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New bike on the horizon soon and I have a choice of handlebars to pick from.
What is people's experiences of carbon versus aluminium and 31.8 Vs 35mm?
I've got 31.8 alu bars on my other bikes and a few stems spare so could stick with those but I've also got a burgtec carbon bar I won in a competition at 35mm so will need a new stem. For some reason I can't make my mind up so what would you do.
Is there any difference in comfort/vibration reduction?
Is carbon really a good choice for handlebars? Seen a few damaged easily in daft crashes.
Can't think at anytime I've felt the need to swap over so the cynic in me suspects marketing twaddle
Anyone?
I’d never choose to fit an Alu bar now. Might be placebo, but after riding carbon for 15 years I’m sure they are more comprtable than Alu.
Diameter, meh...
Can't give you any practical advice but
burgtec carbon bar I won in a competition at 35mm
So did I (thank you STW 🙂 ) so I bought a nice Burgtec stem to go with them. Lovely.
If comfort/vibration reduction is important i'f always sway towards carbon over alloy. I've recently switched from 31.8mm to 35mm bars, both carbon, and can't honestly feel any difference in feel. The 35mm bars may well be a bit stronger though at a near identical weight.
I seem to remember Renthal saying the 35mm ones weren't stiffer or stronger for a given weight, just marketing.
But if you have a set of 35mm carbon bars, fit them. I think there's a slight increase in comfort, but to be honest grips and tyre pressures make far more difference.
In terms of damaging them, you can quite easily damage Alu bars - the difference is whether you're then risking a long term problem (scrape giving stress risers for future fatigue failure) or a potential short term problem (scrape compromising the strength of the bar by cutting through the carbon or bash resulting in delamination also compromising the strength of the bar).
FWIW I've seen more aluminium bars broken, but I've also seen more aluminum bars full stop. And aluminium bars are cheaper to replace. But your carbon bars you already own are the same amount to replace if you replace them with alu should you smash them up in a crash.
Edit- for the record, when people go on about frames having comfort giving flex, I don't believe that for a second. It's minor with bars, and to be honest I probably notice the flex in a bad way as much as a good way, but it's noticeable.