Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Aluminum drop bars... And corrosion.

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Aluminum drop bars... And corrosion.

Old 05-26-20, 08:38 PM
  #1  
deux jambes
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
deux jambes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 1,340
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 535 Post(s)
Liked 344 Times in 196 Posts
Aluminum drop bars... And corrosion.

Am I being a Nervous Nancy for leaning towards the idea that these bars should be retired to the shelf?






Last edited by deux jambes; 05-26-20 at 08:42 PM.
deux jambes is offline  
Old 05-26-20, 08:41 PM
  #2  
DrIsotope
Non omnino gravis
 
DrIsotope's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SoCal, USA!
Posts: 8,553

Bikes: Nekobasu, Pandicorn, Lakitu

Mentioned: 119 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4905 Post(s)
Liked 1,731 Times in 958 Posts
The pitting may well be superficial, but at the same time... yikes! Me, personally using those bars?

__________________
DrIsotope is offline  
Likes For DrIsotope:
Old 05-26-20, 10:10 PM
  #3  
deux jambes
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
deux jambes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 1,340
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 535 Post(s)
Liked 344 Times in 196 Posts
Yea. Screw it. I still have a few teeth left, and I’d like to keep ‘em. So...

Reducing the avoidable, unfortunate accident risk factor!

Just pulled the trigger on a nice looking set of 3ttt Competizione TDF bars. They’ll provide a more comfortable bend, they’ll actually match the stem, AND...

I won’t have to second guess them while riding!

Last edited by deux jambes; 05-27-20 at 12:41 AM.
deux jambes is offline  
Likes For deux jambes:
Old 05-26-20, 11:50 PM
  #4  
Chombi1 
Senior Member
 
Chombi1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,457
Mentioned: 102 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1629 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 814 Times in 527 Posts
Haven't seen pitting that bad and deep on an aluminum drop bar.
Was the bike maybe owned by a triathlete that had to swim in ocean water before the bike stage?
Not sure but the deep pitting might develop into cracks.
Bars in much better used condition are pretty cheap and live teeth are not replaceable....... I suggest you replace it as soon as you can...
__________________
72 Line Seeker
83 Davidson Signature
84 Peugeot PSV
84 Peugeot PY10FC
84 Gitane Tour de France.
85 Vitus Plus Carbone 7
86 ALAN Record Carbonio
86 Medici Aerodynamic (Project)
88 Pinarello Montello
89 Bottecchia Professional Chorus SL
95 Trek 5500 OCLV (Project)
Chombi1 is offline  
Likes For Chombi1:
Old 05-27-20, 12:17 AM
  #5  
deux jambes
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
deux jambes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 1,340
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 535 Post(s)
Liked 344 Times in 196 Posts
Originally Posted by Chombi1
Was the bike maybe owned by a triathlete that had to swim in ocean water before the bike stage? .......I suggest you replace it as soon as you can...
Indeed. Someone definitely rode the hell of these bars. And they sweat an ocean worth of perspiration while doing so.

After posting, I had that thought, “If you have to ask, then you already know.” Took a trip on over to eBay and purchased a good set of bars.

Last edited by deux jambes; 05-27-20 at 12:42 AM.
deux jambes is offline  
Likes For deux jambes:
Old 05-27-20, 01:01 AM
  #6  
verktyg 
verktyg
 
verktyg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 4,035

Bikes: Current favorites: 1988 Peugeot Birraritz, 1984 Gitane Super Corsa, 1980s DeRosa, 1981 Bianchi Campione Del Mondo, 1992 Paramount OS, 1988 Colnago Technos, 1985 RalieghUSA SBDU Team Pro

Mentioned: 207 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1036 Post(s)
Liked 1,236 Times in 653 Posts
Unsafe at any speed!

Aluminum and materials like CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) and even titanium to a lesser degree are susceptible to catastrophic failure caused by minor surface damage like nicks and scratches.

This is especially so since many the products made from those materials employ cutting edge design technology utilizing material properties such as weight reduction.

deux jambes Those bars appear to have been exposed to a corrosive atmosphere such as salt air or have may even been submerged. Also it appears that there could be some surface delamination caused by flaws in the aluminum billet that the tubing was drawn from.

In any case, the aluminum alloys used in a lot of the low cost bars BITD, especially during the bike boom era were low strength. They started to sag or droop after a few years of hard riding ending up in unexpected catastrophic failure!

Bars like these should be IMMEDIATELY replaced and preferably cut in half so that no one can try to reuse them!




verktyg
__________________
Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....

