Has anyone tried these carbon handlebars or have an opinon?

daniel_b
daniel_b Posts: 11,538
edited November 2013 in Road buying advice
Evening all,

I would like to lay my hands on a flat top wing style carbon bar at what I deem to be a reasonable cost.
I appreciate that is relative, but for my own personal wallet, the absolute very maximum I could spend is £150 - preferably less.

What constantly annoys me is that I find a nice looking set of carbon bars, and they have to ruin it (imo) by putting red graphics all over it, my bike will have no red on it, so I either want white, or preferably a limited or very small amount of logo-age.

I bought a HK special flat top handebar a while back, that I may end up fitting to my Scott CR1, but I have also been idly looking around for any other options.

I did like the look of the Easton EC90 Aero, but for some reason it only comes in red - all red, not red graphics, a solid red finish :shock: (Merlin have them for £125)

So that has gone out of the window - and then after trawling through hundreds of 'Carbon handlebars' on the bay of e, I found this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Keirin-Road-Handle-Bars-Ergonomic-Full-Carbon-Drop-Bars-440mm-44cm-/131013804748?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item1e810802cc
$(KGrHqFHJCEFJK6WnQy,BSVBEHfiJQ~~60_12.JPG

Now I am trying to ignore the fact it says Keirin - there's nothing that makes it not road usable is there?

And although the seller is apparently UK based, and perhaps they are, I am assuming they get them shipped in from HK.

I have mailed them to find out if the measurements are edge to edge, or centre to centre.

So on the off chance, has anyone on here got a set, or if not would others avoid these with a bargepole OR suggest some branded bars that are devoid of red :evil:
Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 18

Comments

  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Divided opinion on the benefit and indeed safety of carbon bars.

    I am in the waste of monmey camp. Some nice ally bars out there which are just as stiff and less 'buzzy'.

    Deda and Ritchey are the dogs for finishing kit.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    I have carbon FSA Plasma integrated compact bars and stem. Personally I find them very comfortable on the tops. I changed from Ally Pro bars and in my opinion suffer less vibration through the hands. They aren't the cheapest out there, but having seen some £150 compact bars at the show, I wouldn't put my trust in them. The feel and finish wasn't to the same standard as the FSA ones.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • Don't worry about the Keirin name as from both from the picture and description they're not keirin bars.

    Also, from the description they do appear to be UK stock. If they were a reseller importing the goods to order they'd be in breach of Ebay selling rules.

    Can't comment on those bars (although do use a branded carbon variety myself).
  • trek_dan
    trek_dan Posts: 1,366
    I managed to get some Deda Presa bars from Ribble for £100, couldn't see the point in taking a punt on Ebay when branded stuff wasn't that much more. Not sure if they're still available for £100 or not, but they are very good. Does have a small red logo though :lol:
  • me-109
    me-109 Posts: 1,915
    Can't find the thread now but on the site classifieds the other day I came across someone selling what turned out to be copied Zipp Vuka bars. £30 has to be worth a punt.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,538
    Thankyou for those replies,

    Smidsy: Appreciate the potential fruitlessness of carbon bars, but as this will be for my 'best' bike, and it has a carbon frame, carbon seatpost, and carbon stem, rightly or wrongly I want to finish it off with a nice set of carbon bars.

    Philthy3: I too would have loved to have gotten some FSA bars, but they LOVE red don't they, the only other option is the hard to get hold of green stripe editions, but they are in excess of £150.

    Billymansell: Interesting to know that about UK stock, wasn't aware of that rule - they have still to get back to me re the measurement being c-c or edge to edge sadly, but the more I look at them the more I like them.
    Think I also like the fact it is just plain carbon with no logos.

    Trek dan - you bagged a good deal on those Deda's - Ribble still have big sizes, but only in white, and also they do not appear to be a wing style bar which I am after.

    Me-109: I've seen the Zipp fakes, but I'd struggle to have any kit purporting to be something it isn't on my bike - I'd just feel a bit weird about it - happy to go unbranded, and realise it may well be made in the same factory!

