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Aluminum handlebar alloy importance?

Electric_City

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,994
716
I used the Funn Fatboy bar for over a decade (3 different bars) and loved them. There was a time that others may have snapped but this bar held up.

Anyway, I'm not sure that they make the Fatboy anymore, but I saw a Funn Full On on sale the other day. On Funn's website it seemed like this was a replacement for the Fatboy.

When I got it, it looks exactly like the Fatboy side-by-side, but seemed heavier than I thought the Fatboy was. The difference is that the Fatboy is 7050 T73 aluminum and the Full On is 6069 T6.

What's the difference?
 
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4130biker

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,884
449
Need some moar metal to be as strong. I was looking the other day. It’s too bad the full-on turned into their budget bar after it was the bar that Sam Hill dominated the WC on for a while in its previous incarnation.
 
HAB

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
Not that much. 7005 is about 2% stronger per weight than 6061. 7075 is a lot stronger than either.
 
lobsterCT

lobsterCT

Monkey
Jun 23, 2015
278
414
Here is some basic info on aluminum. I like 7000 series bars, but they oxidize pretty easily from sweat that works its way under the grips.


Alloy Comparison
Use the chart below to identify the best aluminum for your application. Circles indicate that a majority of a material’s shapes and sizes meet the applicable rating. Blank boxes indicate a poor rating or no rating. Yield strength is approximate and may vary by size and shape.






Temper
Temper indicates the processing done to aluminum alloys for strength and hardness.

Heat Treated (T)—Material has been heat treated for added strength, and it can be heat treated further. These tempers are useful for parts requiring machining, such as fittings and fasteners.

Heat Treated (O)—Material has been annealed for softness and bendability and is stress relieved. Use this aluminum for forming and bending applications that require a very malleable material.

Cold Worked (H)—Material has been cold worked or strain hardened for added strength and cannot be heat treated. Cold-worked aluminum is best for decorative structural components, chemical-processing equipment, and heat exchangers.
 
Gary

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,635
5,549
UK
Stupid 35mm stems on the newest bikes I have means so little choice I don't care anymore.
 
troy

troy

Turbo Monkey
Dec 3, 2008
1,008
742
Any good alu bars on the market right nao, that won't destroy my wallet (60-70 us green boiz)? ~800mm wide, 31.8mm mount. Hating Renthal Fatbar that I have on a curren bike too (insane wrist painz, super uncomfy). No, Kore Torsion OCD 7050-T6 are not available in here any more #sadface.
 
HAB

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
troy said:
Any good alu bars on the market right nao, that won't destroy my wallet (60-70 us green boiz)? ~800mm wide, 31.8mm mount. Hating Renthal Fatbar that I have on a curren bike too (insane wrist painz, super uncomfy). No, Kore Torsion OCD 7050-T6 are not available in here any more #sadface.
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I like the Thomson DH a lot, but might be hard to find in that price range. I think I got the two that I have for about $90. I've found that I like a bit lower sweep numbers, so the low rise Thomson (6 back, 4 up) is working great for me.
 
Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Some of the 6000 series bars can bend/break
I've seen failures on the Funn Full On, and also on Spank's cheaper bars.
I personally would never run a 6000 series handlebar but to each their own.

The protapers linked above are 7050 by the looks.

If you want a very good and reasonably priced 7075 bar, look at the Nukeproof lineup on CRC, Horizon or Warhead.
 
Flo33

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,065
1,304
Styria
troy said:
Any good alu bars on the market right nao, that won't destroy my wallet (60-70 us green boiz)? ~800mm wide, 31.8mm mount. Hating Renthal Fatbar that I have on a curren bike too (insane wrist painz, super uncomfy). No, Kore Torsion OCD 7050-T6 are not available in here any more #sadface.
Click to expand...
PRO Tharsis 9.8
 
toodles

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,502
4,752
Australia
I've seen 6000 series bars bend horribly from pretty minor spills - enough to make me actually google the manufacturers to check what butterloy they were using. I've had good luck with Nukeproofs on 3 or 4 bikes and they're cheap as. They also transform into a non-hideous all black option after a quick wipe with MEK or acetone.
 
troy

troy

Turbo Monkey
Dec 3, 2008
1,008
742
Sandro said:
How about these @troy? If you don't need a fancy brand, they look pretty decent.
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Yeah, I've bought that one after all. Wanted the Nukeproof Warhead, that @Udi posted, but they were available only with 38mm rise, which was too much for me. Also - it doesn't weight 250g, that's for sure (truvativ).
 
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Electric_City

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,994
716
So I was kinda wrong about the alloys used.

The Fatboy is 7050 t73...

The Full On is 6069 t6

I still don't know how they compare, but the weight of the Full on is definitely heavier.
 
Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
troy said:
Hating Renthal Fatbar that I have on a curren bike too (insane wrist painz, super uncomfy).
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I'm not a fan of Renthal either - do you think your pain is from a lack of sweep, particularly upsweep possibly? Those have very little from memory.

A friend had hand pain with new bars (minimal sweep), and switching back to a bar with a decent amount of sweep (Nukeproof actually) cured the problem. Shame they don't have many size options in stock anymore - it's because they're updating to a 35 clamp version soon.

