Carbon bar curious…

I tend to get numb hands after an hour or so of MTB, and I’ve always been curious about the supposed ability of carbon bars to iron out the vibrations that cause this because of their greater flex. The price of a good pair of carbon bars has always put me off however, but it’s my birthday this month and I saw CRC selling some Easton carbon riser bars at 60% off – here.

They are the Haven bars which are billed as being “all-mountain” but I can’t really see anything different from the Easton XC bars like the EC70/90, except being a couple of cm longer.

So my questions:-
1. Can anyone vouch for the ability of carbon bars to reduce the hand numbness effect?
2. I’m looking at putting them on my XC race bike, so if I just cut the Haven’s down to about 690mm have I got myself a good XC bar?

Thanks.

that’s going to be reasonble, they are really good bars, i have them on my trail bike and are really good at taking out the buzz the suspension misses.

Have you tried foam grips like ESIs or similar? I find them far comfier them normal lock-ons, and are cheaper than new bars!

Of course if you just want new bars…

Carbon bars are great for comfort and Easton make some of the best IME.

I’d get one of them and give it a go at 710mm for XC, especially if yr on a 29er.

that’s going to be reasonble, they are really good bars, i have them on my trail bike and are really good at taking out the buzz the suspension misses

Thanks, that’s good info. We’ve got some real rocky trails round here and the constant jarring is what I think creates the numbness.

Have you tried foam grips like ESIs or similar? I find them far comfier them normal lock-ons, and are cheaper than new bars!

Good point, but yes I already run Ergon grips on all my bikes, which reduce, but don’t eliminate the numbness.

Of course if you just want new bars…

I have to admit it’s been a while since I treated my bikes (and me) to something shiny and new, so there’s definitely that aspect to it 😀 Still, its an expensive purchase for me, so I don’t want to get them if there’s not going to be a benefit.

I’d get one of them and give it a go at 710mm for XC, especially if yr on a 29er.

Good suggestion, I might try them at that length first, as it is an Anthem 29er.

Just make sure you have a torque wrench as 3nm is hard to judge by fingers.

Just make sure you have a torque wrench as 3nm is hard to judge by fingers.

Yes, got a torque wrench and carbon assembly paste. Didn’t know the torque for carbon bars was as low as 3nm tho. Glad you mentioned that as I’d have wound them up to 6nm like I do for the alloy ones 😳

OK – ordered! Birthday present on its way…. 😀

Perthmtb, I feel your pain( pardon the pun), I suffer from low potassium which results in pins and needles and numbness in my hands, have run carbon bars in various guises over recent years and I found different types had differing levels of comfort. The three best I found for killing trail buzz have been Answer Pro Taper, Raceface Sixc and Thomson. I have just purchased a set of USE Atom carbon ones for a build but can’t comment on them. Although the carbon is considerably better than alloy for me I also think rise and sweep plays a factor aswell. The advantage in buying carbon bars is you don’t tend to lose too much money on resale rice if you don’t get on with a particular brand.

I thought the torque spec came on the stem / shifters not the bar itself?

Fatter tyres, lower pressures…

Perthmtb – I have those very bars, and they’re great, especially at that price. If you want to try a pair for less money, I no longer need mine. They have a slight scuff one end, but apart from that are in good nick. I’d sell them for £25 posted.

Dom, can you send me some pics please? Email in profile.

Fatter tyres, lower pressures…

Agree that makes a difference, and I do run 2.35 tyres @ 25psi on my trail bike. But these will be going on my XC race bike where I run narrower tyres and higher pressures for performance reasons.

If you want to try a pair for less money, I no longer need mine. They have a slight scuff one end, but apart from that are in good nick. I’d sell them for £25 posted.

Thanks, but I think you’ll find the postage alone to be more than that as I’m over the other side of the world – think Perth Oz rather than Perth Och Aye! 😉

No worries! Nobeerinthefridge – if at work for a couple of hours, but will drop you some photos later today.

I have a set of Haven Alu bars on one bike and Haven carbon on the other. Both are just the right sweep/rise for me. The Alu bars are a bit buzzier, but not too bad. I used the Alu bars on a bike for a week in the alps last year and wasn’t getting too much pain in the hands after all day excursions. As has been said above, in some ways the shape is as important as the material. The carbon bars are nicer to look at though.

I found all Easton bars to be far too stiff especially the ec90 monkeylite riser causing me pins and needles and numb hands/wrist ache.

I seem to gel massively with Deity bars whom also do carbon models.

