Which Carbon Handlebars?

razer
razer Posts: 64
edited May 2009 in MTB buying advice
I fancy upgrading to some Carbon bars from the original ones that came with my Marin East Peak (31.8mm dia + 20mm rise) Does anyone have any recommendations?

Also how do i determine the best rise for me? and also sweep etc, is it a case of trial and error?

Thanks :)
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Comments

  • Tank-slapper
    Tank-slapper Posts: 968
    I have some Ritchey WCS low risers which are very good. I chose this shape because it was the same as the bars they were replacing. Could get expensive if you go for a trial and error approach.
  • robmanic1
    robmanic1 Posts: 2,150
    +1 for Ritchey's.

    As stated above though, rise and sweep are a personal thing (not a yellow, mute bear and a grey, squeeky dog puppet combo :wink: ).
    Pictures are better than words because some words are big and hard to understand.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/34335188@N07/3336802663/
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Robmanic1 wrote:
    ...rise and sweep are a personal thing (not a yellow, mute bear and a grey, squeeky dog puppet combo).
    Thought that was Sooty ?
  • razer
    razer Posts: 64
    These?

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=34422
  • robmanic1
    robmanic1 Posts: 2,150
    They're the bad-boys.

    As Anónimo from Spain says "estoy muy contento con el."
    Pictures are better than words because some words are big and hard to understand.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/34335188@N07/3336802663/
  • Zeroman_IR
    Zeroman_IR Posts: 290
    Have some Sunline V1 Carbon Risers myself and find them great. Lovely shape, low rise and look the nuts.
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    I have RF Next on my SS, Truvativ team carbons on the Evil and Mrs B has Easton Monkeylite CNTs on her Yeti

    all are good, RF looks the siniest but is quite narrow (635 iirc)

    If I were to buy one, I'd probably go with the Easton, but I've not seen a deal on them (CRC has the RF ones for 40 GBP iirc)

    as for fit, depends on you, I'm obviously not too sensitive to the sweep as I've used all of the above, they're all different, and they all are fine with me.
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • canada16
    canada16 Posts: 2,360
    Got ricthey wcs as well, super light and cheap, got mine for 45.00 or there abouts

    And done W2 afan, no problems
    The Ride

    http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af92 ... 010735.jpg
  • JK in the UK
    JK in the UK Posts: 132
    Another +1 for the Sunline V1's

    I've recently got them and blimey they're good so far! Scarily light (120g for the 25.4mm by my scales which is just ridiculous) but seem to be pretty solid and make a MAHOOSIVE difference to trail buzz and really softens the blow of impacts through the handlebars. I've only been out on a couple of quick 'light' rides so far though...

    I should be off for a 'proper' ride this weekend so I'll be able to give a better opinion of them after then but so far carbon bars seem to be my best bike upgrade yet... I suffer with permanent chronic pain in some of my joints, especially my fingers (not ideal for someone who's hobbies comprise mtbing and motorbiking!!) and it often gets in the way of my riding. Dangerously in fact because it becomes impossible to hold the bars! Anyway, it appears carbon bars could really help me so fingers crossed!

    I've put them on my hardtail and is used for trail riding. The bike doesn't get an easy life!

    Also, I got them for £50 from my LBS and they can be picked up very cheap online...

    EDIT: Oh I should say that they feel pretty stiff, which is pretty hard to explain when they definitely help 'dampen' the transmission of jarring forces. Clever stuff this carbon...
  • razer
    razer Posts: 64
    Thanks for all the help so far, most appreciated.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Bit of the beaten track but I got a BBB carbon bar (flat) recently - very light, very strong (has extra metal reinforcement) and very cheap at £40.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    does anyone make 700mm wide strong CF handlebars, I've got some spank lounge bars on my inbred (in white obviously) and really like the width, but want something lighter but still strong.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Monkey DH?
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    I'm thinking they are my only real option aren't they... but I can't put bars with that orange/bronze onto my 456 :?
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Don't fancy Nuke Proof ti?!
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    I do, but I've got to catch the hotlines rep when he comes round to see how much they'll cost...


