How good is carbon at reducing trail buzz?

JayKingFunk

I'm getting a new hardtail frame and looking at a new seatpost and bars to go with it.

Was thinking about getting carbon instead of aluminium to save weight and also thought it might be better at reducing the vibrations that are transmitted from the trail.

Anybody noticed a big difference between the two materials?

J

supersonic

Not quite as simple as that, as the way it is made has an effect on how it feels. A heavy, carbon bar may feel harsher than a light alloy one.

Generally though the lay up process on most carbon parts does seem to reduce some high frequency buzz - I can notice a small difference with my Exotic post over s standard alu GT post, but the latter is 100g more.

JayKingFunk

So basically are you saying if I do go for carbon, the lighter weight it is the more 'forgiving' it is?!

supersonic

Can be Generally yes. I is a complex subject, if in doubt you need to test parts.

JayKingFunk

OK, thanks for your help once again SS!

darren555

I swapped mid weight alloy handlebars to lightweight FSA carbon wrapped bars and they are noticeably more comfortable. As you would expect, there is no noticeable flex but there is definitely less buzz.

BuzzJoe

Really depends on the bars and post that you were too go for. Every company uses a slightly different process in how they build up there Carbon. Typically, and based on experience, the woven and layered carbon builds reduce the most 'trail buzz'. Although this then varies again as many companies dont just rely on one layer, they then coat the bars several times and often reinforce certain areas. All affecting the flex of the bars.

Reducing buzz on mountain bikes though is not always noticed that much anyway, due too large squishy tires that we all tend too use. It does make a difference, but not so much as if you were too put carbon bars on a road bike!

P-Jay

It's true, I bought some Easton Monkeylight DH bars for my Endruo to take some of the pain away from my buggered elbow, worked to a certain extent - next time, now I've got over my 'carbon fear' I'll go for some more XCish bars for a little more flex.

meesterbond

This may be a bit of a stupid question, but if your suspension is working well, wouldn't the impact of carbon bars be imperceptable? Surely the forks would dial out most of the 'buzz' leaving a carbon bar feeling the same as an alloy one? If you're on rigid forks then maybe there's a case...

Ok, forks may not be as effective on the really small stuff (which I guess is what's meant by 'trail buzz') but is that really an issue? I can see the benefit on road, but off road I'm not so convinced?

supersonic

Yeah, its high frequency, low amplitude stuff that just vibrates through the forks. But as BuzzJoe says, big tyres are effective as well, plus other things. Foam grips are best of all I find.

DCR00

I have found carbon bars more comfortable, but minimal diff between a carbon or alloy seatpost (apart from weight)

.blitz

JayKingFunk wrote:

Anybody noticed a big difference between the two materials?

Not between the two materials per se, I think the design and dimensions make more of a difference. A 31.6 sp is more rigid than a 27.2 for example and DJ/DH bars are like scaffolding compared to lightweight XC bars.

A plain-gauge aluminium bar feels dead and lifeless compared to a butted bar.

Lock-on grips have a hard plastic core that transmits more buzz than traditional grips.

Short stems have a more direct feel - in all senses of the word - than longer stems

Tyres and tyres pressures make a big difference.

All these things have more effect on vibration and harshness than the materials they are made from.

Shaggy_Dog

Carbon can reduce buzz, it's more noticeable on smooth trails and tarmac where you feel the knobbles on the tyres sending low frequency buzz through the contact points. It is dependant on how the frame is constructed, my carbon HiFi is a little more comfortable than my old alloy one on trails like Cwmcarn where the surface is very firm, on mushier trails I can't feel any difference. Don't expect it to be any comfier on the rooty and rocky sections though. I rode a rode a Santa Cruz Tallboy and it was less comfy than other alloy full suss 29ers I've ridden, that said, it was bloody stiff under pedalling and cornering and not drastically lighter

Shaggy_Dog

meesterbond wrote:

This may be a bit of a stupid question, but if your suspension is working well, wouldn't the impact of carbon bars be imperceptable? Surely the forks would dial out most of the 'buzz' leaving a carbon bar feeling the same as an alloy one? If you're on rigid forks then maybe there's a case...

Ok, forks may not be as effective on the really small stuff (which I guess is what's meant by 'trail buzz') but is that really an issue? I can see the benefit on road, but off road I'm not so convinced?

The stiction in the forks and the nature of the damping makes suspension pretty much ineffective on the very small stuff. A very supple, low tread tyre at low pressures and a flexy frame is great for the medium sized stuff like roots the width of your finger and malteser sized rocks. Suspension picks up anything bigger