Would you run this carbon bar?
- Thread starter Bubiz
- Start date
I don't run carbon bars cos I'm too cheap and I know I won't use a torque wrench everytime I pack and unpack my bike, buuut one positive of them is they don't corrode. I've seen several alloy bars that were so corroded under the grips they were properly structurally fucked. I don't know if its a reaction with a different metal, or if sweat gets in there and eats away at them but it happens. It might also be a brand specific thing, but I've seen it on Answer, Chromag, Renthal and Spank bars so who knows. Wish I had some pics of what I'm talking about, but I'm sure others here have seen it happen too.
I've definitely experienced the above alloy corrosion thing, maybe because I run my grips too long. It eats through the anodizing too, and I've also done it on Nukeproof, Reverse, Easton bars to add to the above so I don't think it's brand specific. I think replacing any material bar every few years is a good safety measure.
Anyway - yes this guy was going to run his bar regardless, but more importantly, he asked about a carbon bar, and if he replaces it it sounds like he intends on replacing it with - shock horror - another carbon bar.
So coming in here and posting "crabon bar = guaranteed deathz" isn't actually helping anyone.
The suncream / SPF jokes are still acceptable though.
Anyway - yes this guy was going to run his bar regardless, but more importantly, he asked about a carbon bar, and if he replaces it it sounds like he intends on replacing it with - shock horror - another carbon bar.
So coming in here and posting "crabon bar = guaranteed deathz" isn't actually helping anyone.
The suncream / SPF jokes are still acceptable though.
Udi: what part of handlebar do you not understand? My frame can crack in 20 places at once and I don't end up on my face with splinters in my arm.
Serious question: how many just cracked handlebars have you seen? Ones that fail while riding that wouldn't result in malliofaxial surgery? When bars go it's pretty thorough. You’re not stupid, you can grasp this.
Plus I will never give up an opportunity to post fart sniffing bunnies and say prpr terk!
Serious question: how many just cracked handlebars have you seen? Ones that fail while riding that wouldn't result in malliofaxial surgery? When bars go it's pretty thorough. You’re not stupid, you can grasp this.
Plus I will never give up an opportunity to post fart sniffing bunnies and say prpr terk!
@kidwoo: I've watched 5 of my riding buddies, at least 3 of them awesome riders (at least by my standards), put multiple lift DH seasons on various brand carbon bars. Two of them were brands I wouldn't run personally, and at least two of them in a state of visual beat I would have definitely retired them at. But the bars held up fine across the seasons and crashes, until the bikes were sold.
I decided if I was a little more careful I could try it relatively safely myself. That was 4 years ago, since then, I've run 3 different carbon bars across 4 frames. I used the same one for 2 chairlift seasons / 2 years on a DH bike (with a couple decent crashes), before retiring it, no problems. My first post in this thread was a summary of what I learned in case it was useful to someone else.
Often when they break it's not even because of torque issues, it's because of sharp edges on poorly designed clamps (like I said - SRAM guide/reverb clamps are notorious) creating a huge stress riser. I've seen those things even break alloy bars.
Yes I've seen broken carbon bars, as you say I'm not stupid, I consider myself at least semi-pro on google images.
There are plenty of ways to hurt yourself on a bike - if for you that's carbon bars then don't run them.
If average joe asks me which bar to get, I'll definitely say get an alloy one. I agree with you, it's safer.
If someone is already running a carbon bar (like this thread you posted in), then your posts are not contributing.
I decided if I was a little more careful I could try it relatively safely myself. That was 4 years ago, since then, I've run 3 different carbon bars across 4 frames. I used the same one for 2 chairlift seasons / 2 years on a DH bike (with a couple decent crashes), before retiring it, no problems. My first post in this thread was a summary of what I learned in case it was useful to someone else.
Often when they break it's not even because of torque issues, it's because of sharp edges on poorly designed clamps (like I said - SRAM guide/reverb clamps are notorious) creating a huge stress riser. I've seen those things even break alloy bars.
Yes I've seen broken carbon bars, as you say I'm not stupid, I consider myself at least semi-pro on google images.
There are plenty of ways to hurt yourself on a bike - if for you that's carbon bars then don't run them.
If average joe asks me which bar to get, I'll definitely say get an alloy one. I agree with you, it's safer.
If someone is already running a carbon bar (like this thread you posted in), then your posts are not contributing.
Agreed on all of that.
But when I'm talking to someone face to face, that's not hearsay (brother's fetus's cousins hampster's grandpa). When I asked him if it was under a clamp, the answer was no, on a bend. That particular conversation to this day constitutes the only person I know of who's broken a SixC bar not in a crash or under a clamp. Bends have nothing to do with prpr terk obviously. Given the crowd this guy was hanging out with, he's probably no hack. The knee jerk reaction that every time a carbon bar breaks, it's the user's fault, usually based on an assumption, is something I will continually make fun of (so heads up!)
