Originally Posted by Badbird2000 (Post 22007573)

I just snapped my carbon fiber handlebars (see my other post). Never had to replace them before. Debating going with aluminum. I ride a Litespeed Tuscany in east Tennessee. I'm 5'-8", 160 lbs, not sure how i snapped these. I know it's not all that amazing power my 47 year old self is putting out. My old bars were flat on top, i liked that, it was comfortable. Any suggestions? Would like to stay around $200 or less.

Originally Posted by Kimmo (Post 22008384)

For mine, the 3T Aeronova shape has blown away everything else - best-shaped tops imaginable.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...506964b1a1.png
The price for these is crazy though, too rich for my blood. Happily, a Chinese mob called Toseek has ripped them off, and you can get those for something like 10% of the price.

Sure, lots of folks will baulk at sub-$50, sub-250g bars, but I figured I'd just try to destroy them by hand before installing, and they seemed like they're up to it. Now I've got em on three bikes, haven't died yet.

Originally Posted by Kimmo (Post 22009496)

They don't have a big reach...

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5baa150856.png

Originally Posted by Sy Reene (Post 22007812)

At this price, this seems like a really nice alloy option:

https://www.merlincycles.com/deda-su...ars-94403.html

Originally Posted by Dean V (Post 22009511)

Yes they do.

Originally Posted by Kimmo (Post 22008384)

For mine, the 3T Aeronova shape has blown away everything else - best-shaped tops imaginable.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...506964b1a1.png
The price for these is crazy though, too rich for my blood. Happily, a Chinese mob called Toseek has ripped them off, and you can get those for something like 10% of the price.

Sure, lots of folks will baulk at sub-$50, sub-250g bars, but I figured I'd just try to destroy them by hand before installing, and they seemed like they're up to it. Now I've got em on three bikes, haven't died yet.

Originally Posted by hubcyclist (Post 22011083)

I'm intrigued by those, but then you've got this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF5A...yfDz0Y&index=9

might try and give it a try regardless if the cost is fairly nonsignificant

Originally Posted by hubcyclist (Post 22011083)

I'm intrigued by those, but then you've got this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF5A...yfDz0Y&index=9

might try and give it a try regardless if the cost is fairly nonsignificant

Originally Posted by Kimmo (Post 20616483)

I bought a set of these Toseek Aeronova copies. At AU$40 delivered, I wasn't expecting much. Sure enough, the decals were a bit wonky, the wall thickness was all over the place, and worse, the angle of the last part of the drops differed when viewed from the side. But at the angle I wanted to mount them, that last part of the drops pointed up and was surplus to requirements... after cutting 38mm off one end and 40mm off the other, I couldn't see any more asymmetry no matter how hard I looked, so after some fettling they're fine on that score. The Aeronova shape is bloody awesome. Looks badass, and is super ergonomic. Weighed a hair over 220g after cutting.

But yeah, cheap carbon is a risk, so of course I tried to break them before fitting. And yeah, I heard a few fibres break, which at least indicates they don't test them. But perhaps it's not unusual for carbon parts to break a few fibres when first loaded, who knows? Any reputable brand would most likely test their carbon parts before you get them. Anyway, they flexed about as much as I'd expect given the (40cm) shape, weight, and price, no big deal. But initially I fit them to a Kalloy Uno (also cheap and light - 120mm @17°, 120g), and my front end was like overcooked pasta. So I splashed out on a Zipp stem weighing another 20g, and now it's al dente.

The internal routing would have been no biggie, except I was using Alligator i-link which made it an epic PITA. After a bit I upgraded to the far superior Jagwire Elite Link which was no problem. Although there's no room to cross the cables inside the bar which would have made them sit a little better between the bars and frame.

All in all, I found them to be an excellent buy, given the truly paltry sum in question. I bought two more pairs for my other bikes. Same asymmetry, sketchy wall thickness, initial breaking of fibres, and iffy decal application (the next couple of pairs had more subtle decals which look a lot better), and the weight varied by 10-15g. Also the process of choosing where to cut off the dodgy bits was painstaking (if you cut the same amount off each end it won't be quite right), but hey, US$30, FFS.

By the way, the comment above about weight as a percentage of total isn't on the money, because you notice weight differently on different parts of the bike. For acceleration it's tyres and tubes then rims. For standing on the bike, it's the seat and then the other parts at the top of the bike. The bars count for that, but also because they're pivoting off the headset you notice it as well in low speed turns and trackstands, and just wheeling the bike around. Losing 100g off your bars is going to make a much more perceptive difference than losing 100g from your cranks.

Originally Posted by Kimmo (Post 22008384)

For mine, the 3T Aeronova shape has blown away everything else - best-shaped tops imaginable.

Originally Posted by ARPRINCE (Post 22018518)

I agree and reason why I bought one as well! LTD 40cm 199gm.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9c083d6b4d.png

Originally Posted by colnago62 (Post 22009516)

The problem with Merlin is that currently, they have a $25.00 flat fee shipping. They no longer have free shipping to the U.S.