Chas. ;-)

verktyg is offline  
Likes For verktyg:
Old 05-27-20, 04:26 AM
  #7  
martl
Strong Walker
 
martl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Munich, Germany
Posts: 1,316

Bikes: too many

Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 332 Post(s)
Liked 481 Times in 252 Posts
Originally Posted by Chombi1
Haven't seen pitting that bad and deep on an aluminum drop bar.
Humm...




as they say, if your sweat is dripping on the handlebars, you're riding too slow
martl is offline  
Likes For martl:
Old 05-27-20, 06:55 AM
  #8  
RobbieTunes
Banned.
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 27,297
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 378 Post(s)
Liked 1,407 Times in 908 Posts
Originally Posted by martl
Humm...




as they say, if your sweat is dripping on the handlebars, you're riding too slow
I’ve unwrapped many like that and tossed ‘em by instinct.
RobbieTunes is offline  
Old 05-27-20, 07:48 AM
  #9  
jdawginsc 
Edumacator
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Goose Creek, SC
Posts: 7,427

Bikes: '87 Crestdale, '87 Basso Gap, '92 Rossin Performance EL-OS, 1990 VanTuyl, 1980s Losa, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 1987 PX10, etc...

Mentioned: 56 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2385 Post(s)
Liked 2,930 Times in 1,861 Posts
Cut them into small fun shapes and make a wind-chime with a faulty chain-ring/freewheel and a piece of broken frame!

THat would be an interesting handlebar to use with a Viscount fork and a Modolo stem!
__________________
1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super












jdawginsc is offline  
Likes For jdawginsc:
Old 05-27-20, 08:39 AM
  #10  
martl
Strong Walker
 
martl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Munich, Germany
Posts: 1,316

Bikes: too many

Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 332 Post(s)
Liked 481 Times in 252 Posts
Originally Posted by RobbieTunes
I’ve unwrapped many like that and tossed ‘em by instinct.
Definitely. I wonder if this is a pehenomenon that got amplified because we don't use breatheactive(tm) cotton tape any more, but recycled plastic waste (25$/2 rolls)..?!
martl is offline  
Old 05-27-20, 10:58 AM
  #11  
deux jambes
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
deux jambes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 1,340
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 535 Post(s)
Liked 344 Times in 196 Posts
Originally Posted by jdawginsc
Cut them into small fun shapes and make a wind-chime with a faulty chain-ring/freewheel and a piece of broken frame!
I like the way you think!


deux jambes is offline  
Old 05-27-20, 12:09 PM
  #12  
Dave Mayer
Senior Member
 
Dave Mayer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,489
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1357 Post(s)
Liked 463 Times in 273 Posts
A hacksaw and the cut-up shards buried deep in the garbage. That is the correct plan.

I volunteer at a high-volume bike Co-op. Please do not donate your crashed or corroded bars to your Co-op. In fact, I would just cut them up and discard them at home, because even if we chuck them into metal recycling, there is a good chance someone will pull them out for use, or flip them on Craigslist.

Personally, after surviving bars broken during a ride, on my personal bikes I no longer install second-hand bars, no matter how they look or feel. Only brand new bars right out of the wrapper.

And, I do not trust carbon bars of questionable origin, such as through Ebay, Craigslist, AliExpress, etc. Only bars right from a brand name sourced through official channels, so I can trace the pedigree of the product from factory to wholesaler. Lots and lots of fakes out there, even being sold retail.
Dave Mayer is offline  
Likes For Dave Mayer:
Old 05-27-20, 01:30 PM
  #13  
jdawginsc 
Edumacator
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Goose Creek, SC
Posts: 7,427

Bikes: '87 Crestdale, '87 Basso Gap, '92 Rossin Performance EL-OS, 1990 VanTuyl, 1980s Losa, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 1987 PX10, etc...

Mentioned: 56 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2385 Post(s)
Liked 2,930 Times in 1,861 Posts
Originally Posted by deux jambes
I like the way you think!


That's actually a beautiful bar...it would make a good wall design as well...hmmm...
__________________
1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super












jdawginsc is offline  
Old 05-27-20, 08:19 PM
  #14  
Nemosengineer 
Senior Member
 
Nemosengineer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Murrieta Ca.
Posts: 537

Bikes: Teledyne Titan, Bob Jackson Audax Club, Bob Jackson World Tour, AlAn Record Ergal, 3Rensho Katana.

Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 215 Post(s)
Liked 623 Times in 245 Posts
Originally Posted by deux jambes
I like the way you think!


Save the panto center section, stick a cork in each end and use it as a spare small hardware/parts tube in your tool kit.
(That's a nice Millers Falls hacksaw by the way)

: Mike
__________________
Booyah Hubba-Hubba!!!

Last edited by Nemosengineer; 05-27-20 at 08:22 PM.
Nemosengineer is offline  
Likes For Nemosengineer:
Old 05-27-20, 11:57 PM
  #15  
martl
Strong Walker
 
martl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Munich, Germany
Posts: 1,316

Bikes: too many

Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 332 Post(s)
Liked 481 Times in 252 Posts
Speaking of... I have a bike (2, in fact) that have these beautiful leather stitched Almarc handlebars. Now I wonder what the Cinelli bars underneath may look like
martl is offline  
Old 05-28-20, 12:45 AM
  #16  
canklecat
Me duelen las nalgas
 
canklecat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,522

Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel

Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4559 Post(s)
Liked 2,798 Times in 1,798 Posts
Yeah, that's a donor for a Texas or Midwestern wind chime. We don't need any alerts until it's over 30 mph. Up to that point it's just a normal day. But if I heard a drop bar wind chime clanging out in the garden I'd know to roll over and go back to sleep. No bike sailing today.
canklecat is offline  
Old 05-28-20, 03:57 AM
  #17  
oldlugs
Full Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NJ
Posts: 231

