Carbon Bars + 'Cross = Ouch

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10-08-2007, 07:40 AM
SheFly

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Carbon Bars + 'Cross = Ouch

DH TOLD me to warm up on the trainer, but I HATE the trainer and decided instead to go warm up on the roads. I cruised up the pavement from the parking lot, and took a right by a school. Knowing that the pavement isn't good on my 'cross tires, I hopped up to ride on the grass alongside the sidewalk, and BOOM - hit a hole. As I was headed off my bike, I heard a snap and knew this was going to 1) hurt a lot, and 2) damage my bike. I was right on both counts (and I'm still really sore, two days later).

A HUGE thanks to my teammate (and National Champion) - she let me race her BRAND NEW Redline after a pedal swap and a quick lesson on how to work the SRAM shifters. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have been able to race, so thanks, Julie!

Unfortunately, because my head wasn't really in the game after crashing so hard, and I was riding a bike I didn't know (have to say, not a big fan of the SRAM...), I didn't end up doing that well in the race - finishing 10th out of 12 starters. It's too bad too - the course was FAST and FUN.

Sadly, instead of heading up to the house in Bethel, we had to drive back to MA to buy and install new [aluminum] bars and cables on my bike to prep for the next day's race.

In this case though, a picture is worth more than 1000 words....
10-08-2007, 07:43 AM
mimitabby

thanks for sharing the picture. Gosh, and you're just a little thing too, aren't you!!

i hope you feel better soon.
10-08-2007, 08:01 AM
SheFly

Quote:

Originally Posted by mimitabby

Gosh, and you're just a little thing too, aren't you!!

I wish :D . Five foot 10, and about 150 lbs. Not so little... Thankfully, Julie rides a frame just one size smaller than mine, so we worked it out nicely.

Thanks, mimi, for the well wishes!

SheFly
10-08-2007, 08:19 AM
mimitabby

oh, duly noted; you are not tiny, but you're not a heavyweight either.
10-08-2007, 08:37 AM
velogirl

I love carbon, but would never consider it for bar or stem on my cross bike. At a race yesterday, one of my teammates broke her carbon bar -- during the race. Luckily, she wasn't hurt, but at the right/wrong moment, that break could be disastrous. She bought the bike used from a pro rider and my guess is it probably saw a few crashes in the past, compromising the integrity of the bar. It broke while she was just riding.

Glad you're okay, SheFly!
10-08-2007, 08:58 AM
Trekhawk

OUCH!!!!

Glad you are ok and well done for still racing.:)
10-08-2007, 09:47 AM
Sheesh

That picture really is worth a 1000 words! OMG!

I'm glad you're okay and that you were able to still race.

Now you've got me wondering what bars are on my bike...
10-08-2007, 11:17 AM
wavedancer

Ouch is right! I hope you aren't hurting too much today. You're pretty tough stuff to get back on Julie's bike and race anyway. How did Sunday's race go?
10-08-2007, 12:38 PM
cycling_sarah

Yikes! Glad you are ok! Hope the bruises heal up fast. You are so brave to get right back on and race, but I guess that's the best way to do it...don't give yourself time to think about the crash and get nerved up ;-)
10-08-2007, 12:47 PM
SheFly

'Fessing Up

Thanks, all!

Velogirl - DH put these on my bike to "save weight". And they were used. I just ride whatever he builds... That said, we have BOTH learned an important lesson here - carbon bars are not a good option for 'cross.

I also think the "hole" that I hit would have broken brand new carbon bars. It was more of an "abyss" :D .

As for getting back on and racing - didn't want to. Mentally, I was all done for the day, if not the weekend. DH, however, wouldn't let me off, and went in search of a bike - his expectation was that I had paid and registered, already had my number pinned on, so I was racing. So, I was kind of "forced" into the race.

Now I know, if I REALLY didn't want to, I could have put my foot down, but sometimes it is easier to just grin and bear it. That said, it was probably good for me to exorcise the demons so that I could hop back in the saddle for the next race.

