Di2 compatible alloy handelbars?

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vinuneuro
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Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 10:34 pm
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by vinuneuro

I came across the Shimano Pro Vibe alloy bar which is very reasonably priced. However it has holes at the end of the bars, but not around the shifter area. Are their any alloy bars that have the holes there?

I am not comfortable drilling past an inch or two from the end, so if there aren't any other Di2 alloy bars I'll just drill my current ones at the ends.
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IrrelevantD
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by IrrelevantD

I'd think you're going to be hard pressed to find any aluminum bar mfg's that will put holes up past the bottom of the drops. Holes in aluminum unless properly reinforced are just asking for trouble as everything from the bends in the drops up to the stem area is going to be high stress area. As soon as you get a stress crack in one of those holes, you have a potential lawsuit. I've had an aluminum bar snap on me... it's not a pretty sight. Most bars are so thin that when it snaps, it's catastrophic and quick.

Carbon is different, they can adjust the layup to better support the bars around the holes and stress cracks, from my experience, don't fail as catastrophically. The fibers tend to hold it together a bit. I had a carbon fiber crank snap at the spindle and was still able to ride it 7 miles home so long as I didn't stand up.

if you're going to drill them, an inch or two from the ends would probably be safe. Just don't go anywhere between where you'd put your hands in the drops and the stem.
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Carcinogent
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Location: France

by Carcinogent

In my experience DI2 cables are thin enough so you can route them the 'classic' way under the bar tape and use the hole at the end of the bars for the junction box. The PRO VIbe handlebars are listed as Di2 integrated so I think this is what Shimano thought as far as running the cables as per the manual here (https://www.pro-bikegear.com/content/da ... outing.pdf)

General info on drilling alloy handlebars (use at your own risk =) ) Pick up the beefier models. The Vibe is scary light @240g as compared to the PLT one @ 275g for example.

vinuneuro
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by vinuneuro

The other big reason I'm not getting the Pro Vibe is because you can't use the the center hole unless you use their stem right?
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Carcinogent
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by Carcinogent

I can't tell from the manual, though if you are using the junction box that goes at the end of the handlebar it shouldn't matter. The Vibe stem makes using a steerer battery and it runs the cables internally. If you run a seat-post battery, a regular stem should work for you in my opinion, though others can chime in. There is an installation video that should answer most of your questions here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHoSDEXR3B0

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IrrelevantD
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by IrrelevantD

Just out of curiosity... any reason you're looking at alloy? If it's cost, if you look carefully you could probably find a suitable carbon bar with holes already designed into it for cable routing at a somewhat comparable cost. I found my Zipp SL70 Aero bars for about $120 and have been perfectly happy with them for cable routing. That being said, I have my junction box under the stem.
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lord_brush
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by lord_brush

I ended up routing the wires the way they want me too :roll:

After considering the drill holes in the bends, I went for routing them up the outside of the bends under the tape. I have the bar end junction with x1 short wire going to my R/H shifter, and another longer (1200mm), wire going from the bar end junction 2nd port through the inside of the bar and out of the "slot" the other side before routing up the outside of the bar bend to the L/H shifter. The only use that small central hole has is to gather a bit of excess etube up if it's a bit long- you can pull a loop thru the hole, tie-it off with a small zip tie and house the excess loop inside the stem.

I've then got long etube from L/H shifter traditionally routed, shrink wrapped to the rear brake cable, and coupled to a Dfly transmitter in the downtube.

I'm happy enough with the result (eventually). Etubes are noticeable under my tape, but I am using LS DSP 1.8mm Race. I'm sure I'll get use to their presence after a ride or two, and a thicker tape would probably help conceal the wires better.

My other annoyance with the bars is that they DON'T have a "groove", for brake/ Di2 cables- it's a flat section under the top section of the bars.
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Rob1519
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Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 7:29 pm

by Rob1519

I'm fairly happy with the Bontrager Race Lite Aero bars. Aluminum with internal routing.

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