Carbon handlebars
#51
#52
Well my perception of super-cheap, totally unbranded components is one of complete lottery and it can be assumed that no signficant QC was involved in the process. The best you can hope for is that it was over-engineered to avoid any potential failure.
Genuine branded, high-end components on the other hand are far more likely to have been designed and manufactured to a high standard. Of course you pay for that assurance, but that's the whole point. Some of the more reputable Chinese brands (particularly some of the wheel brands) are reducing this additional cost of assured quality, but that's a different story.
Genuine branded, high-end components on the other hand are far more likely to have been designed and manufactured to a high standard. Of course you pay for that assurance, but that's the whole point. Some of the more reputable Chinese brands (particularly some of the wheel brands) are reducing this additional cost of assured quality, but that's a different story.
I've watched the manufacturer video from selle Italia on the work they put into it
AliExpress sells a number of knockoff "3d printed" saddles for as much as $70. The knockoffs don't have the r&d put into them and reportedly don't have the same variable compression and support in the right spots.
But on this sort of saddle to begin with the margin for comfort is really low because lots of high end bike gear is about shaving as much as is possible to reduce weight to the tenth gram or whatever.
Point is that lots of high end stuff is pseudoscience to begin with and knockoffs just don't have the same marketing speak.
#53
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#54
Banned
#55
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#56
If we stick to the subject of carbon bars, there is no pseudoscience in the materials, layup design and manufacture of reputable products. The problem is when cheap unknown knockoffs potentially skimp on all aspects of the engineering and quality control process. Then you just end up with a BSO (bar shaped object). This applies to alloy bars too, not just carbon.
#57
With a mighty wind
In my sample size of a dozen or so, I think Amazon/ebay batteries for tools and cameras are 100% as good any OEM battery I’ve ever had. I’ve never had a failure. Failure means that I need to go back to my charger and grab a different battery a few minutes earlier. It’s low consequence.
Years ago I worked construction with a rope access group. The dudes at one of the training facilities mentioned that they ran across some look-alike rope that had a core made of paper. It was likely some other wadded up fibrous material but had fractional integrity compared to the stuff we were using. That was fairly high consequence.
Bikes are somewhat in between. That’s the point I am trying to make. There is a place for knockoffs. I guess you have to figure out what that place is for you.
I’ll add a thought experiment. Let’s say you have a $4 carbon handlebar that fails on a group ride or even a race. You walk away with a couple scrapes. People in the wreck have thousands of dollars of damage. Some are in the hospital. Maybe someone has injuries that will mean they’ll never ride well again.
Now, how do you feel about the few dollars you saved on a handlebar made of cheese? How do the injured (and their lawyers) feel about you riding with them on such equipment?
Years ago I worked construction with a rope access group. The dudes at one of the training facilities mentioned that they ran across some look-alike rope that had a core made of paper. It was likely some other wadded up fibrous material but had fractional integrity compared to the stuff we were using. That was fairly high consequence.
Bikes are somewhat in between. That’s the point I am trying to make. There is a place for knockoffs. I guess you have to figure out what that place is for you.
I’ll add a thought experiment. Let’s say you have a $4 carbon handlebar that fails on a group ride or even a race. You walk away with a couple scrapes. People in the wreck have thousands of dollars of damage. Some are in the hospital. Maybe someone has injuries that will mean they’ll never ride well again.
Now, how do you feel about the few dollars you saved on a handlebar made of cheese? How do the injured (and their lawyers) feel about you riding with them on such equipment?
#58
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One example is the "3d printed saddle".
I've watched the manufacturer video from selle Italia on the work they put into it
AliExpress sells a number of knockoff "3d printed" saddles for as much as $70. The knockoffs don't have the r&d put into them and reportedly don't have the same variable compression and support in the right spots.
But on this sort of saddle to begin with the margin for comfort is really low because lots of high end bike gear is about shaving as much as is possible to reduce weight to the tenth gram or whatever.
Point is that lots of high end stuff is pseudoscience to begin with and knockoffs just don't have the same marketing speak.
I've watched the manufacturer video from selle Italia on the work they put into it
AliExpress sells a number of knockoff "3d printed" saddles for as much as $70. The knockoffs don't have the r&d put into them and reportedly don't have the same variable compression and support in the right spots.
But on this sort of saddle to begin with the margin for comfort is really low because lots of high end bike gear is about shaving as much as is possible to reduce weight to the tenth gram or whatever.
Point is that lots of high end stuff is pseudoscience to begin with and knockoffs just don't have the same marketing speak.
1. Do you know or assume that there are no structural differences between branded CF handlebar vs. knockoffs?
2. If #1 is not true, do you know or assume that any structural differences would make no difference in the mode or frequency of failures?
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#59
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Well my perception of super-cheap, totally unbranded components is one of complete lottery and it can be assumed that no significant QC was involved in the process....
Genuine branded, high-end components on the other hand are far more likely to have been designed and manufactured to a high standard..
Genuine branded, high-end components on the other hand are far more likely to have been designed and manufactured to a high standard..
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Sometimes one must apply common sense even if others object.
