Aren't Carbon Handlebars Great?

Well, my answer to that is that some of them are, others are OK, and some I have tried recently just didn't impress me that much.

Niner RDO Flat Top Carbon: My favorite carbon handlebar that I have tried thus far (31.8 mm x 780 mm, 9° backsweep). Great shape, and feels really good on the trail, meaning the give and reduction in trail chatter make them feel really good to me.

Bontrager Rhythm Pro, OCLV Carbon: 31.8mm, 15mm rise. IIRC, it's a 750 mm wide bar with 8° backsweep. I generally prefer 9° or more backsweep, but I can easily live with this handlebar.

Race Face SixC DH: (31.8 mm x 785 mm, 8° backsweep, 19 mm rise) I really wanted to LOVE this handlebar, but I guess possibly the DH design might have something to do with the fact that this carbon bar just didn't have anything special about the ride quality like you would (or might) expect from a carbon handlebar. Probably strong as hell though.

What has everyone else found that they like, didn't like or found to be . . . . . "meh".

 

I still ride alloy (?) bars. I'm only 155 lbs. but I'm clumsy and beat the hell out of my components. I'm just too afraid I'll crack carbon bars and not notice 'til it's too late. Is that silly?

 

Syntace. Intentionally overbuilt, and warrantied for ten years.

https://www.syntace.com/index.cfm?pid=3&pk=3223

 

Specialized S-Works low rise carbon bars. Super light weight, just the right amount of give. Retired when the clear coat started flaking off at the bends!

Easton Monkey lite DH, not the lightest, but very tough. Retired with very deep scratches from several crashes.

 

I use the Bontrager Rhythm Pro that came stock on my 2013 Slash. It's a flat bar that feels great. My Easton EA50 aluminum bars on the backup bike feel good too. I can't tell any difference with the bars due to naïveté. The wheel psi and lever positions make a bigger difference to me.

 

Answer Pro Taper DH Carbon on both the Tallboy and the SS. Light enough, but DH strong. 780mm wide 25mm rise.

What's funny is they seem wide on my Tallboy, but narrow on the SS.

 

Carbon Salsa 23° Bend Bar is my fave – except it doesn't exist. Until then I'll use the alloy version. Great hand position for long hours and multiple days, including standing pedaling.

RF SixC on the trail/geared bike. No strong feelings about it. It hasn't broken...

 

protaper DH have always been my favorite bars (in aluminum). So comfortable, they dont have as much backsweep as most other brands. Unfortunately, it looks like theyre being discontinued, on answer's site they all say "while supplies last".
Rats

 

Good topic... I have zero experience with carbon, except on the road bike. A good set of bars will probably be my next upgrade, so keep the reviews coming!

I bought a set of aluminum Niner bars ($20)... Flat 800mm to see how wide I like. They were perfect when I was trying to pull myself up Skyline in Laguna trying to catch Strand. I like 'em, and might just go for the carbon version, unless this thread shows me otherwise.

 

Go for it.....it'll soften up the ride a little bit.

 

I currently have 720mm Race Face Next bars with 6mm rise on my HT and 800mm Enve DH bars with 23mm rise on my FS.

Had the RF bars on my FS at first and liked them but wanted wider with more rise. After switching my bike handled much better and my positioning was improved but that was more fit than anything. Where I really noticed the difference was replacing my stock aluminum bars on my HT with the RF carbon, the bike feels much better with the carbon bars.

 

I will also add that I ran Crank Bros. Cobalt 11 780mm/15mm Diane bars for 2 years on the SS. Very light bar....no issues. Liked the bend and sweep. I think my Pro Taper Carbon DH are almost 80 grams heavier.

 

I use Box 35 trail carbon bars, 760 wide 7 back and 15mm rise. have them about a year now and they are one the nicest bars I've had. I also use the Box stem.

 

running stockers on my nomad.

