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.

On that last point, the brake cables line up great, the problem is the shift cables which don’t really line up with my shifters. I’m not sure who is at fault for this one, I’m thinking more the shifters.

The shifters are microshift arsis 10’s. The way the cable is routed on it there are two ways it can go, straight back or to the side at an angle. The cable exit is also at an angle and is pointed up towards the user at about a 45 degree angle.

So basically, to get it lined up doesn’t happen and keeping the housing and cable together results in the housing being bent in odd directions.

The result also is that shifting is just harder.

I dunno what to do, I put a lot of work into it. It should theoretically work.

chaadster

Would it help to just run the cables externally, taped to the handlebar? That’d be the zero-cost fix, otherwise it’s either new bar, new shifters or new shifters+derailleurs.

shelbyfv

If these are legit bars the website might have some instructions. If they are no name Ali/Chinese bar shaped objects, just drill some more holes, you can't make them any less safe.

icemilkcoffee 

No it doesn't. There are bikes with carbon forks on the roads by the millions. Shouldn't they be breaking all over the place if that was the case?
Needs pictures.

Jughed

Yep - just get the crash after failure over with quicker.

terrymorse 

The carbon fear mythology endures.

Jughed

These bars flexed - until they didn't... myth for some, reality for others!!!

shelbyfv

Real carbon bars MSRP from about $300-$400. Ali "carbon bars" are as low as $45. Fear of those may not be irrational.

adlai

Oh yeah, these are AliExpress specials.

​​​​​​i think the main fault with the shift cable routing is with Microshift. Those never really routed well even on normal handlebars. Microshift should have made some routing of the cable that was more lateral instead of having it jut out at an angle. Like, ideally it would have some pulley or something.

I'm thinking of spraying Teflon or something on the cable path. It does shift, but it is hard to move.

Otherwise the carbon handlebars are great. You can feel the little bit of flex and even the wider "aero" parts of the bar are more comfortable for me.

Bald Paul

FWIW, I have Whisky carbon bars, around $225. There isn't any flex. Zero. If I were you, I'd get a good set of alloy bars and toss those AliExpress 'flexies' in the trash.

Eric F 

Which Whisky bars do you have? I have the Spano carbon on my gravel bike, and have found the flex to be a nice feature.

Bald Paul

Road bars, 9F

adlai

Are there more flexible shifter cables? I think I'm using the standard ones but the flex that this shifter puts them through is just too much. Have there been any advances? Maybe the arsis 10 was designed for different shift housings

veganbikes

Keep in mind though those are some random no-name bars from Alibaba and his 40 thieves so the flex there was probably not intentional it was just a quality issue. Most quality carbon bars from known qualities and quantities do not have these problems and if they do it is usually from a crash or some incident beyond normal riding.

SoSmellyAir

Does anyone else notice the incongruity?

Jughed

Yep… and that is what we were joking about early in the thread… about them being knockoffs.

My bars came on a used Giant TCX. I didn’t know anything about them, Google turned up with a raving review from Trace Velo… so I figured how bad could they be? Well, 5 broken bones bad.

Then ole Trace posted videos of the bars assploding for him and a buddy.

OP - get those things off your bike ASAP.

Sierra_rider

I'm no carbon fiber expert...what I do know has come from doing carbon fiber repair on a bike and making small parts out of CF...but flexy Ali bars screams "void spaces and uneven resin application," to me. Reputable manufacturers can engineer some flex into carbon fiber, but these el cheapo bars probably don't have much in the way of engineering behind them. I'm guessing the extent of their engineering is just going for a thicker carbon lay up, splooging some resin in there, and hoping that the defects aren't readily noticeable to the end user.

veganbikes

Ok at least you didn't buy them new. Don't know Trace Velo but the brief look into them it is a Youtoobs channel focused on buying cheap parts which is fun to watch but not one I would use to start buying parts without true long term reviews with real world riding conditions. 5 broken bones is quite bad luckily it seems as if you have likely healed or are healing at this point.

Maelochs

I have CF bars---not AliXPress, but Topeak .... on a couple bikes and they are just fine after years of hard riding. Cheap Chinese CF? You bet. Good bars ... well, I actually made that bet, and so far I am winning.

Like the CF frames every swore would assplode .... ten years ago ..... I don't mind waiting for the eventual catastrophe which happens after I have already expired from other causes.

CrimsonEclipse

Nope
CF by nature endures flexing with a relatively unlimited load cycles compared to aluminum or even quality steel.

I'll let everyone else regurgitate the same old CF arguments...

icemilkcoffee 

Topeak is exactly the bar that failed on Tracevelo:

Jughed

ToSeek assplode, not Topeak.

PeteHski

Carbon bars are great, but not something to go cheap on for obvious reasons.

hidetaka

Yeah, cheap stuff is flexy garbage, expensive parts have engineered compliance for rider comfort and safety.
Pigs sweat, gentlemen perspire

PeteHski

I'm pretty sure Topeak doesn't make carbon bars, so I think it was a typo.