chinese carbon handlebars: YES/NO ?

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addictR1
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Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2012 1:11 am

by addictR1

Jmdesignz2 wrote:A lot of what is going on with people saying - "this chinese carbon bar is fine...I have not broken it" that seems like survivorship bias.

It's more probable that You won't hear from the folks who were injured catastrophically when the bars broke catastrophically, they are either brain dead; plain dead or can't type their keyboard.

There is really nobody to take to court. Also, none of these factories are going to start; much less publicize any kind of recall. Thus, if there are any issues, there is little to no publicity.

Just look how long it took for people to piece together that certain airbags were hurting / killing / maiming people. That was with a very high volume of sales, high profile companies.

Now think how may people actually buy a chinese carbon bar on ebay. Then whittle that down to how many actually post about it on the internet.

When one of these bars fails catastrophically it will have the highest statistical probability that its in the hands of an enthusiast penny pincher that is riding hard.
That rider is going to go down very hard in most cases. Then of course, it becomes hard to discern what part of the bike broke first.

My thoughts on this...


Lol that's what my friend said exactly about when I bought my FS wheel set. But after seeing me ride with it for a year he ended up buying two pairs.

But your right though.. If only if riders that had bad experience or injury from theses China bars, frames or wheel set, otherwise we'll only hear about the positive feedback.


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F45
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by F45

Mackers wrote:Exactly, the absence of proof is proof itself, right?


Right. If someone crashes using these bars they're not going to be in any condition to post about it. So the absence of negative reports is definitely proof these things are killing people.

echtogammut
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2011 6:53 pm

by echtogammut

Personally, I wouldn't buy Chinese carbon bars partly because I haven't seen any with a shallow drop shape that I like and partly because I think creating a strong drop bar is a complicated layup process that not all manufactures have perfected.

That said, mainstream manufactures should not be held up as somehow better. Zinn, reported having two 3T carbon bars break on him; once when his bike was knocked over and the other during a cyclocross event. It is not hard to find hundreds of examples of name brand carbon bars broken. If you buy a carbon bar you are giving up a certain level of "ride home after a crashness". This isn't to say aluminium is inherently stronger, because aluminium bars can be broken and not as visible as carbon. However aluminium can take wider number of stress loads from different angles than carbon (unless the carbon was designed to do so).

Mackers
Posts: 482
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:02 pm

by Mackers

F45 wrote:
Mackers wrote:Exactly, the absence of proof is proof itself, right?


Right. If someone crashes using these bars they're not going to be in any condition to post about it. So the absence of negative reports is definitely proof these things are killing people.


Using that logic there are no safe bars.

Thanks, I got it now.

Marin
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by Marin

Iirc Zinn had Easton bars break when hill bike fell over.

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theremery
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Location: New Zealand

by theremery

I have had genuine zipp SL fail after a minimal drop (not a fan) good runs with Ritchey carbon bars (WCSs) and tried Hylix carbons similar to Zipp Vuka Sprints in shape (sucked big time....flexy as hell!!).
Real Zipp Vuka sprints have been good and I've got some Costello 3T (or similar) looking aeros....they are nice (but not quite as comfy as I had hope for, shape-wise.)
It's a mixed bag, really.
Updated: Racing again! Thought this was unlikely! Eventually, I may even have a decent race!
Edit: 2015: darn near won the best South Island series (got second in age
-group)..woo hoo Racy Theremery is back!!

addictR1
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Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2012 1:11 am

by addictR1

i don't suppose there's alloy bars that are both stiff and sub 200g? probably doesn't exist huh?

andrewfelix
Posts: 73
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2015 7:43 am

by andrewfelix

Cannondale c1 are only 30 or so over 200grams. I went with Ican carbon bars and while they are strong they're a weird shape.


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sadgroove
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by sadgroove

if I were you, I wouldn't buy anything from China....

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vejnemojnen
Posts: 406
Joined: Fri Nov 08, 2013 7:11 pm

by vejnemojnen

Funny that the thread came up. I've bought a Cannondale C1 compact at saturday (new with storage marks) for 30 euros. Was thinking about aliexpress crabon Ergonova replicas, but the shape suited me better with the C1 bars. 8) They measure at 250 grams, so not that light, but I trust alloy cannondale components better than ali-knock offs. :welcome:

Jmdesignz2
Posts: 272
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:27 am

by Jmdesignz2

sadgroove wrote:if I were you, I wouldn't buy anything from China....


That's going to be quite difficult to accomplish LOL

What appliances do you have? Got a phone? Your computer is guaranteed to have chinese parts in it :p

mike
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by mike

i say yes. most high end companies use chinese facilities and they put their brand name on them. most chinese bars are as light as 190 grams and are plenty strong. to go lighter, i would stick with the tried and true schmolke carbon bar. very strong yet very light.

kauphy
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2013 3:38 am

by kauphy

Another data point - I got the Hylix Aeronova and I noticed cracks on them after 4-5 months of usage. No crashes or cases of bike falling over. They were also quite flexy. I'm now sceptical of ever using carbon handlebars. The Hylix copy of the Toupe saddle is one of my favourite saddles till date btw!

jamesbass
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 1:19 pm

by jamesbass

Just received my Hylix Ultra Light ERGONOVA from Taiwan.

Claimed weight: 180g
Actual weight: 206g

Seem really tough and I can't get them to flex at all.

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kgt
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Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

Zero flex to handlebars and seatpost is not a good thing IMO.

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