rosenthal and Andrew Renshaw. They combined their surnames, with the 'Ren' from Renshaw and the 'thal' from Rosenthal to create the brand name Renthal.
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Andrew Renshaw (R) and Henry Rosenthal (L), Renthal Workshop, 1969.

The first Renthal handlebars were made for the motorcycle trials market and were the first handlebars to be made of aluminium. Even in the early days, there was a focus on supporting the worlds best riders and, in 1971, Renthal gained their first trials World Champion title with Mick Andrews.

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Mick Andrews. 1971 trials World Champion.

Renthal moved into the growing sport of motocross, with which the brand is now synonymous. Gaining instant popularity and racing success, the first motocross World Championship for Renthal was won in 1981, by Neil Hudson.

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Neil Hudson. 1981 motocross World Champion.

Supercross in the US boomed in the late 80's and Renthal were at the epicentre, supporting legend of the sport and seven times Supercross World Champion, Jeremy McGrath.

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Jeremy McGrath. Seven time Supercross World Champion.

For the entire 50 years history of Renthal, there has been a focus on working with the Worlds fastest riders. Renthal supported athletes have won World Championship titles every year, from 1983 to the present day. To date, Renthal supported athletes have won 213 World and 222 US Championship titles.

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Jorge Prado. 2019 MX2 World Champion.

In 2010, Renthal entered the cycle market, with a range of products designed and inspired by years of experience in motocross products. Following the same success as moto, Renthal won their first World Championship title in that first year, with Sam Hill becoming the downhill World Champion.

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Sam Hill. 2010 Downhill World Champion.

Over the last nine years, the product portfolio has grown to include a full range of handlebars in aluminium and carbon fibre and also stems, grips and chainrings. Success in sport has also continued to grow, with 28 World titles won, across DH, EWS and BMX SX disciplines.

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Rachel Atherton. 2018 Downhill World Champion.

Looking to the future, Renthal continues as a self owned, design and manufacturing company, with extensive on-site facilities. Expect to see more innovation and more success in sport, as Renthal move into their 51st year.
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Renthal - Grab Life by the Bars
http://renthalcycling.com

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Author Info:
renthalcycling avatar

Member since Jan 5, 2012
7 articles

44 Comments
  • 51 0
 cheers pinkbike for that article and pictures of Andy & Henry. I've sent it to my dad who was in the same engineering class at college with them when they started the company and good motorbike friends in Manchester.
  • 3 0
 that's awesome !
  • 11 0
 Renthal has always been the bars to have in my eyes. I've run them for 5+ years in downhill & enduro, had alloy and carbon sets, and never had a single issue. Nothing quite as confidence inspiring as the gold Renthals on top of a set of 40s...
  • 4 0
 I’ve recently started using burgtec which are great. However nothing feels like a Renthal bar they just feel so strong and I do miss them.
  • 11 0
 I've been running Renthal for 60 years
  • 2 0
 @bbh13: I laughed !
  • 3 0
 @Matt115lamb: I also run Renthal bars, liked the shape when I first had them so stuck with it. But... I’ve never really understood the success of an after-market handlebar manufacturer. How can you claim superiority on such a simple component? It’s always seemed weird to me. Why do we need special handlebars?!

Anyway, happy 50th Renthal, cheers!
  • 1 0
 @aps62: thinking the same thing... i have raceface atlas bars on one bike and renthals on another and i cant really feel any difference... but thats just me Smile
  • 1 0
 @aps62: the quality and different grades of aluminium pluss the manufacturing process can make a big difference to the feel. I have nukeproof bars on 2 of my bikes and they are particularly flexible compared to my burgtecs. but I guess it’s not the most important aspect of the bike but I’d rather have confidence in my parts especially the bars.
  • 16 2
 Surely that must be Bernard Kerr's grandfather..
  • 4 0
 Renthal it's such a big brand, and has a very good costumer care !! In 2017 i sent an e-mail to Renthal asking what was the size of the screws from Renthal APEX because mine was crack.. Ian Collins answered back and send me a kit for free ( i never forget ) Big Grin Thank Ian Collins and Renthal
  • 4 3
 Takes more than a free screw to keep me happy ! Lol
  • 7 1
 don't be gentle it's a renthal!
  • 2 0
 I'm having a 'Deeight' moment, but Renthal were making MTB bars nearly 20 years before they themselves stated Wink

