Had a first yesterday...
04-09-21, 10:46 AM
#1
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Had a first yesterday...
Got home for work yesterday and wanted to get a quick ride in. Hopped on the trusty Litespeed and sped off. Got about 3 miles in, 3/4 of the way up my favorite hill and was cranking away, trying to beat my best time on Strava, and i felt a snap in my right hand, at the bar. I was in the drops at the time standing up grinding, ,making horrible faces and even more horrible noises. Anyway, got to the top and was about to cruise down the 1.6 miles descent and the handlebar felt weird and was making a clicking noise. I pulled over and upon further investigation, i snapped my carbon fiber handlebar. It's just below the brake lever. Well, i turned around went home. Unwrapped the bar tape and it's not a clean break, it's still hanging on. Guess it's time to buy a new bar. This bike was bought used 2 years ago, and i love how it's set up. I will probably go back with aluminum bars, but i like the flat portion on the top of these.
Just never had a bar break before, but ive never had CF bars either.
Just never had a bar break before, but ive never had CF bars either.
04-09-21, 11:00 AM
#3
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It's a fair question, no, i have never layed this one down. It gets carefully stored in the garage, nothing around it.
04-09-21, 11:04 AM
#4
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And did you use a torque wrench to install the shifters, or did the shop do it?
btw, there are plenty of alloy bars with the flattened ergo tops. Shimano's PRO line has a couple, I think, and I'd bet that Ritchey makes them, too. Probably others as well.
btw, there are plenty of alloy bars with the flattened ergo tops. Shimano's PRO line has a couple, I think, and I'd bet that Ritchey makes them, too. Probably others as well.
04-09-21, 11:05 AM
#5
Advocatus Diaboli
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What brand/model bars? just curious.
Possible the shifter clamp was overtightened?
Possible the shifter clamp was overtightened?
04-09-21, 12:44 PM
#6
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Glad you are OK. The crack or snap below the brake lever clamp seems to be the most common failure mode of carbon fiber handlebars. At least this failure mode gives you enough time to safely stop the bike.
04-09-21, 12:50 PM
#7
Tiocfáidh ár Lá
Honestly that's why I swore of CF bars, seat posts and stems years ago.
04-09-21, 12:59 PM
#9
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04-09-21, 02:55 PM
#10
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04-09-21, 03:09 PM
#11
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I think CF's fine if you know it's history, and the only way to be sure is to buy new and buy reputable. The OP bought used, so all bets are off IMO, regardless of how careful the previous owner says he was. Years ago I bought a frameset (Ti frame, CF fork) used - it was fine, although I replaced the fork after ~10 years. If I had bought that frameset now, I would've factored in a replacement fork as a matter of course - new CF or not at all.
04-09-21, 08:24 PM
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My go to is the Zipp Service Course SL-70 Ergo probably the most comfortable drop bar I have used.
but Dimension, Nitto, Ritchey FSA, 3T and others make them.
04-11-21, 07:39 AM
#13
Senior Member
MVDP Did mention his bars that snapped at the drop had been in a previous crash as mentioned on cyclingtips.