    Gutted a few months ago to miss out on some Ritchey WCS carbon flatbars that Merlin had on sale for £70 - frustratingly they insist on keeping them listed on their website despite them being an end of line run out some months ago :evil:
    These: http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/road-parts/handlebars-stems/handlebars-road/ritchey-wcs-carbon-streem-bars.html

    They were even the right width at 40cm :cry:

    If anyone sees any carbon flat bar bargains, please do PM me :D
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • Ian.B
    Ian.B Posts: 732
    Daniel B wrote:
    Gutted a few months ago to miss out on some Ritchey WCS carbon flatbars that Merlin had on sale for £70 - frustratingly they insist on keeping them listed on their website despite them being an end of line run out some months ago :evil:
    These: http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/road-parts/handlebars-stems/handlebars-road/ritchey-wcs-carbon-streem-bars.html

    They were even the right width at 40cm :cry:
    They're in stock at CRC, albeit not at that price but still (just) within your budget. Can you put up with the red bit in the WCS logo?
  • Syntace.
  • adamfo
    adamfo Posts: 763
    I bought an Easton EC70 SL UD carbon Handlebar recently from Wiggle. £80 if you sign up for their news letter. It's more comfortable than the standard Cannondale alloy bar and has no buzz.
    By running the cabling along the front of the bar before taping you do get a flat top effect.

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/easton-ec70-sl-road-handlebar/
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Ian.B wrote:
    Daniel B wrote:
    Gutted a few months ago to miss out on some Ritchey WCS carbon flatbars that Merlin had on sale for £70 - frustratingly they insist on keeping them listed on their website despite them being an end of line run out some months ago :evil:
    These: http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/road-parts/handlebars-stems/handlebars-road/ritchey-wcs-carbon-streem-bars.html

    They were even the right width at 40cm :cry:
    They're in stock at CRC, albeit not at that price but still (just) within your budget. Can you put up with the red bit in the WCS logo?

    Good bars the Streem, have ridden them, if they measure up well for you then they're not a bad buy at all.
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
    Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143173475@N05/
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    I had the 3T ones much like that on my Ribble and to be honest I think they flexed more, they can't have been fakes either seeing as i bought them from Wiggle.

    I still have them but choose to switch back to 3T alu most because of the reach, no flex now.
    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.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,538
    I am getting less and less enamoured with the ebay ones I posted at the top - firstly I think it has a recess on top of the bar for cabling, here as I want to leave them untaped, and secondly my 2 attempts to e-mail them through ebay for size information, have met with absolutely no reply, and when I try the e-mail in their contact details, it bounces back - amazes me how some people manage to do business.
    Ian.B wrote:
    They're in stock at CRC, albeit not at that price but still (just) within your budget. Can you put up with the red bit in the WCS logo?

    Cheers Ian, looks like from reading the reviews the 40 would actually be too narrow - a narrow escape one might say!
    Ben6899 wrote:

    That's a stonking looking set of bars - would never have found them, food for thought, thankyou, and I am loving the matte finish.... Do you use these bars yourself?
    sta00058-01-09.jpg

    ITB - Have found these on a German site for £150: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/3t-ergonova-team-carbon-handlebar-black-series/

    Are those the kind you are talking about?

    They are not a full 'wing' style though I think.
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • izza
    izza Posts: 1,561
    I used to have a set of Pro Lite Ravenna bars. They had flat top, finger fitting ridges on the front, inset groove for cabling on the underside and looked very similar to the original post.

    I found they were very comfortable in terms of shape and come in under your budget.
  • FSA Team bars are on sale at Wiggle http://www.wiggle.co.uk/fsa-team-issue- ... handlebar/

    I run them on my Foil and, like the SLK bars, the tops are flat with a really shallow drop - so you can slam that stem ;-)

    It's an alu/carbon mix so it's the best of both worlds.
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Daniel B wrote:
    That's a stonking looking set of bars - would never have found them, food for thought, thankyou, and I am loving the matte finish.... Do you use these bars yourself?
    sta00058-01-09.jpg

    Yes, I use these bars. They are very comfortable - the flat section just behind where the hood would be is a nice little additional option for keeping the wrists happy.
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
    Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143173475@N05/
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,538
    izza wrote:
    I used to have a set of Pro Lite Ravenna bars. They had flat top, finger fitting ridges on the front, inset groove for cabling on the underside and looked very similar to the original post.

    I found they were very comfortable in terms of shape and come in under your budget.