Like I and others have said over and over again, carbon and its current state of integrity at any point is unfortunately kind of a mystery still. I have heard pops from the things on big impacts with zero signs of anything wrong. That's spooky. Yes even I have done dangerous things with carbon bars. Even the gross sweat corrosion on aluminum is at least something you can see at least. Just ain't worth 60g. It's like driving on a freeway without a seatbelt. Yeah statistically, you'll be fine. But the cost of failure moves the goal posts a little.
You and I both share a particular fear of easton and renthal plastic bars. That's for a reason.
Also:
prpr terk
But when I'm talking to someone face to face, that's not hearsay (brother's fetus's cousins hampster's grandpa). When I asked him if it was under a clamp, the answer was no, on a bend. That particular conversation to this day constitutes the only person I know of who's broken a SixC bar not in a crash or under a clamp. Bends have nothing to do with prpr terk obviously. Given the crowd this guy was hanging out with, he's probably no hack. The knee jerk reaction that every time a carbon bar breaks, it's the user's fault, usually based on an assumption, is something I will continually make fun of (so heads up!)
Like I and others have said over and over again, carbon and its current state of integrity at any point is unfortunately kind of a mystery still. I have heard pops from the things on big impacts with zero signs of anything wrong. That's spooky. Yes even I have done dangerous things with carbon bars. Even the gross sweat corrosion on aluminum is at least something you can see at least. Just ain't worth 60g. It's like driving on a freeway without a seatbelt. Yeah statistically, you'll be fine. But the cost of failure moves the goal posts a little.
You and I both share a particular fear of easton and renthal plastic bars. That's for a reason.
Also:
prpr terk
"To this day" says it all.
The SIXC bar has changed in design, clamp diameter, and most importantly weight/strength numerous times since its inception. There's actually at least 3 versions in the 35mm clamp size, it gained weight to go from 800mm to 820mm. If you run the 820mm at 800mm it's a stronger bar, but honestly I had zero problems with the 800 x 35 clamp 2nd gen either (same as current graphics). How do I know this stuff? I've personally owned 3 generations of them in 2 clamp sizes.
I'd say your particular scenario / claim is at the very least antiquated if not irrelevant, and it ignores the key point I made about installing it yourself, clamping everything yourself, and riding it yourself. Personally I take a lot of care when installing this kind of thing, to the point of re-chamfering all sharp edges including plastic ones in grips. I would trust zero people to install a carbon bar for me. Factory machined 45deg chamfers aren't good enough in my book as there's still a sharp edge. If you can't be bothered then don't do it (totally fair), I can, and it frees up weight to splurge on stuff that matters (tyres, suspension).
Like I said, I observed a number of hard use cases, and then decided to try it myself over a number of years to form my own experience which is the part I shared. You have done none of this and are clearly unaware that you are likely talking about a completely different bar to what you can purchase today.
Again - I agree with you - if you want to be safe then get an alloy bar (7050 or 7075).
As with any bike part though, carbon bars have evolved, as has the experience base to use them safely at the highest level. There was a time when you couldn't run a carbon frame or carbon cranks for hard use too, and your "bad injury" rant applies to sheared headtubes also. But look at us now, we both own at least one carbon frame, things are pretty fine.
Of course you'd say that. It's what you do. Especially since you don't even know when this happened, IE what iteration of bar it is. You know what we don't talk about generations or prpr terk with? Aluminum bars.
You were saying the same shit about at least the last the pre-revised version too. Wonder why they revised them?
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mommy and daddy are fighting again
See, I agree with that.
who’s gonna sleep on the couch?!?!
This is exactly what someone would say if the event happened forever ago, and they actually had no idea which iteration of bar it was.
Stick to what you know kidwoo:
26" wheels, slaying big jumps, and being eternally confused on whether you're a jock or a nerd.
New brakes?
And keep projecting shit on other people to make yourself feel smarter. Maybe one day you'll grow out of that weird insecurity of yours and be able to discuss something without all the other personal bullshit.This is exactly what someone would say if the event happened forever ago, and they actually had no idea which iteration of bar it was.
Stick to what you know kidwoo:
26" wheels, slaying big jumps, and being eternally confused on whether you're a jock or a nerd.
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y u no review it noa?!?!
Well, if it's not calibrated on some sort of schedule, it becomes a liability that might break your bike. Plenty of stories of people using torque wrenches to ruin bikes and parts because they "set the correct torque" and just went to town. It's not quite as simple as "use a torque wrench". Needs to be calibrated too.
If I didn’t have raceface cranks, I’d never need to get my torque wrench out these days.
I thought everyone ran brake levers on the loose side so they’d spin in a crash rather than braking.
I don’t run any carbon tho.
I thought everyone ran brake levers on the loose side so they’d spin in a crash rather than braking.
I don’t run any carbon tho.
Quality components are generally expensive, whether made out of carbon or steel.