Light bars and bottlecages on a budget?

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Kumppa
Posts: 488
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 10:05 am

by Kumppa

How can you be sure it's excellent quality without cutting it? Even if you can find a full review with cutting on Youtube doesn't mean much as your handlebar can be anything between crap and good. I can't be sure these small manufacturers have any quality control as they don't have anything to lose if something happens. They will just list that product again on Ali with a different name.

At Least my life is too expensive for these noname handlebars. Bottle cages are a different story.

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froze
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 3:47 am

by froze

DHG01 wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:00 am
I certainly agree not buying fakes (and an original being expensive can't be an excuse); but some very good products at Ali Express.

This one has been mentioned.
OG Evkin HBO11. 170 grams, €46 and excelente quality- hard to beat. The longer reach might be then only caveat for some.


3DFFF9A1-26E9-41ED-9F06-EC46682861F3.jpeg
Again, I would not trust my physical well being to a generic item like a handlebar made in China, I'm sorry, but I've seen these sort of crappy generics break, heck I won't even trust CF bars made by reputable companies! I've seen those break too, in fact I guy coming towards me on a bike path suddenly for "no reason" swerved into a bunch of bushes, I stopped to see if he was ok, he just got scratches, he said his bar broke, so we got the bike out of the bushes and sure enough the bar splintered. I can't recall the brand now, but it was a very well known top of the line bar and it was only about a year old. I asked if he had crashed his bike since he got the bar, he claimed he hadn't. After that happened I talked to my bike shop mechanic and he said they get quite a few broken CF bars in, about a 100 to 1 ratio over aluminum bars! and there are more AL bars on the bikes than CF bars. They see a few AL bars that got slightly bent but CF doesn't bend they just break.

Don't get mad at me, I'm just telling you what I've been hearing, and that bike mechanic was echoing what I heard at another bike shop in town.

They also said they get quite a few broken CF wheels in as well, I personally know a guy who crashed so suddenly that after he woke up in the hospital he didn't know what happened, he riding with 5 other guys when for some "unknown" reason he was went down and woke up in the hospital. A friend who was behind saw his front wheel collapse and splinter all over the street in front of him, he got a flat from running over the pieces. That guy still hasn't been able to get back on a bike, not sure if he ever will, the accident was 2 years ago. He is suing the company but they are arguing that he can't prove that the wheel just failed, the company is claiming either he touched the wheel of another bike and the ensuing crash broke the wheel or he hit something with the front wheel at some point which eventually lead to it's failure, of course my friend denies any of that ever happened and his friends said that none of that ever happened, the case is still on going. I'm not sure if I can mention the name of the wheel manufacture because the lawsuit is continuing, so to be safe I won't.

My mechanic guys also have said they're getting a lot more failed CF forks then they ever got from steel forks, but not near as much CF fork failures as there are CF handlebar and CF seat post failures.

By the way, be prepared for anything CF to at least double in price sometime this November! Tokyo Wheel is already announcing that their wheels commonly sold for around $660 will be going to $1,300.

LanceLegstrong
Posts: 1145
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 1:35 pm

by LanceLegstrong

froze wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 5:14 pm
DHG01 wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:00 am
I certainly agree not buying fakes (and an original being expensive can't be an excuse); but some very good products at Ali Express.

This one has been mentioned.
OG Evkin HBO11. 170 grams, €46 and excelente quality- hard to beat. The longer reach might be then only caveat for some.


3DFFF9A1-26E9-41ED-9F06-EC46682861F3.jpeg
Again, I would not trust my physical well being to a generic item like a handlebar made in China, I'm sorry, but I've seen these sort of crappy generics break, heck I won't even trust CF bars made by reputable companies! I've seen those break too, in fact I guy coming towards me on a bike path suddenly for "no reason" swerved into a bunch of bushes, I stopped to see if he was ok, he just got scratches, he said his bar broke, so we got the bike out of the bushes and sure enough the bar splintered. I can't recall the brand now, but it was a very well known top of the line bar and it was only about a year old. I asked if he had crashed his bike since he got the bar, he claimed he hadn't. After that happened I talked to my bike shop mechanic and he said they get quite a few broken CF bars in, about a 100 to 1 ratio over aluminum bars! and there are more AL bars on the bikes than CF bars. They see a few AL bars that got slightly bent but CF doesn't bend they just break.