www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=397274
  • 7 3
 No mention that it’s a British firm !
  • 3 2
 Have used a few Renthal bars over the years, yes they can be bent, but can straightened them again by hitting them with a stout stick, not sure if that is still possible with MTB bars though?
  • 2 0
 Had a renthal stem, thought it was awesome until it cracked and was deemed useless. Also had grips that broke after a few days riding. Is a pitty as I love the brand
  • 1 0
 I love the bars for mtb however the I found the Apex stem to be quite weak as I managed to twist one at the bar clamp after a big front wheel compression so took them off my other bike too.
  • 2 1
 there has been a durability test of mtb-bars in a major german mtb-magazine. remember that the renthals broke pretty fast and been outperformed by cheap brands like spank etc...
  • 5 0
 Spank isn't a cheap brand.
  • 4 0
 @nozes: yeah I was gonna say my spank vibracore bars were not cheap. Glad to here they did well on a stress test.
  • 1 0
 150 bucks for a set of vibrocore bars isn’t cheap,
  • 2 0
 but i think those bars were fatbar lites or carbon fatbar lites?
  • 2 0
 OK, maybe I should write "outperformed by not that high-endish brands like..."
I have found the test - it was published in the german magazine "Freeride", 3/2014, multi-load tests (3 samples from each product/brand), here the data of the aluminum bars, failed after:
Renthal Fatbar - appr. 64k-84k
Kore OCD M35 - appr. 88k-120k
Easton Havoc Alu - appr. 176k-277k
Race Face Turbine - appr. 268k-309k
Spank Spike 777 - appr. 361k-365k
Syntace Vector Alu - appr. 416k - 446k
  • 2 0
 Renthal in all of my bikes, since they came to the bike market (aluminium). A brand with that backgorund you can´t go wrong!!
  • 2 0
 35mm Fatbar Black Alu for me.
  • 1 0
 I have Renthal aluminum bars on all of my bikes. The Fatbar lite and Fatbar lite V2 have been great. I have driven one of them into the ground at high speed and it survived with only minor scratches.
  • 1 0
 Have their chainrings on my 20" and 24" BMX, best chainrings you can fit, but I dont think they make them any more, shame as there is far too much stuff from the far East that doesnt come close to the same quality.
  • 1 0
 for me renthal bars always been something else, the feeling you get and confidence inspiring, the looks can't compare to anything else really but that may only be my oppinion
  • 3 0
 They have the iconic branding nailed.
  • 1 0
 All products are very good from renthal accept their stems are very weak and completely useless, especially the stems for enduro bikes.
  • 1 0
 Hope and Renthal both came from U.K. motorbike backgrounds, and I think two two brands will always make for my favorite cockpit
  • 1 0
 Ran Renthal on both my Triumphs...bars and sprockets. But, those were made in the UK, unlike their MTB products.
  • 1 0
 They should celebrate by bringing back more gold carbon bars
  • 1 1
 Dear Renthal, can you make some bars with a 16 degree back sweep. PS I love your ultra tacky push on grips.
  • 1 0
 No helmet???? >: (((((
  • 1 0
 my renthal stems creek, even after I grease them
  • 2 0
 renthal stems are one of the weakest stems on the market.
  • 1 0
 Saw Sam Hill, opened article immediately.
  • 1 0
 #flatcapsmakeyoufaster
  • 1 0
 Sam Hill!!
  • 5 6
 I ride it like it’s Renthal. My favorite bars out there. Always.
  • 2 0
 That more ballsy than riding raceface carbon on a yeti at rampage
  • 1 3
 Meh. Ice recently seen a lot of there stems and bars snap so i think its safe ti say im going to stay away







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