Santa Cruz Carbon Bar
800mm cut down to 780mm
20mm rise
9 degree sweep
35mm clamp

i wish they had some more rise to them. but, i am not going to drop a hundy on new bars just for that.

 

I love Answer's bars too, I've been using their 780 Protaper Carbon SL, 13mm rise bars in the Wet Red color to match the Manitou Mattoc. Its cool that it has a grit finish at the ends and where the stem clamps, so you dont need to muppet wrench parts to prevent slippage.

But before that and still on other bikes, I like the Alu Raceface Atlas bars, good bars usually around $60 and come in a color for everyone.

 

My first foray into carbon bars were Easton Haven's, 711's I believe. I remember thinking...wow, these are wide. That was probably 5 year ago, man have trends/beliefs changed. I had to retire them do to a big crash that marred them from a rock/boulder impact. Replaced them with some Answer Pro Taper 780 Carbon's and haven't looked back. I do remember when I put the Pro Tapers on originally they felt too wide and too stiff, but I'll be honest...I'm not that in tune nor picky. When it comes to equipment, I believe it's nearly all about the Indian (I hope this doesn't offend anyone), not the arrow. Oh and I do remember thinking the up sweep was a bit strange and had to rotate them a few times to get them in a comfortable position. I'm not sure that carbon bars are better than aluminum ( I run aluminum bars on my hard tail with no complaints), but when you run a carbon bike why not run carbon bars? I'm such a consumer...ugh!

 

Easton ec90 carbon on my SS. I was told I would not break them. So far I haven't. Spun it in the stem a couple times pulling hard up punchy climbs but only because I was too causious and didn't torque the stem bolts enough. Finally bought a 4nm specific wrench, solid now.

 

The right tools make all the difference, particularly with carbon.

 

Ran titech Carbon flat trackers, 700 wide with 11 degrees of back sweep and loved them for a long time. Discontinued but still have a set on my geared rig.

On the single speed I'm now running Tompson Carbon flat bars at I think 730 wide with like 8 degrees of back sweep. Great looking and riding bars but wish they had a little more back sweep.

 

I really enjoyed the carbon bar for the vibration dampening.
However, when I pulled everything off for a rebuild, I found scoring all over it.
I switched back to aluminum after that.

 

Hmmmm, the torque spec on my Syntace stem and bars is 8nm.

 

8nm is pretty impressive, the Answer Protapers is 6nm btw. The foot-bolts on forks is usually around 8nm too.

 

29r HT: Went from Easton EA70 685 bar to the Niner RDO 710mm to the Enve Sweep 740 (cut to 720). FS: Azonic Flow 20mm rise and 750mm. Thinking about getting the Enve riser in 760mm.

I could swear that going from the alu Easton to the RDO made my hands less sore...mainly between the knuckles.

 

3 -5nm on the Straightline AMP stem and 8.4 - 9.6nm on the RF Atlas. Torque specs are all over the map depending on brand and model. Some don't specify whether the recommended torque applies to aluminum or carbon or does it matter? Been digging the ec90 carbon bars. Rides well and light as hell.

 

The torque ratings are typically for the hardware. Either so you that bust the bolt...or strip the treads on the component the bolt is threaded into.

 

Anyone using Renthal's carbon bars?

Last two bikes had their aluminum Fatbar Lite and Fatbar, really like the ergonomics of their bars.

 

I thought long and hard before I went to carbon bars a couple years ago... wondering if I really want to put my life in the hands of some thin light plastic.... I went with some heavyish (for carbon) DH (Easton Havoc) bars 'cause I just wasn't full ready to trust the really light ones. Never had any problem thank goodness, and they seem to reduce some of the harshness compared to alum bars.

 

The backsweep on the Renthals Fatbar Lite and Fatbar does not agree with my wrists. I think it's around 5° or 6°.

 

Art's had a 25% off code. Bought an Enve riser for the Banshee. Carbon bars are even better when they are discounted.

 

3 Cheers for BOX