Don't get mad at me, I'm just telling you what I've been hearing, and that bike mechanic was echoing what I heard at another bike shop in town.

They also said they get quite a few broken CF wheels in as well, I personally know a guy who crashed so suddenly that after he woke up in the hospital he didn't know what happened, he riding with 5 other guys when for some "unknown" reason he was went down and woke up in the hospital. A friend who was behind saw his front wheel collapse and splinter all over the street in front of him, he got a flat from running over the pieces. That guy still hasn't been able to get back on a bike, not sure if he ever will, the accident was 2 years ago. He is suing the company but they are arguing that he can't prove that the wheel just failed, the company is claiming either he touched the wheel of another bike and the ensuing crash broke the wheel or he hit something with the front wheel at some point which eventually lead to it's failure, of course my friend denies any of that ever happened and his friends said that none of that ever happened, the case is still on going. I'm not sure if I can mention the name of the wheel manufacture because the lawsuit is continuing, so to be safe I won't.

My mechanic guys also have said they're getting a lot more failed CF forks then they ever got from steel forks, but not near as much CF fork failures as there are CF handlebar and CF seat post failures.

By the way, be prepared for anything CF to at least double in price sometime this November! Tokyo Wheel is already announcing that their wheels commonly sold for around $660 will be going to $1,300.
So you're against anything carbon? I mean, if you don't want to ride carbon parts that's cool and whatever. But if you think aluminum is somehow inherently stronger or safer, I think you may want to look into that a bit further. And carbon can be repaired, unlike the vast majority of aluminum breaks. I'm not saying that a no name carbon part from AliExpress is always going to be a quality part, but to dismiss carbon on safety concerns is silly.
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eurostar
Posts: 465
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 7:19 pm
Location: London

by eurostar

froze wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 5:14 pm
By the way, be prepared for anything CF to at least double in price sometime this November!
Why?

Tokyo Wheel's prices are going up because their sale is ending. The notion that every other CF product will double in price is just batshit crazy. Either you're trolling or you really are batshit crazy. Or 11 years old.

froze
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 3:47 am

by froze

eurostar wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 6:45 pm
froze wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 5:14 pm
By the way, be prepared for anything CF to at least double in price sometime this November!
Why?

Tokyo Wheel's prices are going up because their sale is ending. The notion that every other CF product will double in price is just batshit crazy. Either you're trolling or you really are batshit crazy. Or 11 years old.
Remember the C19 thing? or are you suffering from Alzheimer's and forgot? Prices on a lot of stuff are going up due to lack of supply and due to inflation which by itself is running an average of 5% this year so far, (some things are seeing much higher levels of 8 percent and some things seeing lower levels of just 2%). Did you notice how much fast food prices have gone up this year? or they don't let you out of the nursing care facility? They're having a difficult time getting workers to make products so the supply isn't keeping up with the demand and that alone raises prices.

So whether or not that one place is having a sale, I doubt they would knock off half the cost, and according to a site I read that was written a year ago that $600 and some odd dollars was correct back then as their normal price, not a sale price.

eurostar
Posts: 465
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 7:19 pm
Location: London

by eurostar

You are delusional. November is about to start. Let's watch "anything CF to at least double in price".

DHG01
Posts: 715
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2020 7:14 pm
Location: Madrid

by DHG01

froze wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 5:14 pm

Again, I would not trust my physical well being to a generic item like a handlebar made in China, I'm sorry, but I've seen these sort of crappy generics break, heck I won't even trust CF bars made by reputable companies! I've seen those break too, in fact I guy coming towards me on a bike path suddenly for "no reason" swerved into a bunch of bushes, I stopped to see if he was ok, he just got scratches, he said his bar broke, so we got the bike out of the bushes and sure enough the bar splintered. I can't recall the brand now, but it was a very well known top of the line bar and it was only about a year old. I asked if he had crashed his bike since he got the bar, he claimed he hadn't. After that happened I talked to my bike shop mechanic and he said they get quite a few broken CF bars in, about a 100 to 1 ratio over aluminum bars! and there are more AL bars on the bikes than CF bars. They see a few AL bars that got slightly bent but CF doesn't bend they just break.

