Originally Posted by
adlai
So I just installed some carbon handlebars.
Pros: light, there is some flex, slight aero with the tops, does not transmit heat/cool like metal. Internal routing for cables is the most unique feature.
Cons: flex could one day result in breakage, internal routed cables are at odd angles.
GCN did a comparison of a similar pair of handlebars - one Al, the other CF, same manufacturer (can't remember the specifics - TTT or similar), and tested at the manufacturers's facility on a rig that tested fatigue (100,000s low-weight flexes) and strength (increasingly large "hits" with heavier weights). N = 2, so take it for what it's worth, but the end result was that the CF had higher fatigue resistance (Al failed after several 100,000 flexes, they eventually gave up flexing the CF bar) but the Al could take bigger hits without failing. Based on that, I would value fatigue resistance over absolute strength - if my CF bar takes a big enough hit to break it, the chances are that I have more immediate concerns than "oh dear, I broke my handlebar...."