SheFly (who loves her new ALUMINUM bars!)
10-08-2007, 05:15 PM
trigirlpink

Oh my...

That is a scary picture. I'm so glad you are ok. This happened in Biddeford??? Did you end up going to Maine the next day too???

I was scheduled to ride only in Maine on Sunday but did a quick switch to Biddeford on Saturday due to some last minute company coming for the weekend. ( How dare they mess with my cross practice/racing) :D :D

I did not have a good race on that fairly simplistic course. Lots of reasons but mainly just not aggressive enough at the start coupled with lack of experience. I was hoping to bring what I learned from Amesbury there, but not sure what my deal was.I think I did all of the laps alone with a very fast group in front and a slower one behind. The solo Oreo creme filling sandwiched between...
not the optimally fun way to do a cross race I'm learning especially after Amesbury and having some women around me. That is much more fun.
Today I got myself out in the rain and wet to go toughen my chicken-self up over at a nice town forest with my husband coaching or more like coaxing me down some sandy rocky hills.:rolleyes:
10-08-2007, 05:32 PM
trigirlpink

I forgot to mention my husband's friend also broke his bike during warm/up right after my race so I just tossed him my bike to use. A quick pedal change out and off he rode. I was happy to help out. I had to defend him a few times from the "nice bar tape" "pretty flowers" comments from the spectators! Here he is right after those up-hill barriers in Biddeford ME.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...k/IMG_0882.jpg
10-08-2007, 06:01 PM
7rider

Y'ouch!
Now I know the genesis of Mimi's carbon bar comment in another thread!
Glad you're okay. I'd been wondering about carbon bars/stems/ (and forks!) on 'cross bikes. Add it to the list of "things that make you go, 'hmmmm'".
Glad you're okay.
10-08-2007, 06:09 PM
Zen

Quote:

Originally Posted by trigirlpink

I had to defend him a few times from the "nice bar tape" "pretty flowers" comments from the spectators!

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...k/IMG_0882.jpg

Those who can, do.
Those who can't are SPECTATORS.:cool:
10-08-2007, 06:33 PM
cwodiva

Wow! What a picture! Glad you're okay and didn't get badly injured. Way to get back on the bike and keep going. great lesson on carbon.
10-08-2007, 06:53 PM
SheFly

Quote:

Originally Posted by trigirlpink

Oh my...

That is a scary picture. I'm so glad you are ok. This happened in Biddeford??? Did you end up going to Maine the next day too???

Yup - happened in Biddeford out warming up before my race. Hopped on Julie's bike after a pedal change and went off anyway. I did do New Gloucester on Sunday as well, but was pretty sore from going down so hard.

You had a great race on Sat - top 10 finish and you didn't get lapped. Two GREAT goals! That was a tough course - had to be "on" the whole time, or you would get gapped. When you get into a situation like that on those courses (where you are on your own between groups), resort to your tri/TT skills, and just motor - you could have made up some good time on that dirt climb and on the grass!

Good for you in getting out today - more than I did ;) . I'm on rest this week due to the injuries and heading into Gloucester next weekend.

SheFly

p.s.

One of our male friends used my TT bike last year at the Charlie Baker - pink bar tape and all, and beat my best time. I think pink bar tape makes the guys ride faster :D
10-08-2007, 06:56 PM
SheFly

Quote:

Originally Posted by zencentury

Those who can, do.
Those who can't are SPECTATORS.:cool:

Oh, yeah! Nice capture, Zen!
10-08-2007, 10:01 PM
DirtDiva

It's recommended that carbon bars are replaced every so often (24 months?), but replaced after less drama would've been good! :eek: Glad you're more or less okay. :)
10-09-2007, 06:05 AM
SAMbike

SheFly - did the break happen when you hit the hole and then you fell to the ground due to the bars breaking? Or did the bars break after the bike hit the ground? I think it's the first... but just wanted to be sure. If it's the first, that's really bad. So good to hear you're ok!
10-09-2007, 06:25 AM
SheFly

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAMbike

SheFly - did the break happen when you hit the hole and then you fell to the ground due to the bars breaking? Or did the bars break after the bike hit the ground? I think it's the first... but just wanted to be sure. If it's the first, that's really bad. So good to hear you're ok!