Don't get mad at me, I'm just telling you what I've been hearing, and that bike mechanic was echoing what I heard at another bike shop in town.

They also said they get quite a few broken CF wheels in as well, I personally know a guy who crashed so suddenly that after he woke up in the hospital he didn't know what happened, he riding with 5 other guys when for some "unknown" reason he was went down and woke up in the hospital. A friend who was behind saw his front wheel collapse and splinter all over the street in front of him, he got a flat from running over the pieces. That guy still hasn't been able to get back on a bike, not sure if he ever will, the accident was 2 years ago. He is suing the company but they are arguing that he can't prove that the wheel just failed, the company is claiming either he touched the wheel of another bike and the ensuing crash broke the wheel or he hit something with the front wheel at some point which eventually lead to it's failure, of course my friend denies any of that ever happened and his friends said that none of that ever happened, the case is still on going. I'm not sure if I can mention the name of the wheel manufacture because the lawsuit is continuing, so to be safe I won't.

My mechanic guys also have said they're getting a lot more failed CF forks then they ever got from steel forks, but not near as much CF fork failures as there are CF handlebar and CF seat post failures.

By the way, be prepared for anything CF to at least double in price sometime this November! Tokyo Wheel is already announcing that their wheels commonly sold for around $660 will be going to $1,300.
Dude - I don't agree with anything you are saying. Carbon components are fine and I don't think they'll double in price during the next two months.

Having said that, there is no reason for me or anyone to get angry at you. This is a forum and you ve expressed your opinion without offending anybody.

DHG01
Posts: 715
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2020 7:14 pm
Location: Madrid

by DHG01

Kumppa wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 3:34 pm
How can you be sure it's excellent quality without cutting it? Even if you can find a full review with cutting on Youtube doesn't mean much as your handlebar can be anything between crap and good. I can't be sure these small manufacturers have any quality control as they don't have anything to lose if something happens. They will just list that product again on Ali with a different name.

At Least my life is too expensive for these noname handlebars. Bottle cages are a different story.
I disagree a bit. Manufacturers like OG Evkin, ZTTO or Elita One are very much subject to reputational and brand risk. And they have built a reputation amongst very demanding consumers - average Joe doesn't land on a ZTTO cassette or Elita One seat post, but they've sold thousands to savvy cyclist everywhere.

I only buy those brands from their stores - they actually may also be subject to being faked.

Now, to your question. I currenty ride bars from Enve, FSA (2), Thomson (Katie Comp, also 2), 3T and Token.
I haven't ridden the OG Evkin on the pic; I have ridden the shallower one. The appearance is impecable; and it rides plenty stiff (as you'd expect from a shotrter reach and shallower bar).

If someone is looking for a light bar, this is an excellent option. As is Darimo or Schmolke - but to know that, we don't need a forum.
Last edited by DHG01 on Wed Nov 03, 2021 6:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

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eucalyptus
Posts: 527
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2020 3:51 am
Location: Sweden

by eucalyptus

DHG01 wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:34 pm
Kumppa wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 3:34 pm
How can you be sure it's excellent quality without cutting it? Even if you can find a full review with cutting on Youtube doesn't mean much as your handlebar can be anything between crap and good. I can't be sure these small manufacturers have any quality control as they don't have anything to lose if something happens. They will just list that product again on Ali with a different name.

At Least my life is too expensive for these noname handlebars. Bottle cages are a different story.
I disagree a bit. Manufacturers like OG Evkin, ZTTO or Elita One are very much subject to reputational and brand risk. And they have built a reputation amongst very demanding consumers - average Joe doesn't land on a ZTTO cassette or Elita One seat post, but they've sold thousands to savvy cyclist everywhere.

I only buy those brands from their stores - they actually may also be subject to being faked.

