Thinking of getting some but something tells me I should stick with aluminium. What do people think? Convince me to get some.

go searchthe easton web site for how they test the carbon bars. it might convinvec you they are up to the job. it certainly put my concerns at ease

http://www.eastonbike.com/FLASH-SWF/bar%20test.swf

i'm sure they're very strong for riding

my concern is that i cannot trust my porky fingers not to overtighten my shifters or lock-on grips and damage the carbon

retro83, that's what a torque wrench is for, unitl I had one, my big chimp arms over tightened everthing. It's a bizarely anorak, but very satisfying thing to set all the bolts "just right"

I've seen a carbon bar snap in a crash, but never an alu one. Do they bend instead?

Still a fan of carbon bars myself, having gone back to alu on my Reign recently
for a bit more width I'm really noticing the extra buzz in my wrists.

Torque wrench questions:

Can you use one on those silly little grub screws in lock-on grips?

How do you know what tightness to go to anyway?

Have overtightened one carbon bar and not keen to repeat it.

I'm on to my third set of carbon bars!…that may give you the wrong impression but they are very strong.
I did manage to snap a bar at Mayhem a 3/4 years ago…but it was a massive accident (snapped bars, exploded pedal, 'black-thigh' and damaged nerves in toes).

not at all scientific but at circa 17stone riding weight all I can add is i've yet to kill my carbon Bontrager bars or seatpost….

Don't overtighten your shifters or levers. Just nip up using the short end of alan key. You should be able to move them with a medium amount of force, that way instead of breaking in a spill they move round. Found this out years ago when offroading on trail bikes.

Make sure none of the things you mount on the bar ie grips stem have sharp edges that can dig into the carbon. I have seen a carbon bar with a gouge in it where the shifter had a burr on the clamp face. The rider stacked it shifter span round carving a groove result one £90 bar knackered

marsdenman, 17st yeh? do you do much in the way of jumps/ drops? extended airtime? I'm only 10.5st, but I do quite a lot of drops & jumps (with alu bars)