Currently running a 35mm dia set of carbon bars and just finding them too stiff. I get hand pain at the end of long descents. On our last Alps trip I even had to sit out half a day till my hands recovered.

So this year I’m thinking of going back to a set of alloy bars. But are they just as stiff as carbon (in general)? Would they give me a bit more flex to help with the hand pain. Or the alternative is to ditch the 35mm dia kit completely and go back to 31.8 – which I don’t have a problem with but would mean purchasing a new stem as well as bars.

Also in terms of which bars to pick I could do with some pointers. Renthal always seem popular but I’ve also read they can be quite stiff too.

I would recommend the spank vibrocore alloy bars. They are not noticeably less stiff, instead you just get less fatigue. Not snake-oil imo, it works.

I struggled with the alloy Raceface bars on my Aeris – not sure if the stiffness or the sweep etc. Thought I’d try a slightly wider bar with more up and backsweep and problems solved.

It’s a cheapie option – a Planet X Saloon riser bar. Added benefit is I had a crash last year and bent a crank and heavily scuffed the bar on one of the bits just where it rises. At the price to replace I felt happy to do that as a precaution. If I had a bar that had cost nearer £100 I’d have been reluctant to bin the old one.

Different brands and models will have differing levels of damping and stiffness, especially carbon where the exact layup makes a huge difference.

It’s likely not a result of 35mm or carbon specifically but of the particular bars you have. Unfortunately the only way to find one that suits is trial error which is an expensive hobby.

Daft question though, what bars are you running? What width?

@dangeourbrain Joystick Binary / 760 (https://ridejoystick.com/products/handlebars/binary-carbon)

I’d have to check the width but I’ve a pair of Haven alloy 35mm bars in the garage which I think are 750 or 760mm, you’re welcome to “borrow” them to try if we can get them to you.

I have always found in recent times, alloy bars are for the most part, are stiffer & a bit deader than carbons. There are the odd exception to that (Enve DH bars are brutally stiff). But then I have some Enve M6’s which are significantly ‘softer’ than the 35mm Joystick alloy ones I have (and the same carbons to be fair).

Depends on the bars not the material – my carbon Crank Bros ones are pretty flexy (not 35mm though).

What ambient temperature are these alloy bars finding themselves in? What grips? What tyre pressure?

These get good reviews (and I guess about the same price as a decent set of bars):

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/revolution-suspension-grips-review-2016.html

What ambient temperature are these alloy bars finding themselves in?

It’s not that, if it were it would be worse on the predominantly northern side of the bars.

There are a few new 35mm bars coming out that might be worth a look. Both OneUp and Deity are claiming to have properly looked into 35mm designs and modified according – OneUp are particularly interesting as they seem to be oval at the bends.

Don’t think the new Deitys are here yet, but the OneUps are definitely available.

I tried Joystick & Raceface and couldnt get on with them. For past year I have been using 35mm Renthal Carbon Lites (760mm) and no complaints at all.

howsyourdad1

What ambient temperature are these alloy bars finding themselves in? What grips? What tyre pressure?

.. do you have suspension forks? Are your arms relaxed? Do your wrists still have joints? 😆

Skillz course

is the correct answer

My Renthal carbon ones definitely give me less hand pain than the raceface carbon ones I had before themt, even tho I cant feel any difference in flex

It’s likely not a result of 35mm or carbon specifically but of the particular bars you have

^^ this

Have got a Burgtec RW Carbon Enduro and it’s fabulous. It still has that 35mm welded-to-the-steerer connection but it’s also supremely compliant unlike the Thomson Elite bar it replaced.

I too get hand pump on longer rough descents, currently running some Specialized bars but was looking at trying the PNW Range Bar the blurb has me sold and my dropper from them is really nice.

Unfortunately it does seem to be a preference per person thing, so will be all trial and error.

I have RF Turbine R35s but between the 3mm of rubbery grip, some gloves, my skin, 2.5″ of tyre and 140mm of fork I couldn’t tell you if they are flexing or not. I suspect not much.

I second the Spank Spike Vibrocores.

My RaceFace SixC are ridiculously stiff. I really need to replace them so watching this thread with interest. I did wonder if being 35mm was an issue and whether I should also look at a new stem to accept 31.8 too.

Do more pull ups and start hanging off edges on your fingers!