Now, to your question. I currenty ride bars from Enve, FSA (2), Thomson (Katie Comp, also 2), 3T and Token.
I haven't ridden the OG Evkin on the pic; I have ridden the shallower one. The appearance is impecable; and it rides plenty stiff (as you'd expect from a shotrter reach and shallower bar).

If someone is looking for a light bar, this is an excellent option. As is Darimo or Schmolke - but to know that, we don't need a forum.

IMOH, Schmolke and Darimo are sketchy af as they push so hard to remove material that the max weight limit is always 90kg ish...

Perfect for the short 1.60m guy from Italy at 55kg. But for the rest of Europeans much taller and heavier, that is kinda sketchy and I rather just add a bit more material/weight to have a 100, preferably a 110kg limit.


OnT, customer service of ZTTO is srsly really good!

eljamoquio
Posts: 111
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:26 am

by eljamoquio

Are any of these recommended handlebars a set of handlebars that has the semi-internal routing option? Hoping to get a set that has the shifter cables / brake lines exiting immediately prior to the stem.

I'm actually hoping for a compliant set of handlebars, too, which I'm hoping these lightweight bars are.

CyclingGiraffe
Posts: 328
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2020 10:04 pm

by CyclingGiraffe

froze wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 5:14 pm

They also said they get quite a few broken CF wheels in as well, I personally know a guy who crashed so suddenly that after he woke up in the hospital he didn't know what happened, he riding with 5 other guys when for some "unknown" reason he was went down and woke up in the hospital. A friend who was behind saw his front wheel collapse and splinter all over the street in front of him, he got a flat from running over the pieces. That guy still hasn't been able to get back on a bike, not sure if he ever will, the accident was 2 years ago. He is suing the company but they are arguing that he can't prove that the wheel just failed, the company is claiming either he touched the wheel of another bike and the ensuing crash broke the wheel or he hit something with the front wheel at some point which eventually lead to it's failure, of course my friend denies any of that ever happened and his friends said that none of that ever happened, the case is still on going. I'm not sure if I can mention the name of the wheel manufacture because the lawsuit is continuing, so to be safe I won't.
If a lawsuit is actually pending, it would almost certainly be of public record and therefore there would be no reason not to mention the name of the wheel manufacture, as it would be a named party in a public proceeding.

openwheelracing
Posts: 371
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 6:41 am

by openwheelracing

If I was so afraid of carbon breaking I wouldnt be.able to enjoy life. Heck if I can fly in carbon I can ride on carbon. Life too short to worry like that.

eljamoquio
Posts: 111
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:26 am

by eljamoquio

DHG01 wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:00 am
I certainly agree not buying fakes (and an original being expensive can't be an excuse); but some very good products at Ali Express.

This one has been mentioned.
OG Evkin HBO11. 170 grams, €46 and excelente quality- hard to beat. The longer reach might be then only caveat for some.


3DFFF9A1-26E9-41ED-9F06-EC46682861F3.jpeg
That looks like it has external routing of cables - coudl you confirm?
Some of their advertising literature says it has 35mm clamp diameter, but that looks like standard-and-preferable 31.8... right?

DHG01
Posts: 715
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2020 7:14 pm
Location: Madrid

by DHG01

eljamoquio wrote:
Wed Nov 03, 2021 2:32 am
DHG01 wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:00 am
I certainly agree not buying fakes (and an original being expensive can't be an excuse); but some very good products at Ali Express.

This one has been mentioned.
OG Evkin HBO11. 170 grams, €46 and excelente quality- hard to beat. The longer reach might be then only caveat for some.


3DFFF9A1-26E9-41ED-9F06-EC46682861F3.jpeg
That looks like it has external routing of cables - coudl you confirm?
Some of their advertising literature says it has 35mm clamp diameter, but that looks like standard-and-preferable 31.8... right?
Hi - yes, cables go external on this model. I not sure about clamp diameter ordered it by mistake, I was after a second HB010 and ordered the HB011 by mistake. Drop them a note - they answer pretty quick.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



jpeterson1012
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2019 10:06 pm
Location: Chicago

by jpeterson1012

FSA's old extralights are what i use, 175g for a 420mm, cost me 142 USD

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