Crash yesterday , can get my fingernail in over the letter R. Fairly sure it’s fine ….? 😕 But thought I’d ask the cru

Wick in some Zap Pink thin superglue and just carry on

Tis but a scratch

Ok thanks, never heard of zap pink thin glue, or wicking it in? A little lost …
😐

Your bars, your teeth. Personally, I’d not be taking that chance on them.

I’d er on the side of ‘no’ for that. Sounds like a deep scratch – in a high stress area and there could be crush damage you can’t see. It might be fine, but it’s probably not worth the consequences!

In situations like this I’d usually put my full weight on them and bounce up and down to see what happens. If you don’t hear any carbon splintering then continue using them.

Don’t Americans tap with a dime to check carbon fibre? Not sure where you’d get a dime in this country though.

they are fine… looks like its only a scratch in the gel coat.

Get your nail in? Clarify

Get your nail in?

Sounds like a euphemism for a girth-challenged chap!

I’d say replace them if you’re in any doubt. New bars are a very cheap insurance policy for your wellbeing.

Grazed no problem anything deeper than a graze retire them.

If it did snap could you comeback on here and say ‘you guys said it’d be ok looking at a 2inch pic on a phone’

Past experience has taught me to change bars with damage like that. Especially carbon which has a habit of just snapping with very little no warning.

I’d more worried about a scratch in aluminium.

Your choice though.

Hora can you please define ‘graze’ . 😀

I am going to go with it’s a scratch. I know its very difficult to say but was just seeking some guidance. Off on ride now. If i don’t make it back tell my parents how brave I was.

cost of new bars vs cost of new teeth

your decision, but if it was me i would junk them or stick them on a commuter / pub bike

How thick is bar?

What section is that?

Probably fine but your picture is a bit inadequate to judge.

Not convinced that’s just clearcoat/laquer meself. Hard to tell. But the struts aren’t exactly beefy in the first place.

I retired my kinesis strut bar after a crash. couldn’t see any mark but its a pretty light and flexable bar. Going with a spank oozy vibrocore once I’m healed

If i don’t make it back tell my parents how brave I was.

I retired my Easton carbon Haven’s after a few crashes- they only have cosmetic grazes, scuffs from general storage etc but I thought after a few biggish offs that put scars on its owners I thought for circa £90 it wouldn’t hurt to put them in the shed and replace them with new Easton carbon Havens.

£90 is NOTHING, if only its peace of mind.

Aren’t Carbon Havocs – still to be found cheap in the 711mm length?

This probably worng as it is rusty knowledge being dragged out of the dark recesses from some composite swatting i did ages ago to try and get a job (unsuccessfully)… but I think the bar is made from woven sheets of CF held together with some form of resin. I don’t know how many layers would be used, but if you can get you finger nail underneath it suggests that one or more of the layers have separated?

I’d junk it.

This sort of uncertainty is why I have always stuck to ally bars. Is crabon that much better that it’s worth the paranoia?

Having seen aluminium bars fail and carbon and aluminium in action on boats I think the other way round. Carbon has a weave strength that transfers loads across strands, a nick in one strand isn’t fatal.

I’m not a professional materials engineer though… 😉

£90 is NOTHING, if only its peace of mind.

Agreed, but £90 after every crash is a lot. I know that my question wasn’t ‘are carbon bars worth it’ but if I have to replace them every time they get a scratch I’ll ditch them and go back to aluminum . I think I’m gonna keep using them

No creaking, dimples etc .

Here is another pic on a phone to further muddy the waters 🙂

They’ll be reet. The bit you can your finger under is just the top finish layer of resin. it looks scrapy more than hitty. That said I’m usually wrong about everything, ask my wife.

I have no idea if this helps but I just like it and this seems like a good excuse to post it.

[video]https://youtu.be/xreZdUBqpJs[/video]