I personally don’t trust anymore that is carbon for bars as it’s a primary contact point that area takes a lot of abuse.
I split my easton ec70 flat bars at the ends where previous owner had carefully fitted stubby bar ends, does that count…

It just aint worth it to save weight.
I would honestly say go for the most comfortable alloy bars in rise, upsweep and backsweep in whatever length you want.

But these will be going on my XC race bike where I run narrower tyres and higher pressures for performance reasons.

I rarely run above 25psi in my race bike, do you not think the performance benefits of not having numb hands outweigh a marginal rolling resistance reduction…? Softer tyres roll quicker on rough ground anyway.

I’ve never noticed a difference with carbon bars.

I don’t trust second hand bars full stop. And from a bar end user!?! No chance.

Nothing wrong with modern carbon bars from the trusted names.

Superficial – Member

I thought the torque spec came on the stem / shifters not the bar itself?

It does and its usually around 5 nm, no special torque for carbon, same as alloy bars and its dictated by the stem.

Got two sets, Easton Havens and old set of Monkeylights, can’t say they feel any different to alloy bars, just lighter.

I can’t feel any difference with carbon bars. I just buy them because carbon.

I run Thomson carbon bars, they feel just like ally bars to me. Wifey has some 3T carbons, the first time I leant on them they moved about half an inch.

This thread title should have read bi carbon curious.

Ah forget it! I been at the bar all day… Badoomtish!

Had my first ride today on my new carbon bars, and thought I’d report back on the experience for any others thinking of getting them for numbness reduction.

Picked one of my longer, faster, hand numbing trails to test them on – a 43km rail trail with mixture of hardpack and old railway ballast which is always guaranteed to bring on hand numbness within about 20 mins.

The new carbon bars didn’t feel any different at all to the old ally ones, so I was beginning to wonder if I’d wasted my money 🙁 but then as the ride wore on into it’s second hour I realised I hadn’t experienced any numbness – result 😀

For the doubters – everything else was the same – tyre pressures, suspension settings, grips, sweep/angle/rise of bars, although the new ones are 710mm versus 690mm. I didn’t feel any extra flex, but they must have been absorbing the worst of the vibrations for my hands not to go numb.

So, I’m chuffed, and wish I’d made the switch years ago 😀

I know Ergon grips are primarily for endurance riders, but take a look at the cork grips – they offer a huge support area for the palm and fitted at the correct angle will stop wrist issues too. I use them on every ride (inc Banff to Mexico) except when I go to Morzine for a week and need to hang on tight over the breaking-bumps!

Hi Robcolliver – yep already use Ergon Grips but rubber not cork. GP1 on trail bike, GS1 on XC bike, and GP2 on commuter. Find they reduced the numbness but didn’t eliminate it. Combination of Ergon grips and carbon bars hopefully has now done the trick!

I’d be surprised if it was the bar material that helped you. The new hand position (slightly wider/ different sweep) may have helped or it could all be a placebo 😉

You could sit a little more upright to take the weight off your hands but changing hand positions frequently on the bar cracks any problems for me.

Ive got Havoc carbons. Doubt they soak up any buzz at all. Super stiff you see…..

Don’t honestly care if it’s placebo effect, the 10mm difference in width (every other geometry on the new bars identical) or anything else – so long as the numbness has gone away I’m happy 😆

Has anyone on here tried those Spank vibrocore bars filled with foam to reduce buzz going down bumpy trails which are supposed to reduce arm pump? Do they work as advertised (or close enough)?

Carbon bars are the only carbon components I own, yet I have 3 of them, one on each bike. Can’t really say for sure if they have damping properties as its so long since I rode an aluminum bar I cant remember what they feel like. But there must be some reason I made the switch 🙂 …and I have a deep ingrained desire never to use anything else again.

Oh and I own neither a torque wrench or carbon assembly paste

Spank vibrocore bars

Just looked into these- out of stock everywhere!

I found bar height and width made a massive difference for me, have you tried playing with that before splashing out on some carbon?

I was running low rise carbon havens on my Cotic Soul but was getting sore hands after long descents, they were my first experience with wider bars. Swapped to some narrower, hi rise ec70’s, made a world of difference! I have fairly narrow shoulders and when riding the forks it felt like the force wasnt being directed up my arms. I’ve put them on my Enduro with its much shorter reach and coils has a completely different riding style/position and they feel fine…

Tbh i dont see that carbon bars would make that huge a difference on a plush trail/enduro bike, for rigids or hardtails if you like to run your forks stiff then a good quality carbon bar will be noticeably more compliant though.

I’ve just picked up a 2015 Easton Haven 740mm carbon bars from 18-bikes (cheaper than others).

Yep Haven have gone from 711 to 740mm 😀