    These are £100 at JE James......
    FSA Team bars are on sale at Wiggle http://www.wiggle.co.uk/fsa-team-issue- ... handlebar/

    I run them on my Foil and, like the SLK bars, the tops are flat with a really shallow drop - so you can slam that stem ;-)

    It's an alu/carbon mix so it's the best of both worlds.

    Does Team mean no red graphics.......?
    Do you have a pic you can post or send to me of them fitted on your bike - how much have you wrapped tape wise?
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • FSA Team bars are on sale at Wiggle http://www.wiggle.co.uk/fsa-team-issue- ... handlebar/

    I run them on my Foil and, like the SLK bars, the tops are flat with a really shallow drop - so you can slam that stem ;-)

    It's an alu/carbon mix so it's the best of both worlds.

    Does Team mean no red graphics.......?
    Do you have a pic you can post or send to me of them fitted on your bike - how much have you wrapped tape wise?[/quote]

    No net at home as I've just moved house so can't post a pic, however I can confirm there are no red graphics. My Foil is black with bits of white so I spent an age trying to find the right bars.

    Better image here...

    http://www.bikerumor.com/2010/05/20/upd ... conomical/
  • Also - you can prob wrap half the bar or all of the bar - I like a good grip (matron!) so mine are fully wrapped.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,538
    Thanks for all the replies guys, this has been such a useful thread for me :D

    Loads of makes I have never heard of in some cases or even considered, and thank goodness I started it otherwise I may have ended up with those ebay ones at the top!

    At the mo my hot favourites are the Starley bars which I think look rather lush in terms of design.
    Ben has kindly offered to take some piccies for me and send them over next week.
    My only 'concern' is that they are a matte finish of sorts, and although my frame is matte as well, my hard sought FSA carbon seatpost and very hard sought FSA carbon stem are both glossy carbon finish :|
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • Brilliant thread
    Giant TCR Composite 3
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    Dan have you posted a pick of the Scott yet?
    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.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,538
    itboffin wrote:
    Dan have you posted a pick of the Scott yet?

    haha, no not yet Stephen, it's still in bits, I pretty much have everything organised now, the only bit I wasn't 100% happy with was the bars, which this thread may well sort, but it may throw up further issues with my stem and seatpost afterwards!

    The thing I am currently missing is the time to put it together, but I have some time off over Christmas, so will start assembling it then I reckon.

    I know, hang my head in shame :cry:
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,538
    Just a quick update from my trawling.

    The Starleys are still my favourites I think, but I have found these elsewhere which I think are still decent deals?

    €179 3T ergonova Team Black stealth http://www.4thebike.de/komponenten/lenker/rennrad/7157/3t-rennrad-lenker-ergo-nova-team-black-stealth
    3t-ergonova-bar-black-zoom.jpg

    A previous poster mentioned Syntace, and managed to find these for a good price - nice profile from above:
    €139 Syntace Racelite 2 http://www.bike-components.de/products/info/p11896_Racelite2-Carbon-OS-Lenker---Auslaufmodell-.html
    Syntace-Racelite2-Carbon-OS-Lenker-Auslaufmodell-s-5d1298522e31e5878964392a72040736.jpeg

    €164 - Engage Apsis Ergo Carbon
    http://www.thebikeshop.de/epages/62303450.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62303450/Products/ENH3ERG/SubProducts/ENH2ERG-0002&ViewAction=ViewProduct
    32092_00_d.jpg

    I quite like the Syntace Racelite CDR as well:
    $T2eC16NHJFoFH5YDZ3UEBSb(mcEYB!~~60_12.JPG

    I'm beginning to sway towards compacts, as I am a smallish rider, and from reading up notice it brings the drops up a bit, making it less of a 'drop' to them, and potentially more accessible.

    Does anyone have any views on the Syntace CDR bars above?
    I found a BR review here: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/components/handlebars/handlebars-road/product/review-syntace-racelite-carbon-cdr-bar-f149-stem-13-47325/
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • I'm no expert in any way but I went for these http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=12905904&p=18509996&hilit=kuota+kharma#p18509996
    They made a big difference in the way the bike feels to me and I think they look quite nice too! :D
    Kuota Kharma Race [Dry/Sunny]
    Raleigh Airlite 100 [Wet/Horrible]