Carbon vs. Aluminum handlebars

[bet1216]

I have been using carbon bars on my my road bikes for a long time. I am building up a gravel bike and I see most of the handlebars that are sold as gravel bars are aluminum. Why is that? Is it just a durability issue? Are there issues with carbon on gravel (beyond crashes obviously). What about dampening of some of the buzz...wouldn't the carbon be better than aluminum or not really? I'm looking for the best comfort/performance type of discussion and not necessarily just price. I"m not particularly interested in huge flair and want my brake levers straight and not angled and the bike will definitely do some tarmac/pavement riding. What do others look for in gravel handlebars?

[eljamoquio]

Heck I'm specifically looking for 'flexible' carbon handlebars for the reasons you mention (that also have internal routing of cables). I have aluminum bars right now and I'm definitely thinking carbon bars are the way to go, assuming you can keep the bicycle upright.

[cerro]

Because aluminium is cheaper and most people getting a gravelbike as first bike and don want to spend 200€+ for a handlebar.

I prefer carbon bars for the comfort. Been using Zipp SL-70 Aero, Specialized S-Works Aerofly, Specialized S-Works Shallow, Darimo Ellipse road and Factor's OTIS barcombo so far Would never get an alubar if I had the money for a carbon bar.

[bobrayner]

I have been using carbon bars on my my road bikes for a long time. I am building up a gravel bike and I see most of the handlebars that are sold as gravel bars are aluminum. Why is that? Is it just a durability issue? Are there issues with carbon on gravel (beyond crashes obviously). What about dampening of some of the buzz...wouldn't the carbon be better than aluminum or not really? I'm looking for the best comfort/performance type of discussion and not necessarily just price. I"m not particularly interested in huge flair and want my brake levers straight and not angled and the bike will definitely do some tarmac/pavement riding. What do others look for in gravel handlebars?

Vibration dampening is all about the how the bars are designed, shapes and thicknesses, not the material per se. (Plus maybe bartape).

Personally, I'm happy with carbon on some very rough routes: https://imgur.com/a/ubXFi6U

But it's a very personal choice - find whichever handlebar style works best for you!

[xixang]

I've not personally ridden an aluminum bar that I feel damped as well as a carbon bar all dimensions and angles being equal. Frame material, tires, tire pressure, and bar tape make a difference but for me just changing from alloy to carbon was noticeable and made the extra cost worth it. Here is an article I found helpful to compare gravel bars

https://bikepacking.com/index/gravel-bars/

I run a Whisky No.9 12f but mostly since I prefer a 46cm wide short reach carbon bar also without crazy flare and drop and almost no other bars fit that criteria.

[Hexsense]

People fall more often on mud spot on gravel road and they don't care as much about additional weight on gravel bike when they carry a lot on the bike themself.
So, many switch to aluminum for durability and cost reason.

I also use aluminum bar on gravel bike for the cost and durability. I have Redshift Shockstop stem to do the vibration dampening job.
That free up bar to be selected for the shape alone, not vibration dampening properties.
I need bar top to be flat for comfort. I tried hard to like round bar and oval bar because it's more fashionable on gravel and aero on gravel bike is faff. But I gave up. I needed aero shaped top to rest my hands and arms comfortably.
So far $60 flat top aluminum bar from wiggle (https://www.wiggle.com/prime-doyenne-aero-handlebar) out comfy my other more expensive gravel handlebars with round top.

If I didn't already use Redshift Shockstop stem, I might consider some comfort benefit of carbon bar that design to flex.

[NickJHP]

Can't say I notice the CF/Al difference. I have the same model bar in both aluminium and carbon fibre (Syntace Racelite) on different bikes, and other than the weight of the unmounted bar, I can't tell any difference in feel. Seeing that coming off the bike happens more frequently on gravel, I'd rather use Al than CF bars there.

