Best carbon handlebars
Moderator: robbosmans
Hey guys just wanted some opinion
I have a new TCR sl 0 coming next week
It has aluminium handlebars and when I weighed it in store today (m/l frame size)
Without pedals it came in at 6.3 kg
Wanted to potentially change the handlebars for a lighter set
Any thoughts on the best choices ?
I see Giant Alpecin use pro handlebars
I have a new TCR sl 0 coming next week
It has aluminium handlebars and when I weighed it in store today (m/l frame size)
Without pedals it came in at 6.3 kg
Wanted to potentially change the handlebars for a lighter set
Any thoughts on the best choices ?
I see Giant Alpecin use pro handlebars
Here we go again, another thread with notorious topic "best". There's no "best" for anything in this world.
Modern aluminum handlebars are light and stiff these days. Before you spend ~$250, it's probably a good idea to weight what you are trying to replace. Wouldn't be a deal breaker when you carbon handlebars arrive and you find out that you just saved ~ 5 grams?!
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Modern aluminum handlebars are light and stiff these days. Before you spend ~$250, it's probably a good idea to weight what you are trying to replace. Wouldn't be a deal breaker when you carbon handlebars arrive and you find out that you just saved ~ 5 grams?!
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Last edited by mpulsiv on Sun Aug 07, 2016 12:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Sounds like you should have titles this thread LIGHTER carbon bars.... Sounds like you just want to lose weight. Everybody's 'best' is different on this forum...
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mpulsiv wrote:Here we go again, another thread with notorious topic "best". There's no "best" for anything in this world.
Modern aluminum handlebars are light and stiff these days. Before you spend ~$250, it's probably a good idea to weight what you are trying to replace. Wouldn't be a deal breaker when you carbon handlebars arrive and you find out that you just saved ~ 5 grams?!
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Mpulsiv thanks for the reply
I understand ..... Potentially the aluminium bars are already very light
I will get the weight of them from the shop first and compare .
Out of interest what is a typical weight for a set of handelbars ? ( ie not sure what a light weight would be )
McGilli wrote:Sounds like you should have titles this thread LIGHTER carbon bars.... Sounds like you just want to lose weight. Everybody's 'best' is different on this forum...
Mcgilli yes I appear to have titled my post incorrectly
Sorry for the error
I am a new member and very new to the forum so I guess lots to learn
mimason wrote:SL0s are spec'd with carbon bars not aluminum so maybe you need to ask your shop whats up.
Mimason that is worrying as I was in the store yesterday and with the physical bike and I was pretty sure they looked like aluminium and asked the shop owner who confirmed it had a carbon stem and aluminium bars .
I am based in the United Kingdom in London and perhaps the spec over here is different ?
[quote="mpulsiv"]Here we go again, another thread with notorious topic "best". There's no "best" for anything in this [/quote]
Quite, the meaning of "best" depends on what you are looking for. I have a pair of 3T carbon bars in my shed that have only been ridden for 40 miles, for me they felt unbearably stiff and uncomfortable. My best bike now has an FSA carbon bar that is perfect..., for me. 2 other bikes have a butted aluiminium FSA bar with the same bend as the carbon bar and there is a slight difference in feel, with what to me to feels like very slightly less absorption of road "buzz". I have the same bend bar in plain guage alu on another bike (as an economy measure) and it is noticibly stiffer than the db alu and carbon bars of the same design, but still more comfortable than the 3T. None of the bars seem to make as much difference to comfort as tyre choice and pressure, but they do make a difference.
In summary, decide (or find out by accident) what handling qualities and feel you want and shop around.
Quite, the meaning of "best" depends on what you are looking for. I have a pair of 3T carbon bars in my shed that have only been ridden for 40 miles, for me they felt unbearably stiff and uncomfortable. My best bike now has an FSA carbon bar that is perfect..., for me. 2 other bikes have a butted aluiminium FSA bar with the same bend as the carbon bar and there is a slight difference in feel, with what to me to feels like very slightly less absorption of road "buzz". I have the same bend bar in plain guage alu on another bike (as an economy measure) and it is noticibly stiffer than the db alu and carbon bars of the same design, but still more comfortable than the 3T. None of the bars seem to make as much difference to comfort as tyre choice and pressure, but they do make a difference.
In summary, decide (or find out by accident) what handling qualities and feel you want and shop around.
Last edited by mm1 on Sun Aug 07, 2016 7:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
It depends how much you'd like to learn. Some will charge a credit card after finding out that replacement can save merely 5 grams and some can do a deep dive and absorb slew of information http://blog.fairwheelbikes.com/reviews- ... bar-review
There's more than weight when it comes to handlebars. Narrow down the type (e.g., traditional or compact), reach, drop and sweep. Don't worry to much about deflection. Modern handlebars are stiff enough, whether it's aluminum or carbon. From time to time you will see threads with title "Chinese handlebars" where people report how noodly they feel. That's what happens when you buy open mold (no brand) crap from random eBay sellers.
If you are in process of shaving weight of your bike, weight everything and keep track in a simple spreadsheet.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
There's more than weight when it comes to handlebars. Narrow down the type (e.g., traditional or compact), reach, drop and sweep. Don't worry to much about deflection. Modern handlebars are stiff enough, whether it's aluminum or carbon. From time to time you will see threads with title "Chinese handlebars" where people report how noodly they feel. That's what happens when you buy open mold (no brand) crap from random eBay sellers.
If you are in process of shaving weight of your bike, weight everything and keep track in a simple spreadsheet.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited by mpulsiv on Sun Aug 07, 2016 7:08 am, edited 2 times in total.
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I'm loving my new 3T Aeronova bars. Light, aero, stiff enough for me!
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I would focus on the of shape the bar. Ride the bar you get and get a feel for it.
Then focus on if their is another shape you'd like better, another reach and drop.
After that, i would consider how relevant shaving grams is.
Honestly, most of this is in the head. Shaving weight will likely get you to buy lots of new components.
Perhaps even a new bike...
Then focus on if their is another shape you'd like better, another reach and drop.
After that, i would consider how relevant shaving grams is.
Honestly, most of this is in the head. Shaving weight will likely get you to buy lots of new components.
Perhaps even a new bike...
Bikes:
Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)
Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.
Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)
Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.
UK site indicates contact slr bar. Thats carbon
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bi ... 957/90497/
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bi ... 957/90497/
gavin wrote:I am based in the United Kingdom in London and perhaps the spec over here is different ?
Nope. Giant SLR carbon bar, unless they've swapped it in the shop. Could also be that the salesman's a clueless monkey and was making it up as he went along.
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