Bikes: Too many to list

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 64 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 14 Posts
Drill a hole in them and hang them up on the wall, they make good air hose holders, tire hangers, coat racks, etc.
oldlugs is offline  
Likes For oldlugs:
Old 05-28-20, 05:09 AM
  #18  
J.Higgins 
2-Wheeled Fool
 
J.Higgins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 2,486

Bikes: Surly Ogre, Brompton

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1385 Post(s)
Liked 677 Times in 457 Posts
Originally Posted by oldlugs
Drill a hole in them and hang them up on the wall, they make good air hose holders, tire hangers, coat racks, etc.
Or helmet rack? I like the hose rack idea. I got more hoses and extension cords! lol
J.Higgins is offline  
Old 05-28-20, 05:21 AM
  #19  
jdawginsc 
Edumacator
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Goose Creek, SC
Posts: 7,427

Bikes: '87 Crestdale, '87 Basso Gap, '92 Rossin Performance EL-OS, 1990 VanTuyl, 1980s Losa, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 1987 PX10, etc...

Mentioned: 56 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2385 Post(s)
Liked 2,930 Times in 1,861 Posts
They'd go nicely with my Bottecchia wall art!

Hang a bike on a pallet wall!
__________________
1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super












jdawginsc is offline  
Old 05-28-20, 05:24 AM
  #20  
guy1138
Senior member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 175
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 66 Post(s)
Liked 124 Times in 51 Posts
Originally Posted by oldlugs
Drill a hole in them and hang them up on the wall, they make good air hose holders, tire hangers, coat racks, etc.
they make good wall hanging bike racks if you throw them on the wall with old quill stems and some plumbing fittings screwed to the wall
guy1138 is offline  
Old 05-28-20, 06:33 AM
  #21  
oldlugs
Full Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NJ
Posts: 231

Bikes: Too many to list

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 64 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 14 Posts
My old garage had dozens of old steel bars screwed to the wall and rafters for hanging tires, rim hoops, hoses, rim strips, wheels, and the occasion bike. When i moved it took me two days to take down all the things I screwed to the walls and overhead floor joists. (Not to mention the 350 bikes and truck load of parts I had accumulated. These days I think I've got the bikes and parts narrowed down to maybe one big Uhaul load or two trips with my 24ft enclosed car trailer.
oldlugs is offline  
Old 05-28-20, 07:33 AM
  #22  
jdawginsc 
Edumacator
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Goose Creek, SC
Posts: 7,427

Bikes: '87 Crestdale, '87 Basso Gap, '92 Rossin Performance EL-OS, 1990 VanTuyl, 1980s Losa, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 1987 PX10, etc...

Mentioned: 56 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2385 Post(s)
Liked 2,930 Times in 1,861 Posts
Originally Posted by guy1138
they make good wall hanging bike racks if you throw them on the wall with old quill stems and some plumbing fittings screwed to the wall
Exactly! I am a big fan of pallets with iron pipe crafting!
__________________
1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super












jdawginsc is offline  
Old 05-28-20, 07:54 AM
  #23  
ExPatTyke
Full Member
 
ExPatTyke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, UK
Posts: 433

Bikes: Gitane Course, Paris Sport, Peugeot AO8, Peugeot Bretagne, Peugeot Premiere 85, Peugeot Premiere 86, Peugeot ANC Halfords Team Replica, Peugeot Festina Team Replica, Motobecane Grand Sport, Motobecane Super 15, Raleigh Pro Race, Raleigh Stratos, BSA

Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 117 Post(s)
Liked 427 Times in 90 Posts
Originally Posted by deux jambes
Indeed. Someone definitely rode the hell of these bars. And they sweat an ocean worth of perspiration while doing so.

After posting, I had that thought, “If you have to ask, then you already know.” Took a trip on over to eBay and purchased a good set of bars.
Absolutely the right decision deux jambes - I had a pair of bars fail a couple of years back. No warning for the break, and quite worrying when it happened.

I posted about it at the time - https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...ke-my-bar.html
ExPatTyke is offline  
Old 05-28-20, 08:05 AM
  #24  
AlmostTrick
Tortoise Wins by a Hare!
 
AlmostTrick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Looney Tunes, IL
Posts: 7,398

Bikes: Wabi Special FG, Raleigh Roper, Nashbar AL-1, Miyata One Hundred, '70 Schwinn Lemonator and More!!

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1549 Post(s)
Liked 941 Times in 504 Posts
AlmostTrick is offline  
Likes For AlmostTrick:
Old 05-28-20, 08:16 AM
  #25  
halb 
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: eastern CT
Posts: 46

Bikes: yes

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts
Speaking of cutting the bars in half, I once found an old French bike at the dump.
Started to tear it down, and found the two halves of the bars were simply clamped in the stem.
I had visions of someone having difficult threading the bars through the stem, and finding this "solution."
halb is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.