As a reasonably good rock climber I don’t really suffer much arm pump while riding DH, not even close to the pump that might be experienced on a route at least!

As a reasonably good rock climber I don’t really suffer much arm pump while riding DH, not even close to the pump that might be experienced on a route at least!

It’s not really the same though is it? Stiff bars =little vibration damping, more like white finger (so just as much if not more of a problem on “gravel” as any sort of mtb.) Arm pump on DH is more from multiple big hits and absorbing those is it not, at which point your bars aren’t really going to help, unless they’re like cooked spaghetti.

Hob Nob

(Enve DH bars are brutally stiff)

Hmm – I swapped out Renthals for Enves becasue I found the Enves less stiff and unconfortable.

Maybe has to do with differences in shape too, but I don’t suffer from hand blisters or anything like that these days, when I used to in the past.

Avoid Renthal Aluminium then! I have 35mm Fat Bar Lites fitted and they are uncomfortably stiff. Not sure if this is down to the 35mm clamp, or the material. I suspect it is the material. To my untechnical mind the 35mm clamp should improve steering accuracy, but have no bearing on how the stiff the bar is way out at the grip end. In reality the Renthals are just too stiff.

Stiff bars =little vibration damping,

That’s a negative Ghost Rider

It’s not really the same though is it?

Don’t know. As i said, I don’t seem to suffer where others usually do and i’d put it down to climbing.

Legs however… I certainly do some complaining there!

Tell me more about Vibrocore…

Stiff bars =little vibration damping

Maybe badly worded, maybe I’m wrong, maybe both but for clarity (and nothing beats being wrong about the same thing twice…)

By this I mean when people complain about bars being too stiff what’s generally meant is they’re poorly damped as opposed to they transfer too!much input from rider to stem/fork/wheel (and necessarily the opposite on bigger inputs from the wheel), I didn’t mean that all stiff bars are poorly damped.

Tell me more about Vibrocore…

It’s a foam filling, the bars melt like butter when dragged behind a car having slipped from a rack.

Do more pull ups and start hanging off edges on your fingers!

This has zero to do with the problem, I suffer with 35mm Raceface alloy bars.
I altered my tyre pressure and fork setup but still get shaken to bits.
I am a PT specialising in calisthenics so have spent a lot of time hanging off pullup bars and can confirm that grip has absolutely no bearing on the problem.
I also do a bit of brakeless street trials which usually means lots of death grip and drops with rigid forks and high tyre pressure and have never struggled.

“Avoid Renthal Aluminium then! I have 35mm Fat Bar Lites fitted and they are uncomfortably stiff. Not sure if this is down to the 35mm clamp, or the material. I suspect it is the material. To my untechnical mind the 35mm clamp should improve steering accuracy, but have no bearing on how the stiff the bar is way out at the grip end. In reality the Renthals are just too stiff.”

I was about to recommend these bars! I have the exact same on my Levo and they were on my Spitfire beforehand. Renthal claim they feel the same as their 31.8 bars (but are a little lighter).

I find they’re less stiff then the RaceFace bars I had before but are much more positive than the stock Specialized bars and stem which were too twisty once the trails dried out and the cornering forced increased.

I would recommend the spank vibrocore alloy bars. They are not noticeably less stiff, instead you just get less fatigue. Not snake-oil imo, it works.

I third this. Only bars I use nowadays and they really do make a difference.

I’ve order a Vibrocore bar to try. Ta.

Tyre pressures? Suspension set up? Stem saddle position? Position on the bike/technique? These all have way more impact on hand/arm pain/vibration than bar stiffness.

I don’t think pain in the hands is anything to do with bar stiffness. The force going through your hands may be causing the pain, but that’s the same regardless of bar stiffness. It’s the resultant force coming up the forks and down from your arms, which, for a given bike and ride, should be the same.

Whether some bars dampen the vibration better than others, and whether the vibration is causing the pain, is another question.

The force going through your hands may be causing the pain, but that’s the same regardless of bar stiffness

No it’s not, if the bar doesn’t flex the force is applied immediately. If the bar does flex (imagine something with comedy flex) then that force is still applied to the clamp, but over a longer timescale by the time it gets to the grips, therefore the hands don’t see the same forces. Apply this at mtb frequencies and it can make a difference (same principle as crumple zone in cars lengthening the acceleration time in a crash)