I'm not super sensitive to bar geometry but given a choice I prefer more upsweep, sometimes I'll roll it forward to convert some of the back into up. I suspect it'd be hard to go wrong with an alloy bar from any big brand like RF / Easton / Answer which suits your geometry prefs.
 
Gary

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,635
5,549
UK
Hmm.. interesting
I have 3x Nukeproof, 2x Raceface, 1x Renthal, 1x Spank, 2x Funn Alu bars (All stems 40-50mm, bars 720-780) and get on fine with the difference in sweep between them all. No pain whatsoever. I am massively particular about bar height/rotation and stem length though.
All my bikes are relatively short reach but whenever I ride anything (not mine) with long reach I often do find some discomfort. IMO That extra reach (and straighter elbow position) accentuates any discomfort accredited with bar shape/sweep. Bit of a non issue for me as I don't find long reach bikes as much fun to ride anyway.
 
iRider

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,653
3,092
Udi said:
If you want a very good and reasonably priced 7075 bar, look at the Nukeproof lineup on CRC, Horizon or Warhead.
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Any idea how stiff the Horizon bar is? I am looking for an aluminum bar that is not too stiff but no noodle either. Syntace sadly offers the Vector High 35 only in carbon.
 
Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
iRider said:
Any idea how stiff the Horizon bar is? I am looking for an aluminum bar that is not too stiff but no noodle either. Syntace sadly offers the Vector High 35 only in carbon.
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From your description I think you'd like it - I found it had a little flex, but never enough to bother me. I ran them in the earlier 800mm guise so the 780 should be slightly stiffer. The 38mm version has generous rise too (I find it varies between brands) which is something I liked. The weighs are competitive (~290g at 780, ~300g at 800). The warhead if still available is 7075 instead of 7050 but both should be decent.

I've been on 35-clamp SIXC for the last 2 seasons and they are noticeably stiffer.
I prefer it (Fox 40 makes flex anywhere very evident) but I understand not everyone would, also carbon thus unrideable.
 
B

Bike078

Monkey
Jan 11, 2018
565
412
Anybody ever tried 2014 T6 handlebars? I still have my old Kore Torsion bars made from this material. They were quite cheap, around $20, when I bought them many years ago. Currently using fsa gravity light bars made of 6066 double butted aluminum.
 
toodles

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,502
4,752
Australia
Bike078 said:
Anybody ever tried 2014 T6 handlebars? I still have my old Kore Torsion bars made from this material. They were quite cheap, around $20, when I bought them many years ago. Currently using fsa gravity light bars made of 6066 double butted aluminum.
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To date the only handlebar I've snapped was a Kore Torsion bar, and it broke pulling up for a bunnyhop.
 
MmmBones

MmmBones

Monkey
May 8, 2011
272
84
Porkland, OR
Bike078 said:
Anybody ever tried 2014 T6 handlebars?
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I just put some Atomlab Pimplite 3" rise bars on my hardtail and they are made from 2014 T6 and they seem to be a little bit moar flexier than the FU40's I ran previously. Never broken a bar but I replace them every year or two.
 
B

Bike078

Monkey
Jan 11, 2018
565
412
MmmBones said:
I just put some Atomlab Pimplite 3" rise bars on my hardtail and they are made from 2014 T6 and they seem to be a little bit moar flexier than the FU40's I ran previously. Never broken a bar but I replace them every year or two.
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Thanks for the info. Mine should still be probably fine on my trail bike or as back up.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,063
5,974
borcester rhymes
Bike078 said:
Anybody ever tried 2014 T6 handlebars? I still have my old Kore Torsion bars made from this material. They were quite cheap, around $20, when I bought them many years ago. Currently using fsa gravity light bars made of 6066 double butted aluminum.
Click to expand...
I have some experience with these; I have a set on my current bike and I had a different set on a previous one. Both 800mm. They lasted me through several seasons on the older bike, eventually got passed to a friend who rode them for many seasons before breaking his bike they were on. The ones I have now don't see a lot of use, but I like them well enough. They are flexy, certainly moreso than a 7075 bar, and they aren't light. I feel that the flex gives them a little more resilience and a little more vibration damping for high speed nonsense.

Some time ago, one of the riders on here started a thread about them- he had wrecked hard but only bent the bars, not snapped them, and was pleased with the results. Not sure who that was, but since that day they have become the Official bars of Ridemonkey, as they are UV light resistant and retro-31.8mm compatible, plus 800mm wide so your friends don't worry about you.
 
B

Bike078

Monkey
Jan 11, 2018
565
412
Sandwich said:
I have some experience with these; I have a set on my current bike and I had a different set on a previous one. Both 800mm. They lasted me through several seasons on the older bike, eventually got passed to a friend who rode them for many seasons before breaking his bike they were on. The ones I have now don't see a lot of use, but I like them well enough. They are flexy, certainly moreso than a 7075 bar, and they aren't light. I feel that the flex gives them a little more resilience and a little more vibration damping for high speed nonsense.

Some time ago, one of the riders on here started a thread about them- he had wrecked hard but only bent the bars, not snapped them, and was pleased with the results. Not sure who that was, but since that day they have become the Official bars of Ridemonkey, as they are UV light resistant and retro-31.8mm compatible, plus 800mm wide so your friends don't worry about you.
Click to expand...
So that's the story. I also heard about someone bending a 2014 T6 kore torsion bar during a local dh race.
 
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