Aren't Carbon Handlebars Great?

Discussion in 'HandleBars' started by Daddy Dirtbag, Jul 25, 2016.


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  1. Danmtchl

    Danmtchl iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Bakersfield
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    2020 Trek Fuel EX 9.7
    Waiting for their drivetrain and brakes to come out also.
     
  2. sir crashalot

    sir crashalot iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    laguna beach
    Name:
    gary fishman
    Current Bike:
    2018 banshee rune
    My bad, just saw on pinkbike answer's 2017 bars. Look sweet, gonna wait for those
     
    Danmtchl likes this.
  3. singlespeedrider

    singlespeedrider Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Phoenix AZ
    Name:
    Mark
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC advanced single soee
    Just ordered some Forte Clutch carbon flat bars. I was a little hesitant to buy performance house brand but they are a big company and I'm sure outsource to the right people. 780 wide 9 degrees of sweep and flat for $69.99.
     
    Danmtchl, DangerDirtyD and Faust29 like this.
  4. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Hmmm... If they don't let go on Motorway, maybe I'll order the same! :whistling:
     
    Danmtchl, bvader and mtnbikej like this.
  5. Derek13

    Derek13 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Costa Mesa
    Name:
    Derek Smith
    Current Bike:
    SC Hightower
    Quoting a thread from couple years ago guys. @Faust29 what did you end up finding as your preferred bar? I'm now on a mission to find a more comfortable option. Thanks for bringing back the discussion to help a brother out.
     
  6. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    These are what I put on my Hightower when I bought it:

    https://www.jensonusa.com/Race-Face-Sixc-DH-Handlebar

    Really happy with how compliant they are...especially compared to the Answer Pro Taper Carbon DH bars from 5 years ago that I have on the SS, that don't give at all.

    Are you currently running the alloy bar?
     
    DangerDirtyD, Danmtchl, mike and 2 others like this.
  7. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    I think 35mm diameter options are to be avoided if compliance is the goal.

    I ran that 31.8mm version of SixC Jason linked for a long time with great results. Now the Weaz is taking her turn with it.
     
  8. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    I can confidently state, from a short span of experience, that 35.0 clamp CF bars can be as compliant as 31.8 clamp CF bars. In fact, the Race Face Next bars (35.0) on my Fuel might even be more compliant than the Easton Haven (31.8) bars on another bike in my quiver and certainly more so than the Easton Havoc bars on yet another bike.
     
    Danmtchl, mike, Faust29 and 2 others like this.
  9. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I have Santa Cruz bars on the Chameleon- 35mm clamp and 800mm wide. On the Hightower, I have the RaceFace SixC with the 35mm clamp- also 800mm wide. I really can't tell the difference and like them both... But I was also coming off aluminum flat bars on a single speed, and any carbon feels better...

    I also have some Performance 800mm flat bars (31.8 clamp) that I ran on the aluminum Highball before it bit the dust. Cheap carbon, very compliant, and strong enough to wedge themselves in the ground on one end and my leg on the other... The carbon held strong. My leg ended up with a 4 inch scar... :D
     
  10. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    Currently use S-Works DH riser and XC flat bars on my bikes. 760mm/31.8
    I have had good results using Easton, RaceFace, and Answer bars.
    Would not go back to Al bars.
     
  11. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Bingo! :thumbsup:
     
    Danmtchl, Faust29 and Derek13 like this.
  12. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    I have some Race Face Next 35 bars in 760 length. They're great so far. I tossed the ones that I had when I crashed in October. They looked fine, but in my mind they're a bit of a consumable item.
     
  13. Derek13

    Derek13 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Costa Mesa
    Name:
    Derek Smith
    Current Bike:
    SC Hightower
    I am on the stock aluminum raceface. I want less rear sweep then 10* that they have. Also interested in carbon for what I’ve read might help with feel. Thanks
     
  14. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower

    Those bars are R I G I D ! ! ! !

    Like I said, I have the SixC 35mm with 10mm rise....with very little sweep on them. They feel nice.

    Suz has the Santa Cruz Carbon bars (780) flat on her Tallboy...she likes them.

    Stay away from Enve is you want compliant bars.....at least their DH bars. I generally don't have hand/wrist issues, even on all day rides. I rode a friend's Yeti SB6 with Enve Minaar DH bars on it.....after 20 mins, my hands were killing me.

    For the most part, any carbon bar is gonna have a better feel than an Al bar.
     
  15. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    The stock RaceFace bars are boat anchors. I couldn't believe how much weight I saved going with the carbon.
     
    mike, Derek13, Cyclotourist and 2 others like this.
  16. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    It's shocking the improvement in ride quality you will experience with CF bars. One of the best improvements/investments you can make in a bike and relatively inexpensive.
     
    mike, Derek13, Cyclotourist and 2 others like this.
  17. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Oh come on, it's about 100 grams max savings. Not Earth shaking. :rolleyes::D
     
  18. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    When I swapped the stem and bars, it was closer to 250 grams. I felt the earth move!
     
  19. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    That's impossible.

    Alloy bars do not weight 450-500 grams. :rolleyes::D
     
  20. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Quite possible... 150 grams for the bars alone, and another 100, because the stock race face stem that came on the Chameleon is also a boat anchor.
     
    DangerDirtyD, mike, mtnbikej and 3 others like this.
  21. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Oh, I though we were talking about handlebars? :Roflmao
     
  22. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    Same here. I had to reduce the travel in my fork and lower my stem by 2 spacers the front end was so light!
     
    mike, mtnbikej, Cyclotourist and 2 others like this.
  23. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    :Roflmao:Roflmao:Roflmao


    Next week is the anniversary of Ed's Death March in the mountains.
     
    DangerDirtyD, mike, UPSed and 3 others like this.
  24. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    I'm surprised you didn't consider hanging strong magnets in front to hold the front wheel down to the Earth. :rolleyes::D
     
    Stkx66, mike, Faust29 and 3 others like this.
  25. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    I can't remember the last set of aluminum bars I had. 1999? That includes DH bikes from 2009-2017.
     
    mike, Faust29, mtnbikej and 3 others like this.
  26. Danmtchl

    Danmtchl iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Bakersfield
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    2020 Trek Fuel EX 9.7
    mike, Faust29, mtnbikej and 1 other person like this.
  27. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    Already? And surprise! I'm on vacation again!
     
    Danmtchl, mike, Cyclotourist and 3 others like this.
  28. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Oh? I have a few days of bachelorhood coming up.
     
    Danmtchl, mike, UPSed and 1 other person like this.
  29. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Not wholly surprising, as the Haven stuff is known for rigidity compared to RF/SixC. Seems like Easton has gone too far toward CF stiffness and away from compliance for some riders?

    31.8 SixC is a sweet setup for big days. Could use more backsweep IMO. But add a grip like Ergon GP2, and you have a comfy, moto-style bar that you can ride for days by varying hand positions. I hit the wall faster from endless suboptimal wrist position than vibration, but both contribute to fatigue for me. I think the right CF hoops can also cancel some vibration that gets to your hands.
     
  30. Stkx66

    Stkx66 iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Southern California
    Name:
    Steve
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower 27+/ 29r
    I'm rolling with Enve M6 on my Hightower and M9 on my Lynskey. I'm perfectly happy with them. When building my Lynskey ( Lynskey, Cane Creek suspension ) I was trying to support American manufacturing. I've since learned that my last summer purchase of Enve M9 Handlebars were sourced from over seas. So there's that.
     


As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?