    aaaah the perks of working in a LBS
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • noodleman
    noodleman Posts: 852
    +1 carbon richey wcs. Beautifully made and reasonably priced.
    argon 18 e116 2013 Vision Metron 80
    Bianchi Oltre XR Sram Red E-tap, Fulcrum racing speed xlr
    De Rosa SK pininfarina disc
    S Works Tarmac e-tap 2017
    Rose pro sl disc
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    I really like my Truvativ Noir Teams, 680mm wide and about 160 grams, I can't speak for how strong they are but I've not snapped 'em ;) Plus they look cool, and they were only £60.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • gaz047
    gaz047 Posts: 601
    ordered some of these on sat and they arrived yesterday, very impressed with them, light and comfy :D

    http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/produc ... x?&id=5362
    if it ain't rainin.....it ain't trainin
    Stick your 'rules' up your a%se
  • Zeroman_IR
    Zeroman_IR Posts: 290
    If you're looking for wider bars, also consider the FSA Gravity Carbon DH Risers. 710mm but with a 40mm rise which may offset the extra width slightly over the 20mm rise of others. All down to how they feel for you. Controltech also do some wider carbon bars but I've seen a lot of reports of them having a weird shape so they may not suit everybody.

    So, once again I have to plug my Sunline V1 Carbons. The 20mm rise really does make a difference on the climbs over the stock bars on my Meta (I wouldn't have believed it myself until I fitted them) and I can't say I've noticed it holds me back on the descents. The carbon soaks up a lot of the trail buzz too. I did my right wrist in last Summer and it keeps acting up. It used to kill me after a couple of hours on the bike. I just realised during the week that this hasn't been happening since I put on the Sunlines. Expensive but worth their weight in gold to me (fortunately they're light too. Heh!).
  • JK in the UK
    JK in the UK Posts: 132
    Zeroman_IR - scarily enough I did my right wrist in last summer on a Cwmcarn uplift day. Was on a long weekend's MTBing in wales so took the next day off and then spent the next day doing glyncorrwg. In hindsight, a really stupid idea - took over 6 months of physio and I've got the feeling it will never quite be the same again. Oops!

    Hopefully I'll be able to recommend the Sunlines the same after the weekend! oh btw they're 685mm and are now the widest bars I've got (including my Big Hit!). I normally hang my hands right off of the end of bars and the lock on grip collors wear straight through my gloves. Hopefully the little extra width will have sorted this problem and may have to be rolled out across all my bikes...
  • JK in the UK
    JK in the UK Posts: 132
    Excellent ride on saturday - 30 miles in and around Swinley.

    Absolutely chuffed with the bars - can't recommend them enough.

    Definately filter out a lot of the buzz whilst being super stiff (I'm running 25.4mm versions but only weigh 70kg). My fingers lasted a lot better considering I was on my rattley stiff as you like hardtail.

    The bars don't have any rise in the ends, which was noticeable at first but never a problem. The width gives great leverage too...
  • canada16
    canada16 Posts: 2,360
    As per one of the posters recomending ti?

    What kills the most road buzz, ti or cf ?

    Thanks
    The Ride

    http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af92 ... 010735.jpg
  • razer
    razer Posts: 64
    i would have thought cf
  • flashbax
    flashbax Posts: 52
    I'm looking into some wider bars carbon if the price is right, The bars on the bike i have now just seem really small it seems to make the bike feel a bit twitchy so a set of longer bars i'm hoping sort this out..
  • RossOB
    RossOB Posts: 82
    You have got to get Easton monkeylite Carbon XC handlebars, they are the best!!.....680mm of pure greatness, super light and everyone knows they are the number 1 as well :wink:
    Giant trance x3
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    As far as I can tell the only real difference between my truvativs and my eastons is about 10 grams and about £40 :wink:
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Dazzza
    Dazzza Posts: 2,364
    Not quite, eastons are cnt bars so stronger than normal carbon bars.

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... delID=7153

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=33144

    Mine are the 2008 model, excellent handlebars.
    The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.
    Giant Anthem X
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    But then the heat treatment on mine can give higher tensile strength (what's referred to as high modulus) :wink:
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Zeroman_IR
    Zeroman_IR Posts: 290
    The Eastons are the gold standard in carbon bars, only problem being they don't look like they cost £80+. That's why I went with the Sunlines, everybody that sees them asks how expensive they were :D Sad I know but I want my expensive bits to look like they cost me.

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