used them for 10 or so years. never had a pair break or even bend.

No problems with mine, maybe it was the first version that had problems.

Never head of it being an issue. I'm running some very old ones on my communter with no issues.

used them for 10 or so years. never had a pair break or even bend.

Yep, old and new versions running on 2 bikes with zero problems. Crashed a few times - seem very sturdy. Some folks would prefer them to be wider - seem perfect for me when singlespeeding as the extra leverage from a wider bar when hauling uphill was causing my puny shoulder joint to ache (being pulled apart I suspect - previous injury not helping)

TM

I thought they were solid! And I've always used mine upside down

I have 2 sets and no problems

I think that the US thread needs at least one photo of a broken bar...

Picked up a second hand pair which I've had mine on my main bike for a good while - it's a rigid Surly Karate Monkey. I'm 100kg and the bike has had a proper battering over Dartmoor granite in that time without any problems. They are the 25.4mm version and I don't notice any flex at all.

I don't doubt that some of them have broken. Stuff does that sometimes. If you look at any bar I'm sure you'll find some examples of that if you look hard enough but it's a bit of a stretch to infer that they "have a reputation for failing" when the evidence of most people who actually use them seems to be contrary to that.

Two things:

1. If you're worried, they do them in steel too.

2. You're more likely to break or weaken a bar riding singlespeed, due to the amount of force applied to them while pedalling. And I dare say these things find themselves on a relatively high number of singlespeeds, increasing their chances of being broken, and possibly making the number of breakages look disproportionately high?

butcher - Member
Two things:

1. If you're worried, they do them in steel too...

Good point.

I'm not worried - I have never seem or heard of a broken one, and mine check out ok.

I've been using Marys for years, much of the usage on a rigid SS. I've not had any problems at all, nor have I heard of any.

Good point...

For what it's worth, I have the steel ones. And I don't think a piano falling from a 3rd floor window would break them. They weigh a ton though.

I have 4 sets. No problems even after a sideways, upside down, sideways off.....they are now scratched though....

"You're more likely to break or weaken a bar riding singlespeed"

Is that physics or speculation ?

I like the"yeah they like break loads" to once challenged to "yeh well there talknis that theu break, but we have no actual evidence and its basically what some bloke said down the pub"

I always beleive that if you are going to rubbish a product at least have broken it yourself or seen loads fall apart in your social circle, otherwise you can knacker a companies reputation based on bollocks amd hearsay*

* no..not the shite girlie band from the 90's

220lb rider here, ragged them up and fast down Dunkery Beacon and rocky old Horner a few times, albeit with a Headshok (minimal travel or lockout) with no ill effects. Really liked them actually.

I've seen quite a burly guy do some pretty big drops to flat with them, I would say they are overbuilt if anything!