Changing handlebars
cjcp
Posts: 13,345
How often do guys and gals change your handlebars?
My commuting bars are 2.5 years old and have done what must be close to 20k miles. I've got spare bars I'm tempted to fit soon because I read somewhere sometime that changing them every three years is a good idea to avoid fatigue failures.
Anyone have any thoughts on this? Any metallurgists amongst us? Roastie?
Cheers.
My commuting bars are 2.5 years old and have done what must be close to 20k miles. I've got spare bars I'm tempted to fit soon because I read somewhere sometime that changing them every three years is a good idea to avoid fatigue failures.
Anyone have any thoughts on this? Any metallurgists amongst us? Roastie?
Cheers.
FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."
0
Comments
-
Mine are 15 years ish old, now you have me worried!0
-
You've made me relax!FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
As long as your bar tape matches your saddle, you'll be fine
allegedlyMisguided Idealist0 -
Neeeeever - and my last bike lasted ten years from new.
Unless yours is one of those fancy quadruple butted jobs made from space carbon?
I think they are one of those bits of the bike that have no moving parts, and if it's going to break, it'll have done so. Think frame!0 -
Loos like that's settled then.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
I was sat at a junction once and I felt this wierd sinking sensation.
I sort of didn't realise what was happening until the left part of my bar had sunk by about 45 degrees, a big crack smiling up at me. the bar came completely off at the stem and I held it up and looked at it.
I'm so glad that didn't happen when I was at speed.
As for changing them (them?), never. I went to loosen and tighten my stem nuts the other week, and I'm sure I didn't rotate the bars at all, but they must have moved by about 0.000000001 radians.
Cue two days of riding what felt like somebody else's bike.0 -
@cjcp undo your stem bolts and look at the area under the clamp plate that should help you make up your mind, mine was indented very badly.Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
itboffin wrote:@cjcp undo your stem bolts and look at the area under the clamp plate that should help you make up your mind, mine was indented very badly.David
Engineered Bicycles0 -
My bullhorns are a chop and flip from an 80s raleigh.0
-
Once per year for me.0
-
I was gonna drill holes in my Nitto bull horns for brake cable routing - Is this a bad idea?! Any thoughts?! Sorry to hijack thread!0
-
I've never changed a set of bars*. My commuter is 20 years old, bars still seem fine. My old MTB has bars which are about 19 years old, and also seems fine.
* OK, I did once; but that was because I'd wrapped the original bars around a tree.0 -
gtvlusso wrote:I was gonna drill holes in my Nitto bull horns for brake cable routing - Is this a bad idea?! Any thoughts?! Sorry to hijack thread!
Bars with internal routing are specifically strengthened for it. Drill a tube and you lose much of its structural integrity.0