I'm pretty sure the bars broke as a result of hitting the hole. I heard the snap as I was headed toward the ground....

SheFly
10-09-2007, 08:43 AM
velogirl

Most carbon forks are fine. I'd stay away from a carbon fork with a carbon steer tube on a cross bike. Carbon seatposts are usually fine, too, but a pita because they frequently slip, especially seatposts with carbon clamps. But carbon bars and stems take a lot of stress during riding, and each time the bike falls/gets dropped, we're compromising the integrity of the component.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Regina

Y'ouch!
I'd been wondering about carbon bars/stems/ (and forks!) on 'cross bikes. Add it to the list of "things that make you go, 'hmmmm'".
Glad you're okay.
10-09-2007, 10:19 AM
Voodoo Sally

:eek: Glad you're OK SheFly! And you are a trouper for racing anyway.

LOL about the bike you lent to your guy friend, trigirl!

I didn't race this weekend, BUT, as I was camping in Acadia National Park in Maine, who came up to me from the campsite next door but Karin from NEBC! She and her friend were up there after Sat.'s race and planned to ride the carriage roads for the next couple of days, as did my friends and I.
10-09-2007, 11:22 AM
RoadRaven

Whoa SheFly!!!

So pleased you were ok and able to still ride, but disappointing to be riding an unfamiliar bike.

Those bars are the same as my 16year old son's!

*Note to self, find way to carry spare handle bars in seat bag* :p
10-15-2008, 03:16 PM
Beane

more evidence that cx + carbon = bad idea

Here's my DH's saddle and seatpost after his race this weekend...

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...8/oct14005.jpg
10-16-2008, 06:22 AM
SheFly

YOWZA! I hope he is ok. I still run a carbon seatpost, but have switched to aluminum bars...

SheFly
10-16-2008, 10:39 AM
ridebikeme

carbon bars+ ' Cross

Ummm... glad to hear that you are ok!

I agree with many of the others, would NOt use a carbon handlebar/stem on a cross bike or any bike for that matter. I also would not use a carbon fork with a carbon steer tube... although it may save a bit of weight, it isn't worth the risk. As for replacing, even aluminum handlebars and stems should be replaced every couple of years... we both a LOT of stress on this area.

Thanks for sharing your photos!!:p
10-16-2008, 06:48 PM
ridebikeme

Ummm... glad to hear that you are ok!

I agree with many of the others, I would NOt use a carbon handlebar/stem on a cross bike or any bike for that matter. I also would not use a carbon fork with a carbon steer tube... although it may save a bit of weight, it isn't worth the risk. As for replacing, even aluminum handlebars and stems should be replaced every couple of years... we put a LOT of stress on this area.

Thanks for sharing your photos!!:
10-18-2008, 08:09 AM
NadiaMac

1 Attachment(s)

here's my broken-carbon-bar-on-cross-bike addition to the photo collection. It broke during a race, fortunately just after I had crested a hill so I did not crash. I rode the rest of the lap with the broken bar, shifting on the dangling bar. It was crazy. Suffice it to say no more carbon bits on my cross bike- I replaced the bar and carbon seat tube with trusty aluminum, actually not all that much heavier.
10-22-2008, 06:50 PM
SpeedyChix

Been seeing way too many cracked carbon bars this fall. One racer didn't even realize she'd lost the drop of the bar (!?!). Light is nice but solid and impact resistant much better. I do get a bit nervous about the carbon fork but that is the one carbon bit on my CX bikes.

Ride safe