Bar-Stem combo: alloy or carbon?

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wheelsONfire
Posts: 6283
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:15 am
Location: NorthEU

by wheelsONfire

3T bars have a soft carbon. Check and you'll note how many there is who have "bite" marks from the stem using 3T bars.
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.

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MiddMan
Posts: 284
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2015 4:54 pm

by MiddMan

@wheelsONfire, I had heard this about Deda but most complaints seem to be from 2014 and earlier. Are the 'bite' marks just on the clear coat, or the actual carbon?

My understanding was that 3T is actually of thicker carbon than Deda hence a small penalty in weight.

Anyway, Superleggara is still on the table too, I haven't pulled the trigger yet. (But I have like 50 tabs open so it's bound to happen soon!)

charlieboy52000
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 5:43 am

by charlieboy52000

hannawald wrote:Saving money with alloy stem is a safe bet, carbon has very limited advantage with stem, if any..


I my opinion the road buzz is greatly reduced with a good carbon stem. This is what connects directly to the fork. I changed my stem first and I was so pleased that went with bars as well.
Do you want solid bars? Go Thomson carbon. They make the bars of a whole piece of carbon. No gluing different parts as most out there.
On a fall they break at the joints. I had a couple bad falls and those things are solid!




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duvivr6
Posts: 218
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 2:28 pm
Location: PR

by duvivr6

You have to carbon parts differently. I have 1 bike with carbon bars and the other alloy.

Bike 1: FSA os-99 stem 110mm (Carbon wrap) with SL-K 40cm bars full carbon this setup feels stiff as hell
Bike 2: Deda Zero Stem 100mm, Deda Zero 100 40cm bars this setup feel much more compliant

Tape is Fizik superlight on both

I have ridden carbon bars that felt like noodles and would flex when riding hard, never really enjoyed that. 3T Rotundo comes to mind fore some reason.

nemeseri
Posts: 794
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:40 pm

by nemeseri

I'm puzzled with all the "road buzz" reduction claims... I used alloy and carbon stems and bars, but I noticed practically no difference in road buzz. The only advantage I can see with the carbon bars is the weight reduction and better looks. Too much road buzz? Lower the front tire pressure with 20-30 psi or use a wider tire

MikeD
Posts: 1000
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 9:55 pm

by MikeD

nemeseri wrote:I'm puzzled with all the "road buzz" reduction claims... I used alloy and carbon stems and bars, but I noticed practically no difference in road buzz. The only advantage I can see with the carbon bars is the weight reduction and better looks. Too much road buzz? Lower the front tire pressure with 20-30 psi or use a wider tire


It's a princess and the pea effect; some feel it, most don't; or maybe it's psychological where one has to justify all the extra $$$ spent over equivalent alloy.

Alexandrumarian
Posts: 795
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 6:34 pm
Location: Romania

by Alexandrumarian

On an alu frame I went from rather hefty, solid alu bars to super light HM carbon bars. If anything they felt more lively and noisy which could be attributed to the paper thin thickness. When i changed from a saddle with plastic shell and metal rails to a full carbon saddle, again couldn't feel an improvement. Then I got deeper and wider carbon tubulars. Same tire size and pressure, massive cushioning effect compared to previous alu clinchers/latex. Then light carbon frame, even more cushion. Finally carbon stem, nothing obvious to feel. Soon I will put back all the old parts to make a winter bike, really curious to ride them side by side.

nemeseri
Posts: 794
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:40 pm

by nemeseri

I highly recommend the article on the silca blog about comfort and tire pressure: https://silca.cc/blogs/journal/part-3-t ... nd-comfort

At the end of the article you can see that the stiffness differences between super stiff aero carbon frames and comfort frames can be eliminated with dropping 1 bar pressure from the tires.

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