Carbon Bars - do you use them - are they good?

slowmick

38-39"
I run Easton bars on bike and renthals on another.

Looking to get a second set of Renthal Fatbar Lite so that both bikes have the same width bars and they don't take getting used to each time I change bikes. when looking on line for them i came across what seemed like "cheap" carbon renthals and wondered.

What is good about carbon bars? are they worth the extra $60. they look pretty cool but do they have other advantages?

Any thoughts appreciated.
 

foxpuppet

Eats Squid
Strength, weight and damping are what I like about them. I have answer pro taper carbon. The front end of the bike felt instantly different and better after fitting them. Less chatter into the hands on rough sections and slightly faster response to steering with increased stiffness.... At least that's what it felt like to me.

Edit. A mate had a set of carbon bars on his bike and they were like noodles, really flexy, can't remember the brand but I'll double check with him and report back. Not all carbon bars are the same but the renthals your looking at would be the ducks nuts afaik!
 
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Knuckles

Lives under a bridge
Think about the warm feeling inside when you realise you're doing your bit for the environment by not letting that bit of carbon enter the atmosphere :grouphug:
 

ChopSticks

Banned
Looking to get a second set of Renthal Fatbar Lite so that both bikes have the same width bars and they don't take getting used to each time I change bikes. when looking on line for them i came across what seemed like "cheap" carbon renthals and wondered.

What is good about carbon bars? are they worth the extra $60. they look pretty cool but do they have other advantages?
Have you got a link? if its on ebay... and the item is posting from china/hongkong/asian in general.... I'd stay away.

I warned a mate about carbon bars (Bontrager something) on ebay... he didn't listen, bought them and on his 2nd ride, snapped them in half!
If however the bars are from wiggle/crc then buy with confidence! esp the carbon Renthals (Graves uses them?)

Advantages:
- weight (approx -100g+ going from alloy to carbon)
- stiffness
- dampening properties (never understood what people meant, but after riding carbon bars I can say the rider feels more... muted? (if that makes sense) the trail feels less chattery/vibrations)

Disadvantages:
- not as easy to cut (more effort)
- cost

I have absolutely no regrets spending the money I did on carbon bars ! whether you ride a carbon rig or alloy... I don't think I'll ever rid alloy bars again !
 

mitchy_

Llama calmer
carbon bars are a godsend, they remove chatter and buzz through your hands. it will feel like angels are pissing on your hands even after a day full of riding.
 

The Duckmeister

Has a juicy midrange
Vibration damping (it's NOT "dampening", they're not making stuff wet! :tsk:) is vastly superior to aluminium, even with suspension. Weight & stiffness are secondary considerations, especially stiffness. Some alloy bars, particularly top-spec stuff made from 7050 or 7075 alloy are damn stiff. And you'll feel every pebble.

Disadvantages:
- not as easy to cut (more effort)
Utter bunkum! Carbon is bloody easy to cut, as its abrasion resistance is significantly lower than aluminium. Maybe you're trying to cut yours with a butterknife.....
 

ChopSticks

Banned
Carbon is bloody easy to cut, as its abrasion resistance is significantly lower than aluminium. Maybe you're trying to cut yours with a butterknife.....
Yes... carbon is piss easy to cut with a hacksaw or dremel...
but not with a pipe cutter... which gives the perfect cut that is dead square on alloy bars
and yes DAMPING* (I blame auto correct)
 

steve24

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Vibration damping (it's NOT "dampening", they're not making stuff wet! :tsk:) is vastly superior to aluminium, even with suspension. Weight & stiffness are secondary considerations, especially stiffness. Some alloy bars, particularly top-spec stuff made from 7050 or 7075 alloy are damn stiff. And you'll feel every pebble.


Utter bunkum! Carbon is bloody easy to cut, as its abrasion resistance is significantly lower than aluminium. Maybe you're trying to cut yours with a butterknife.....
Yep, no drama to cut, get a new saw blade though, just don't breathe in the dust of carbon fibers.
 

mitchy_

Llama calmer
Yes... carbon is piss easy to cut with a hacksaw or dremel...
but not with a pipe cutter... which gives the perfect cut that is dead square on alloy bars
and yes DAMPING* (I blame auto correct)
For the same reason carbon is hard to cut with a cheese stick. Use the correct tool for the job.
 

angrybadger

Likes Dirt
I got the carbon Renthals from Wiggle. Decided I'd been working hard and I'd treat myself to something pointlessly blingy. However... after longer rides on my old alu bars - which were exactly the same dimensions - I used to get numb fingers in my right hand. Since using the carbon bars, no numbness at all. Maybe a bit too early to declare the problem fixed, but if it is, the extra $60 is an f'ing bargain. I didn't notice a dramatic difference in feel, just a subtle change which I'm liking so far. And they look cool.
 