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Well, we could ask for evidence supporting these assertions. ie. That is that there is more or less QC done in a factory producing a name brand product, than the factory producing a non-name branded product. Or the evidence that higher end components (aka having a higher price tag) have a greater likelihood of being designed and manufactured to a higher standard. Of course we all want to believe this to be be true and therefore why we shell out more money for a brand sold at the local REI than on Alibaba, but where is the support for these conclusions?
They all have QC stickers on them, and there is close to zero quality.
The assploded handlebars in my pictures above show clear evidence of dry CF - very little resin, and crappy internal construction. They have a QC sticker on them.
Since they are essentially no name bars not backed by a US company - why would they care if they fail? They don't give a rats ass that I ended up mangled - and I have zero recourse to even get a replacement product - let alone any reimbursement if I chose to go that path (which I wouldn't, but plenty of people would). So a reputable brand, one that is trying to maintain a name for themselves in what is a small high end community - can't simply allow products that assplode to go out the door on a regular basis.
#62
Well, we could ask for evidence supporting these assertions. ie. That is that there is more or less QC done in a factory producing a name brand product, than the factory producing a non-name branded product. Or the evidence that higher end components (aka having a higher price tag) have a greater likelihood of being designed and manufactured to a higher standard. Of course we all want to believe this to be be true and therefore why we shell out more money for a brand sold at the local REI than on Alibaba, but where is the support for these conclusions?
This principle applies to most products. Sometimes the consequences of poor design and quality are benign and sometimes not. Unknown carbon bars are not something I would personally take a risk on.
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#63
Senior Member
I can give you a couple of reputable Chinese companies that sell direct to customers online. BTLOS makes excellent carbon rims and wheels. I now have 3 sets of carbon wheels with Bitex hubs that work great. I chose 25mm internal width, hookless with no spoke access holes, so no rim tape required. Yoeleo makes bike frames and integrated handlebars that are priced well and work well. I have two Yoeleo R12 frames that I bought vin 2022. Back then, my custom painted pearl white R12 cost $1215 with seat post and integrated bar/stem, delivered.
btlos.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=yoel...obile&ie=UTF-8
btlos.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=yoel...obile&ie=UTF-8
#64
Senior Member
A name brand has a reputation to protect; one online photo of a broken component might cost them millions in lost sales, and they also have deep pockets in the event of lawsuits. A no-name online seller has no reputation and is largely shielded from litigation. From which company would you rather buy a critical component?
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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.
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.
Last edited by 13ollocks; 04-26-24 at 10:27 AM.
#66
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I can give you a couple of reputable Chinese companies that sell direct to customers online. BTLOS makes excellent carbon rims and wheels. I now have 3 sets of carbon wheels with Bitex hubs that work great. I chose 25mm internal width, hookless with no spoke access holes, so no rim tape required. Yoeleo makes bike frames and integrated handlebars that are priced well and work well. I have two Yoeleo R12 frames that I bought vin 2022. Back then, my custom painted pearl white R12 cost $1215 with seat post and integrated bar/stem, delivered.
That's not really evidence...rather, it's logic.
A name brand has a reputation to protect; one online photo of a broken component might cost them millions in lost sales, and they also have deep pockets in the event of lawsuits. A no-name online seller has no reputation and is largely shielded from litigation. From which company would you rather buy a critical component?
A name brand has a reputation to protect; one online photo of a broken component might cost them millions in lost sales, and they also have deep pockets in the event of lawsuits. A no-name online seller has no reputation and is largely shielded from litigation. From which company would you rather buy a critical component?
#67
Senior Member
A name brand has a reputation to protect; one online photo of a broken component might cost them millions in lost sales, and they also have deep pockets in the event of lawsuits. A no-name online seller has no reputation and is largely shielded from litigation. From which company would you rather buy a critical component?
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#68
I don't know whether this is just a cynical observation or you missed the point -- which is that such a company actually has something to protect (assets and reputation), and thus is more likely to do its due diligence before bringing a product to market. So, you're not buying the product in the hope of suing the company, but rather you're buying it precisely because of the lower likelihood of having a problem.
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#69
Banned
Just to complicate things a bit, remember that specific sharp impacts that would not harm alloy can damage carbon. Think of a kid knocking over a bike in a garage or a parked bike falling over onto a curb. And remember that damage to carbon does not have to be obvious. If you drop your bike, you have to decide how lucky you feel because you won't be able to determine if the bar is damaged. As I understand it, that's the primary reason to avoid used carbon of unknown provenance. Anyway, just another thing to consider.
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The only carbon on my bike is in the steel.
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#74
Update: cable snapped. Right at the metal retaining head.
This was definitely because of the cabling setup. I'll have to redo it.
My solution now is to simply use a Dremel rotary tool and drill out part of the arsis shifter so the cable routes more easily.
With this mod of the shifter, the cable hosing slides into the carbon bars easily.
This was definitely because of the cabling setup. I'll have to redo it.
My solution now is to simply use a Dremel rotary tool and drill out part of the arsis shifter so the cable routes more easily.
With this mod of the shifter, the cable hosing slides into the carbon bars easily.
#75
I think the Chinese manufacturers have every incentive to make safe products. While they may not be able to be sued, bad quality unsafe products will be publicized on the internet. And basic desire to make a good product. Etc.
Unless the major brands are also running these parts through an ultrasound machine, how would their qc be much better?
Unless the major brands are also running these parts through an ultrasound machine, how would their qc be much better?