which bars and stem

reddevilcuberider
reddevilcuberider Posts: 41
edited March 2010 in Road buying advice
Hi
Tomorrow i am booked into my local bike shop to be properly fitted. I got the lend of a bike for the winter frame size 58, I am 5 feet 10 inchs tall, my summer bikes frame size is 53 with a 90 mm stem and 38cm bars. The winter bike which is a dawes feels much more comfortable than my summer bike which is a cube so hopefully by adding a longer stem and a set of wider bars this will rectify the problem.

I need some advise on what bars and stem to get once I learn what size I need. My Cube cost me around 1500 so i don`t mind spending a few quid on improving her. Is carbon the way to go or is too prone to breaking if it gets a knock.

Any particular makes and models :?

Comments

  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Carbon handlebars are overated.

    Stick with alloy.
    I like bikes...

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  • reddevilcuberider
    reddevilcuberider Posts: 41
    what about the stem, keep it alloy throughout?
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Yeh, alloy stem is good too. If you want a carbon stem though, you want something like a Pro Track stem like Cav uses, they are the business.
    I like bikes...

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  • CarbonCopy
    CarbonCopy Posts: 492
    Why are Carbon bars overated would you say they are to soft?.
    Or is it just the price of them.
    You have me thinking now as ive just been eyeing up some PRO EVO STEALTH,The Bar /stem Unit.
  • reddevilcuberider
    reddevilcuberider Posts: 41
    cheers dude!!!
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    They are easily stiff enough, but the price is a bit of a rip off. The carbon stuff I've had haven't been as good as the decent alloy stuff I've had.
    I like bikes...

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  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    redddraggon wrote:
    They are easily stiff enough, but the price is a bit of a rip off. The carbon stuff I've had haven't been as good as the decent alloy stuff I've had.

    +1 - you save a lot of money buying alloy stems and bars and the weight is comparable.
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    Thomson, Syntace, Easton are all good stems
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    3T is what the cool kids ride
    I like bikes...

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  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    redddraggon wrote:
    3T is what the cool kids ride

    That's right! :D
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    giant mancp wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    They are easily stiff enough, but the price is a bit of a rip off. The carbon stuff I've had haven't been as good as the decent alloy stuff I've had.

    +1 - you save a lot of money buying alloy stems and bars and the weight is comparable.

    +2 .... I agree. Makes me wonder though, if all this carbon stuff(bars, stems, seat posts,
    shifter levers, crank sets, saddles, rims, etc.) are no better than alloy AND more expensive, how do people justify carbon frames(other than a bling factor - and I don't think they are that nice)? Or have people just been force fed carbon and not realized it?
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    dennisn wrote:
    giant mancp wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    They are easily stiff enough, but the price is a bit of a rip off. The carbon stuff I've had haven't been as good as the decent alloy stuff I've had.

    +1 - you save a lot of money buying alloy stems and bars and the weight is comparable.

    +2 .... I agree. Makes me wonder though, if all this carbon stuff(bars, stems, seat posts,
    shifter levers, crank sets, saddles, rims, etc.) are no better than alloy AND more expensive, how do people justify carbon frames(other than a bling factor - and I don't think they are that nice)? Or have people just been force fed carbon and not realized it?

    Woah there Dennis. Most carbon fibre stuff is good, it's just the bars I have an issue with.
    I like bikes...

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  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    redddraggon wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    giant mancp wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    They are easily stiff enough, but the price is a bit of a rip off. The carbon stuff I've had haven't been as good as the decent alloy stuff I've had.

    +1 - you save a lot of money buying alloy stems and bars and the weight is comparable.

    +2 .... I agree. Makes me wonder though, if all this carbon stuff(bars, stems, seat posts,
    shifter levers, crank sets, saddles, rims, etc.) are no better than alloy AND more expensive, how do people justify carbon frames(other than a bling factor - and I don't think they are that nice)? Or have people just been force fed carbon and not realized it?

    Woah there Dennis. Most carbon fibre stuff is good, it's just the bars I have an issue with.

    I'm not saying carbon is bad. Just seems expensive and somewhat overrated.
    Love your swimsuit though. Saw one in a shop in Mexico a few years back. Wife tried to get me to buy it. Said I wasn't MAN enough to wear it on the beach. Call me a sissy I guess. Challenge declined.
  • relanium
    relanium Posts: 487
    What about "deda elementi" for Bars & Stem, are they any good?
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    relanium wrote:
    What about "deda elementi" for Bars & Stem, are they any good?

    Deda stuff is good. Their claimed weights for their components are pure fantasy though.
    I like bikes...

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  • Brindy
    Brindy Posts: 45
    The main frame is much more important as its the bottom bracket which takes the most force and the damping makes a big difference
  • nicensleazy
    nicensleazy Posts: 2,310
    3T 3T 3T 3T 3T 3T 3T 3T 3T 3T 3T 3T 3T 3T 3T
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Show us a pic of the bike and let us choose the right bar stem combo...
  • acidstrato
    acidstrato Posts: 945
    redddraggon wrote:
    relanium wrote:
    What about "deda elementi" for Bars & Stem, are they any good?

    Deda stuff is good. Their claimed weights for their components are pure fantasy though.

    deda stuff does seem to be weighed on dodgy scales, but most of their top alloy components still easily outvalue alot of carbon stuff on the market Cost Vs Weight
    Crafted in Italy apparantly
  • ScottieP
    ScottieP Posts: 599
    The only problem with the 3T stuff is generally finding anyone who has stock..... I've got some Ergosum Pro bars on back order at the moment ...... perhaps I'm looking at the wrong shops.....
    My cycling blog: http://girodilento.com/
  • ScottieP
    ScottieP Posts: 599
    Just got an email saying my Ergosums have been dispatched - looking forward to getting them
    My cycling blog: http://girodilento.com/
  • relanium
    relanium Posts: 487
    Wanting to upgrade my Bontrager RXL Stem & Bontrager Alloy Blade Bars, any suggestions? I don't want anything mega expensive but maybe something lighter if possible :D

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