joebrew

I've noticed in a few places that the entire Radio Shack team (that Lance fellow included) road with Bontrager RL aluminum alloy handlebars in the Tour Down Under.

https://www.theroaddiaries.com/?p=1602
https://tweetphoto.com/8916936

Bontrager/Trek (the bike sponsor of Radio Shack) also manufacture carbon bars which are supposedly lighter and stiffer. I'm assuming that cost isn't an issue at this level of the sport - so why the alloy bars?

X-LinkedRider

My ally Easton EA70 Ergo Wing bars feel like they were gong to float away with none of the levers and stuff on it. I can't imagine shaving off any weight at that already insanely light weight would make much of a difference. My best guess is that they liked the curves/contours of the Alloy bars. Plus they are STRONGER - Maybe it was terrain dependent?

Either that, or they don't care about winning and they are trying to sell a crapload of these bar/stem combos.

Namenda

The weight difference is minor, and aluminum bars are less likely to suffer catastrophic failure. Same with stems.

Dago

I always understood that most of the pros use aluminum bars. Stiffer, less prone to catastrophic failure and they don't really care about the (small) weight difference because their bike is gonna be at the weight limit anyway...

mzeffex 

Don't think so
Correct
incorrect - there's just better places to save weight.

botto 

fondness for teeth.

BillyD

I have to agree with the catastrophic failure hypothesis. I think sponsors and coaches have finally decided the small advantages of carbon are not worth the risk to these premier athletes.

I personally feel the same about stems, seat posts and cranks . . . carbon is unnecessarily hazardous in these areas.

WCroadie

A lot of the pro's use aluminum parts.

joebrew

So... if alloy is nearly as light, much stronger, and less prone to catastrophic teeth-loss, then why does ANYONE use carbon bars/stems?

Quel

Because carbon looks good. Plus you can get some shapes aluminum doesn't do.

JohnDThompson 

Fashion trumps all in the consumer market.

Metzinger

Carbon makes everything much more awesomer.

BillyD

Since you're apparently new here I'll assume you're not a troll and take a moment to elaborate.

There have been numerous wars . . . er, discussions around here regarding the relative merits of carbon vs metal frames and components. These discussions have an ugly history. Suffice it to say that currently we exist in a state of mutual coexistence . . . a bikeforums detente if you will. Carbon zealots insist on having there carbon while the detractors think it's madness.

We'll leave it at that. Let's not stir up any simmering coals.

thump55

+1, No overall weight advantage so strength trumps.

patentcad

Duh.

DieselDan

Aluminum doesn't splinter in a crash. Just a thought.

kimconyc

- Looks cool
- Better road buzz dampening

FWIW, I use carbon bars on 1 bike and Al on 2 other bikes. I've cracked a carbon bar while riding out of the saddle and in the drops and luckily did not eat it.

Mr. Beanz

Cause carbon bars make eveything 10 times smoother than aluminum and pro racers aren't out there for a pleasure ride. They're out there to kick some azzzzz!

chadteck

I switched to carbon bars because I got a good deal on them along with a stem and seat post. They are lighter, stiffer and dampen better than the aluminum bars I had. IMO for the same price, I'd go with carbon.

I can understand why some people are hesitant about carbon bars, but I guess I'm stupid enough to not worry about spontaneous failures.

Psimet2001 

Number of Carbon bars I have personally witnessed failing/cracking completely while in use = 4

Number of Aluminum bars I have personally witnessed failing/cracking completely while in use = 0

Alu bars are also usually lighter, and much less expensive. It's not a hard choice for me.

jrennie

It's not spontanious failures people worry about. It is the damage unseen(or seen) by falling over at a stop light, race, tipping your bike over at a rest stop, etc, etc, etc. The bar end get a great deal of impact and carbon just isn't a good material for it.

Also,
Ritchey WCS alloy: 228g $100
Ritchey WCS carbon: 220g $300

$25/gram is a spendy way to save weight

topflightpro

I finally retired my FSA K-Wing bars this weekend in favor of Ritchey WCS aluminum bars. The K-Wings had been put on the second crit/rain bike, but I swapped them out this past weekend.

The road buzz is a little bit worse on the Ritchey's, but it isn't really noticeable until I cross the 3 hour mark and I am more fatigued. I also I crashed a few times on the K-Wings, but had no "catastrophic failure" issues. But it was a very heavy bar and it flexed horribly in the drops. In the end, I got tired of the shape.

The Ritchey is lighter and costs less than half as much as the K-Wing, and while it flexes in the drops, it doesn't flex nearly as much as the K-wing.

Oh, and I stradle the carbon vs. aluminum debate. My Cannondale System Six is half carbon and half aluminum - I even have a Thomson seat post, which means the entire rear half is aluminum.

joebrew

What is MORE prone to sudden, catastrophic failure: carbon handlebars or carbon stems? I remember Contador had an aluminum Bontrager RXL stem with his carbon handlebars at the tour this year, whereas Armstrong's TDU rig has the opposite (carbon stem, aluminum handlebars).

kimconyc

You don't need to be an "engineer" to figure this one out...

kimconyc

I hope you understand that not all bars nor stems are created equal.