Do carbon bars really help reduce trail buzz?

Darra8

Hi Guys,

I have a rigid alloy fork on my bike and riding over the rough stuff can be a real pain...literally!

I have heard that fitting carbon bars can help reduce the vibrations you feel through the bars. Is this right? If so, is it possible to get carbon riser bars for under 40 quid?

Cheers,

Steve

supersonic

Some do. I think thick grips and squishy tyres have more of an effect though!

nik young

i run ritchy carbon bars and have noticed no difference what so ever just look good

Darra8

supersonic wrote:

Some do. I think thick grips and squishy tyres have more of an effect though!

I have Outland lock on grips with 2.35 kenda SB8's running at 35 psi. Does this combo make thick and squishy? If not, what lock on's would be better, as they are gonna be much cheaper than carbon bars?

supersonic

Have a look at Posh Bikes nitrile grips.

andrewjoseph

Have you thought about front suspension?

Anonymous

I'm guessing if he's looking for a carbon bar "under 40 quid" that he probably hasn't got the money to spend on any suspension fork worth having.

dbmnk

I had some profile racing carbon bars once, and they had quite a bit of flex - what others might call trail buzz damping technology. Anyway they were real cheap and did what you want. You'd sacrifice on powerloss out of the saddle obviously.

Darra8

yeehaamcgee wrote:

I'm guessing if he's looking for a carbon bar "under 40 quid" that he probably hasn't got the money to spend on any suspension fork worth having.

No, it's not that, although price is always an issue. I have built the bike up myself and bought an exotic alloy rigid fork to try and keep the weight down. The bike handles really well and as long as I keep away from the really rough stuff it's OK. I'm just trying to make it as comfy as possible for my old bones to handle

Anonymous

Oh. Well, if it's a mountain bike, for off road, then you have no excuse. Go and buy a SID fork or something.

Honestly I don't get this rigid trend. I rode rigids for years, and was properly glad when suspension forks came out.

Silly boy.

Darra8

I forgot to mention that the fork is attached to a 50 quid Merlin Malt 1 frame, so it hardly worth spending silly money on a top end fork. I use it for blasting around the local woods, and it's great fun...honest!!

andrewjoseph

yeehaamcgee wrote:

I'm guessing if he's looking for a carbon bar "under 40 quid" that he probably hasn't got the money to spend on any suspension fork worth having.

I agree, but saving for a good set of forks will be safer than trying to get a carbon bar for £40.

even expensive carbon bars won't reduce trail buzz like a good fork will.

supersonic

Girvin flexstem?!

Darra8

supersonic wrote:

Girvin flexstem?!

:?

RealMan

Carbon forks do, carbon bars.. Maybe a little.

Anonymous

Darra8 wrote:

I forgot to mention that the fork is attached to a 50 quid Merlin Malt 1 frame, so it hardly worth spending silly money on a top end fork. I use it for blasting around the local woods, and it's great fun...honest!!

Isn't a 40 quid handlebar just as silly an idea on a frame that only cost 10 quid more?

Darra8

A little perhaps, but I was just trying to say why I wasn't going to spend £300 plus on a suspension fork, when the whole bike probably cost that much.

Anonymous

What about £90 for a set of Toras then?

Hangie

Absolutely reduce road buzz, no doubt about it for road bikes, not sure if they help with the large amplitude vibrations you get off road though.

I bought a Alu Frame road bike with Carbon forks and alu road bars. Hands when numb within 10mins of riding. Tried extra tape, new gloves different saddle position and nothing worked.

Bought a pair of Easton Carbon bars, have had for 6 months and 1500miles done numerous 2 hour+ rides with absolutely no buzz, Could be the reduced weight in my wallet pocket though!!

If you are getting carbon bars get a Carbon Stem as well or you may find yourself with a set of broken bars, they are VERY sensitive to torque and edged on the stem clamp.

Hangie

Zeroman_IR

Carbon bars do tend to absorb a lot of trail buzz, not that noticeable when riding maybe but you're wrists tend to be less fatigued after long rides with them. That said, I've also broken a one so I'll be sticking with alu bars. However, if you're stuck on the notion of cheap carbon bars, try these Bontrager Race X Lite or FSA K-Force ones. If you don't have an oversize stem, this is the cheapest combo I could find.

Darra8

Thanks for looking for credit crunching forks, but your missing the point. I don't want a suspension fork, just something to make my current setup a little more comfortable.

dbmnk

RealMan wrote:

Carbon forks do

+1 The best option for going rigid. (the tubed ones that is)

joshtp

Try carbon forks, and fat grips like race face goon n' evils. but most of all go for big tyres. big, fat, tall tyres will make the world of diferance.

lesz42

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Oh. Well, if it's a mountain bike, for off road, then you have no excuse. Go and buy a SID fork or something.

Honestly I don't get this rigid trend. I rode rigids for years, and was properly glad when suspension forks came out.

Silly boy.

what he said^^

Darra8

Thanks guys.

Wheelieguy

Correct me if im wrong but isnt 35 psi in your tyres a little too high for off roading?

I always used to run mine between 25-30 psi when i was a biker years ago (before i drifted out of it for ten years)