http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=54262

They’re the same bends as Easton, but well under half the price ?
Is that because they are a lower quality or because they are all made in the same factory in China, but X-Lite work on a lower profit margin with smaller advertising budget ?

Your propensity for breaking everything you look at makes me think you ought to ride with a steel girder as a handlebar!

I thinkt he reason they’re that cheap is because they haven’t sold at the ‘real’ price not because they’re inhernetly cheap/inferior?

I bought the flat version last week. Only had one ride on them so far….

lol @ the CRC summary description for those bars!

Using T-700 carbon and a combination of extensive FE analysis, rider testing, destruction analysis, and a detailed confidential construction process, the X-Lite XLRC710 riser bar gives you a more upright cock

They are certainly more versatile than viagra.

They’re normally £80, so not exactly cheap.

I reckon they’re going cheap as they look a bit carp….

depends if you want to pay someones marketing bill or not?

I once bought a Titec carbon bar that had been incorrectly priced. The reduced price hasn’t affected its performance 🙂

Any reason why I shouldn’t buy cheap carbon bars ?

As Njee said, Yes:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/ive-broken-4-frames-in-13-months-recommend-me-a-29er-hardtail

And lest we forget the Time pedals…

Get a pair Graham. The rest of us can have a sweepstake on how long it is before the inevitable ‘I’ve just snapped my carbon bars’ thread.

With your track record, I’m giving you 3 weeks, tops! I just hope the resulting face-plant doesn’t hurt too much

Anyone else hazarding a guess?

With those, I’d say no reason at all (as long as you’re not goign to kill them like the rest of your bikes!) X-lite certainly were a very good brand.
There used to be a huge snob factor on windsurfing masts when I did that, with many dissmissing Tushingham masts as cheap, inferior, heavier, weaker, until it was pointed out that they were made in the same factory as the others. To the same spec. On the same machines. With the same material. Different lable and half the price… I just wonder about carbon bars.
On a side note, it’s the same Tushingham that became Orange Mountain Bikes.

so, how long will it take this man to break some carbon bars?

Looking at the state of the gate he’s just leaned on, not long.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! MY EYES!!!! MY EYES!!!!

Graham – I’m a big clumsy sod, with a propensity for breaking stuff. I’ve snapped frames before. For this reason I wouldn’t touch a set of carbon bars, no matter who made them, with the proverbial barge-pole.

If (when?) they go, its going to be a ‘high-consequence’ breakage

Oddly I’d suggest that carbon bars would be perfect for Graham – I’ve broken lots and lots of parts but even the most shonky looking carbon bars I have are still going strong.

Is that the same X-Lite company that used to make those DH riser bars and bar ends back in the day?

Oh look… some of the Ragley’s are cheap too 8)

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=58688

Even the description is almost the same.

All part of the CRC empire so they can price as they want… perhaps they haven’t sold as many as they expected, or a new batch with next years colours are on the way.

No idea if they are any good but I suspect that they are seeing as the days of “experimental” carbon bars snapping for almost no reason are behind us.

I’ve got Easton carbon bars on one bike already and they’re doing fine, as are the two carbon cranksets and carbon seat post I ride.
I’ve also just bought a carbon Lefty and have used a rigid carbon for in the past.

It’s the sudden catastrophic nature of carbon failure that makes me wary.
I would imagine the time between the “Something doesn’t feel right” and “Ouch !” moments is less than the time it takes to bring the bike safely to a halt.

At that price though, I might just give them a go and spend the savings on a torque wrench.

Is it just me or do the socks MTG is wearing in that pick look photoshopped ? ( not the pair stuffed down his shorts, the white ones 😉 )

I suppose that when you do face plant, as long as you keep your mouth open, you’ll be supplementing that ridiculous fad diet your on.

Aluminium bars dont bend a bit then a bit more before they snap. They just snap.

I suppose that when you do face plant, as long as you keep your mouth open, you’ll be supplementing that ridiculous fad diet your on.

Just think how many insects might die!

I would imagine the time between the “Something doesn’t feel right” and “Ouch !” moments is less than the time it takes to bring the bike safely to a halt.

Same with all the Al and Ti bars I’ve seen fail…

But if a shard of shattered carbon enters his body it will eventually make it’s way to his heart and kill him dead 🙁

I’d give cheap carbon bars a go but then I have owned less bikes than MTG has broken.

But if a shard of shattered carbon enters his body

Is it a vegan shard?

Is it a vegan shard?

no, because it contains products made from Oil which is really just dead creatures mashed up really, really well.

I think it’s ok for vegans to make use of creatures that died before they were born. So Oil or really mature steak is ok.

Just got a set of the flat bar versions of these for the 29er. 710mm wide and flat with 9 deg backsweep so should fit nicely. Got the blue sticker versions (now sold out) which where cheaper but they look more like the stickers on the riser bars than the CRC picture so all logos will be covered up.

first thought was pretty impressed – they have a rough textured middle area sticker to prevent slippage and the ends have smooth stickers for controls to slide on easily.

The exposed raw bit is not perfect but should be fine – might put a bit of tape on or spray some PU laquer on them.

Looking in at the ends the wall thickness at the tip is more at the front than the rear – I did wonder if this was due to the loads (ie to prevent the front surface buckling when you really lean on the bars) but putting my finger inside there is a step (more on one side than the other) so I will see how it goes and be carfull tightening any lock on grips or bar ends but will probably use an expanding plug if I opt for bar ends.

oh and they are no-where near 177g. More like 220g – disappointing in one respect but on the other hand maybe a bit of extra material is best as they are not Easton.

my eyes ……………….. my eyes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyone reported that post yet?

Eastons carbon bits are made in Eastons own factory in Mexico iirc, not in china and badged up like a lot of others
Wether that makes any difference at all is up to you to decide…

Well, they’ve been on a week or so now and I haven’t broken them yet.
Now that you mention it andyl, mine are thicker walled at the front at the very end too. I assume it’s extra strength for clamping bar ends to.

another thought – I get to handle a lot of aerospace composites and no part is perfect but they all behave very closely to what our simulation predicts. And I act as a third party so have no do not have any bias towards it making or not making spec. I am just there to make sure we know what the real part is doing and then get shown the results of the simulation or a test using a different coupon.

It is also quite common for composite parts to completely surpass any predictions/simulations of the designers despite the odd defect. They can be bloody tough!