[CampagYOLO]

I seem to mount more things on my handlebars on the gravel bike such as a bar bag and lights.
I'd rather do this with aluminium bars than carbon ones in case the finish gets worn away by an errant bag strap.
Not really a fan of covering expensive carbon bars with frame protector tape.

Also just not as fussed about weight with the gravel bike as I am with the road bikes.

[fourfa]

I see plenty of carbon gravel bars. I use the carbon Cowbell - loved the aluminum Cowbell on an old Salsa, liked the shape, and wanted my gravel bike a bit racier and lighter. I do wrap electrical tape over where the handlebar bag straps go for bikepacking.

Am I still on weight weenies? We're not fussed about weight any more?

[eljamoquio]

Because aluminium is cheaper and most people getting a gravelbike as first bike and don want to spend 200€+ for a handlebar.

I prefer carbon bars for the comfort. Been using Zipp SL-70 Aero, Specialized S-Works Aerofly, Specialized S-Works Shallow, Darimo Ellipse road and Factor's OTIS barcombo so far Would never get an alubar if I had the money for a carbon bar.

Which do you think is the flexi-est? I'm trying to get a weight-weenie bar that flexes a lot, which you might not think would be difficult, but...

[Erwin]

3T Aeronova LTD is called one of the flexiest bars. I like them a lot. But big reach could be a problem for gravel bikes.

[cerro]

Because aluminium is cheaper and most people getting a gravelbike as first bike and don want to spend 200€+ for a handlebar.

I prefer carbon bars for the comfort. Been using Zipp SL-70 Aero, Specialized S-Works Aerofly, Specialized S-Works Shallow, Darimo Ellipse road and Factor's OTIS barcombo so far Would never get an alubar if I had the money for a carbon bar.

Which do you think is the flexi-est? I'm trying to get a weight-weenie bar that flexes a lot, which you might not think would be difficult, but...

Darimo in the drops, The Factor Vista Allroadbar on top. Think Erwin got right and if you want flex an thin aerobar is the way to go.

[eljamoquio]

Darimo in the drops, The Factor Vista Allroadbar on top. Think Erwin got right and if you want flex an thin aerobar is the way to go.

3T Aeronova LTD is called one of the flexiest bars. I like them a lot. But big reach could be a problem for gravel bikes.

Thanks! I agree that the thin system will be more compliant; but I spend a lot of time in the tops going up mountains... how's the ergonomics of the aerobar(s)?

[BikeTyson]

Darimo in the drops, The Factor Vista Allroadbar on top. Think Erwin got right and if you want flex an thin aerobar is the way to go.

3T Aeronova LTD is called one of the flexiest bars. I like them a lot. But big reach could be a problem for gravel bikes.

Thanks! I agree that the thin system will be more compliant; but I spend a lot of time in the tops going up mountains... how's the ergonomics of the aerobar(s)?

I personally hate the ergonomics of aerobars. Got rid of my Aerofly II because I hated riding on the tops. They're the only aero bar I've tried, so I can't say how others feel, but if you ride on the tops a lot, I'd avoid super flat aero bars. I've heard Darimo are super flexy from more than one person on here, but for me too pricey for my gravel bike. I've been happy with a set of Enve compact road bars. Still on the pricier side, but I took them off my road bike (too wide) so didn't really have to buy a new set. If I was buying some now, I'd look at the Cadex AR bars. Pretty light at under 200g, slight flare, and a little backsweep in the tops for ergonomics. Short reach at 70mm, shoort drop of 115mm, which may not work for everybody.

https://www.cadex-cycling.com/global/sh ... -handlebar
https://bikerumor.com/2021/10/20/195g-c ... iting-for/

[nickf]

Those cadex bars are compelling. Nice weight just not sure about that shorts of a reach and drop. My go-to carbon bars for road and gravel are Easton bars. Short and shallow at 80 reach and 125 drop. Can't say if they dampen more than other bars. Running 38 or 40c tires at low pressures kinda mutes the entire bike.