No Skid Marks

Blue Mountain Bikes Brooklyn/Lahar/Kowa/PO1NT Raci
Vibration damping (it's NOT "dampening", they're not making stuff wet! :tsk:) is vastly superior to aluminium, even with suspension. Weight & stiffness are secondary considerations, especially stiffness. Some alloy bars, particularly top-spec stuff made from 7050 or 7075 alloy are damn stiff. And you'll feel every pebble.


Utter bunkum! Carbon is bloody easy to cut, as its abrasion resistance is significantly lower than aluminium. Maybe you're trying to cut yours with a butterknife.....
We're all in this together ;-)
With a bit of open mindedness and less conviction you could read into "Harder to cut" that carbon bars are more hassle to cut. and they are.
Straight cut ally bars with guide or pipe cutter then file in five minutes.
Carbon bars, tape up, set guide, use fancy blade, cut, get cancer, clean up best you can, hope the cut is clean otherwise bar plugs n grips are a hassle. That aint as easy IMO.
It's the internet. Be a bit more open minded as to what people might be trying to say.
Consider that weight may be someone else's main consideration, stiffness another blokes, DampENING might be yours.
To the Op, I'm running Reverse Components Carbon bars and they seem fine, I had a set of Syncros carbon bars snap on me years ago,so it's good to know these ones pass the Syntace test that is aparently one of the hardest. I'm yet to try them on a sub 150mm bike to see how much better overall damping they offer.
 
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creaky

XMAS Plumper
I'm yet to try them on a sub 150mm bike to see how much better overall damping they offer.
Carbons ain't carbons in that regard. Different ride qualities / weights can be achieved with carbon bars. On 100mm bikes the Syntace bars I have offer significantly more damping than the easton EC70 bars. The eastons are significantly lighter for the equivalent length.

I would hazard a guess that a cheap carbon bar, if it offered reasonable weight and stiffness, would be as harsh as a well designed alloy bar.
 

ChopSticks

Banned
With a bit of open mindedness and less conviction you could read into "Harder to cut" that carbon bars are more hassle to cut. and they are.
Straight cut ally bars with guide or pipe cutter then file in five minutes.
Carbon bars, tape up, set guide, use fancy blade, cut, get cancer, clean up best you can, hope the cut is clean otherwise bar plugs n grips are a hassle. That aint as easy IMO.
It's the internet. Be a bit more open minded as to what people might be trying to say.
Consider that weight may be someone else's main consideration, stiffness another blokes, DampENING might be yours.
Thanks NSM!
could not have said it better myself
I did say 'more effort' which referred to set up time, with taping, praying you don't delaminate the fibres (even with a New blade), carefully sanding the edges etc etc.... I'd take the perfect pipe cutter option anyday (just a shame I can't with carbon bars)


edit: If/when you cut carbon... Damp it with water/lube to keep the dust down
...... Ohhh shit I meant dampen* the carbon.........
 
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Ackland

chats d'élevage
If you use the taping method, dust is minimal..... use a proper carbon blade (highest tpi you can get your hands on - teeth per inch) and then carefully sand with fine paper!

The exposure to cutting one bar/steerer/post every now and then isn't going to kill you....just do it in a ventilated area and don't put your face in it.

It's the guys who work in a shop who have to do 2-3+ per day that have to worry about a face mask etc
 

teK--

Eats Squid
If you use the taping method, dust is minimal..... use a proper carbon blade (highest tpi you can get your hands on - teeth per inch) and then carefully sand with fine paper!

The exposure to cutting one bar/steerer/post every now and then isn't going to kill you....just do it in a ventilated area and don't put your face in it.

It's the guys who work in a shop who have to do 2-3+ per day that have to worry about a face mask etc
Agreed.

I used a 32TPI (I think that was the number) blade, taped the edges around the bar tight, and also sprayed some water on during the sawing to hold the dust together. It was a very clean cut and left only some black wet paste which was the dust.
 

slowmick

38-39"
thanks guys. seems like it is time to clear up some space on the credit card and buy the pretty/more comfortable ones.

Do you need to run friction paste on a set of bars or is that just for seat posts?
 

No Skid Marks

Blue Mountain Bikes Brooklyn/Lahar/Kowa/PO1NT Raci
Carbons ain't carbons in that regard. Different ride qualities / weights can be achieved with carbon bars. On 100mm bikes the Syntace bars I have offer significantly more damping than the easton EC70 bars. The eastons are significantly lighter for the equivalent length.

I would hazard a guess that a cheap carbon bar, if it offered reasonable weight and stiffness, would be as harsh as a well designed alloy bar.
True all that.
I think something overlooked is the use of riser bars, as well as gaining height(can be achieved other ways), the bends help offer some give. Obviously all bar/brand/model dependent, but flat but generally make your hands number I found. More so a possible benefit for manufacturers to use than fact, I guess you could say. Oversized bar/stem combo didn't help with the too stiff thing either. I think the main benefit/reason for the industry forcing us into oversized bars was the fact carbon bars were hitting the market and they benefit a lot more from oversize clamping area. But that's a whole other debate/can of worms/derailment.
 
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