Carbon Handlebar Paranoia

Evening all…..I have a carboncycles exotic carbon riser bar on my bike at the moment and every time I ride, I am paranoid about it snapping. I don’t ride that hard but at 167g and 750mm wide I just can’t get over the fact all the big brand manufacturers don’t achieve this weight on such a wide bar. It’s also not helping that carboncycles have no substantiated information on this bar and the type of design, testing and QC it goes through.

Am I doomed to ride in fear unless I purchase some easton havens or similar? Does anyone else get this with light weight carbon components from the lesser brands?

road bike in an aero tuck listening to [ looking at ] carbon forks creaking is the only time i think about carbon products on my bike

TBH if you are worried just replace them.

no substantiated information on this bar and the type of design, testing and QC it goes through

other than short video’s of stuff in test rigs does anyone publish all this about their bars?

If I didn’t trust a component it wouldn’t matter how much science gumpf they threw at me, I’d stop it using it…

I think if it’s bothering you that much change it.
I’ve gone carbon bar. But it’s an Easton havoc DH 800mm bar so hopefully it will stand up to my weak level of abuse.

other than short video’s of stuff in test rigs does anyone publish all this about their bars?

True, but then by the reputation and commitment of a brand such as easton along with regular product reviews, press releases, statements etc it builds confidence?

If renthal fat bar lites weren’t so gold, I would probably settle for them in alu.

carbon.cc have been going for years – if people were dying on a regular basis I’m sure we’d have heard about it…

carbon.cc have been going for years – if people were dying on a regular basis I’m sure we’d have heard about it…

I appreciate that, and this isn’t meant to be a criticism of them but there is nothing to go on for their carbon bars, bar some sparse forum posts. I bought the bars from their eBay listings after a recommendation.

I will hack them open at some stage out of curiosity. Its an odd looking layup under the resin as well which doesn’t seem to mirror any other manufacturer.

I’m a big fan of carbon bars, but that is scary light.

Can you feel it flexing?

The commonly referred to videos to reassure people about carbon*:

Carbon Bars https://youtu.be/OcSqTlkvkj0
Carbon Frame https://youtu.be/xreZdUBqpJs
Carbon Fork https://youtu.be/6QNRpSkTGoA

*but you did buy ‘cheap’ ones, certain death will follow soon…

Stick you knee on the stem, grab each end of the bars in your hands and pull as hard as you can. if they don’t snap, you’re probably ok!

Listen closely as you do this, for any cracking or snapping, or changes in how “springy” the bars feel.

(with CF parts, it’s poor layup that results in air inclusion and poor interlayer bonds that result in weak spots from which cracks grow. As such, a simple overload test will often show up any flaws immediately!)

I’m a big fan of carbon bars, but that is scary light.Can you feel it flexing?

Oh yes, they are pretty compliant and there is quite a bit of flex. Nice and easy on the wrists.

I’m a big fan of carbon and when done right it really is strong but the cheap strong light triangle keeps bothering me.

It’s taken the fun out my riding at this weight so will order some replacements tomorrow regardless…

I’m 115kg and run cheap (Knuckleball) and expensive (Havoc) bars. I’m 100% confident in them.

When I looked at Exotic carbon bars I thought they had a weight limit stated, which put me off.

I’ve run these bars for nearly two years now, been to the Alps twice, plenty of crashes, badly landed jumps and the rest. I’m not dead, nor are the bars.

I don’t think of them too much but when I do I actually rate them very highly. Don’t worry yourself sir.

Aluminium bars break too. 😉

havoc and sixc are both very good. I slightly prefer the sixc shape I think

Carbon bars are supposed to be comfy because of the vibration damping nature of the material, not because they flex.

Given the cost of manufacturing in the Far East, and the absence of any marketing budget, I’m not surprised they can make and supply carbon bars at a fraction of the the price of big brands.

That’s not to say that they ARE ok, because I have no idea really. I’m just stating that on price grounds alone I wouldn’t run scared.

P.S. I’ve only used Renthal or Easton carbon bars, and I am generally of the opinion that bars are probably the component I would least like to fail on me. For that reason (and only in the case of bars, not frames / wheels etc) I don’t mind paying a bit more for peace of mind, and I’m not sure I would put my faith into those bars.

recently had a big tumble and while I can’t see any damage on my carbon bars I’m not going to be using them again. New bars will be alu when I’ve recovered.

I would say forks and stem are more of a fear. At least if a bar breaks you still have one arm supporting you, still going to be messy and hurt though.

I ran the exotics on my codeine and the bars took every badly taken drop/line choice without any issue … Mine were the flat bars which I’m sure were around 150g mark !!

I would say forks and stem are more of a fear. At least if a bar breaks you still have one arm supporting you, still going to be messy and hurt though.

I have never seen a stem catastrophically fail, but I’ve had a bar fail on me which hurt a lot. This may have shaped my fears 🙂

Unsurprisingly if you think of the mechanics of this the other arm did very little to stop my fall. The bike just kinda “folded” / collapsed over to the opposite side.

I have had the Carboncycles carbon risers on my Anthem for a couple of years and more than a couple of thousand miles now… paired with on of their £14 stems. Great kit. I’ve not worried for a second, and as I recall they seemed very solid when I trimmed them down from 750 to 730.

I’m a big fan of carbon bars, but that is scary light.

Can you feel it flexing?

I have the 128g Mount Zoom ones, I’ve not adjusted my ham fisted riding style, and I race. They feel fine to me, and I don’t hold back. Just trust them OP.

I used to have that paranoia too, eventually went to Ti bars and feel far more confident now, seeing as the weight gain was just over 150g I didn’t gain a vast amount of pork too