carbon bars & handling

[Miranda]

I know some of you that own carbon bars you say a benefit is more hand comfort. I.e. the carbon bar helps to soak up road vibration, just like a carbon frame. So... that's one of my main reasons for upgrading from my alloy bar.

My question is... how does it change bike handling?

Notice any difference with the bar being lighter? Diff material? I have read some negs of people getting used to carbon wheels (shimming-vibration) on descents. Just didn't know if corning, descending, was diff with the carbon.

My Orbea's stock bar was the alloy version of this. I have no beefs with it... so I was just going to get the idential bar in carbon. In link below...
http://www.orbeaproshop.com/products/detail.aspx?id=68

Ops?

Thx-
Miranda

[Cataboo]

I can't say I'm a super fast cornerer, but I'm quite happy descending fast.

I don't notice any difference with the carbon bars in terms of handling, they do soak up vibrations and make my wrists happier.

I use the fsa k-wings and like the flat area.

As for carbon wheels... My spinergy rev-x's soak up vibrations and chip seal like nothing on earth... the bike comparatively feels heavy I guess you would say, the wheels are heavier than my others... but I'm fast on them I don't corner hard on them and try to take it somewhat easy 'cause you hear tons of horror stories about those wheels... but they do warp if you corner them hard (the bf has done it on them... pushes the rim into the brake pads).

I don't notice shimming vibrations on descents... I do gain a ton of speed downhill with the wheels. They're a bit freaky on a windy day or if a big truck passes me.

[Miranda]

I can't say I'm a super fast cornerer, but I'm quite happy descending fast.

I don't notice any difference with the carbon bars in terms of handling, they do soak up vibrations and make my wrists happier.

I use the fsa k-wings and like the flat area.

As for carbon wheels... My spinergy rev-x's soak up vibrations and chip seal like nothing on earth... the bike comparatively feels heavy I guess you would say, the wheels are heavier than my others... but I'm fast on them I don't corner hard on them and try to take it somewhat easy 'cause you hear tons of horror stories about those wheels... but they do warp if you corner them hard (the bf has done it on them... pushes the rim into the brake pads).

I don't notice shimming vibrations on descents... I do gain a ton of speed downhill with the wheels. They're a bit freaky on a windy day or if a big truck passes me.

Thanks, Catriona. That's exactly what I was looking for. I have also considered getting carbon for wheels, besides my bar. When I got my new bike, that change in itself was enough. My stock wheels are Reynolds Solitudes. Good alum clincher, w/semi-aero rim. I too can tell the diff in the wind overall. Part is the whole bike is lighter. Part is the semi-aero wheels. But, seems like that got better towards end of season, from completely freaking out I would get blown over at the start. The lbs offered to do a change upgrade to Reynolds Attacks w/carbon. Now, along with my carbon bar, I'm wishing I would have. Unfortunately they chip-n-sealed more of my fav riding roads. So, my vote is, let the carbon soak up as much as possible.

Any more ops, bring em on.

[Ana]

My LBS suggested these "buzzkill" (Bontrager) things you stick on the end of your handlebars instead of bar ends They are supposed to soak up the vibrations. Because it's been cold/snowy/icky, I haven't tested them yet but I will let you know!

[Cataboo]

Unfortunately they chip-n-sealed more of my fav riding roads. So, my vote is, let the carbon soak up as much as possible.

Any more ops, bring em on.

I do fine on my titanium bike on chip seal as well - which I think could be partly several reasons - my chip seal is like 2 years old now, my core is a lot stronger than it used to be, it does have carbon handlebars, and I think titanium is just not jarring. Chipseal on an aluminum bike is just unpleasant buzzing and jarring, the ti gives a buzz, but it's not unpleasant and doesn't jar. The ti bike has a quick lively feel, my all carbon bike doesn't have the same liveliness even though it does feel more powerful accelerating - and I haven't figured out whether that's just because I'm not getting as much feedback from the road on the carbon or what. Either way, I like both bikes

[nscrbug]

My LBS suggested these "buzzkill" (Bontrager) things you stick on the end of your handlebars instead of bar ends They are supposed to soak up the vibrations. Because it's been cold/snowy/icky, I haven't tested them yet but I will let you know!

I have the BuzzKill bar ends on my bike, and I have to say that I really don't feel that they "soak up" a lot of road vibration. And I'm riding a full carbon frame (Cervelo Soloist Carbon). I think I'll be looking at carbon bars, next.

[Ana]

I have the BuzzKill bar ends on my bike, and I have to say that I really don't feel that they "soak up" a lot of road vibration. And I'm riding a full carbon frame (Cervelo Soloist Carbon). I think I'll be looking at carbon bars, next.

Oh, I'm so disappointed to hear that! My LBS said I could bring them back if they were overselling it and I didn't find them helpful

[Miranda]

Thanks for the added posts!

Buddy of mine told me about the Bontrager buzz kill bar ends. Though he does not own them. I was skeptical as well. Hmm, good insight.

And... also from some other carbon bar owners on road soak up.

Some of my fav roads just got chip and sealed in the Fall *sigh*. Some gov issue of road money, vs. paving properly (from a cycling viewpoint).

On the Ti bike... vs. carbon... I had heard that too. I wish I could ride a ti and steele frame. Just to feel that diff, from carbon. But, what everything I know, have read, is that the carbon will have that "dead feel". The weave sucks up the vibrations. The ti gives you road feel back.

Yes, I do know what you mean about the aluminum frame. That was my first bike. Very different feel.

Personally, I love my carbon frame.

[Cataboo]

I loved my carbon bike a whole lot more before I got my ti frame. So I would suggest you not test ride a ti or steel bike I do have a steel surly pacer and I can't say that I like it anywhere near as much as the ti or carbon - so maybe don't test ride a surly pacer as representative.

The bf far prefers his ti frame to his carbon - and tends to complain overly much about the dead feel.

[KnottedYet]

It took me a while to find steel bars, but I adore them compared to the usual aluminum bars. Buzz seems to bite my hands hard, and it is just gone with steel bars. Haven't tried carbon, but I'll keep it in mind.

(of course, I have steel bars on a steel bike, so there may be some sort of synergy going on there)

[MartianDestiny]

I haven't noticed any handling difference with carbon bars (have them on my roadie, mountain bike, and soon the cross bike as well).

Honestly, I buy the carbon road bars because they are the only ones I can find in my size and in the style I like. I'd be buying them in aluminum as well if they made them in aluminum. Since I haven't ridden my (full carbon) road bike with anything other than these carbon bars I can't really say if they soak up any vibration.

My new wheels however, have smoothed the ride out just a hair.

I would think that bar characteristics such as width, drop shape, and reach would have more affect on handling than material.

[Eden]

I loved my carbon bike a whole lot more before I got my ti frame. So I would suggest you not test ride a ti or steel bike I do have a steel surly pacer and I can't say that I like it anywhere near as much as the ti or carbon - so maybe don't test ride a surly pacer as representative.

The bf far prefers his ti frame to his carbon - and tends to complain overly much about the dead feel.

Feel of a bike has as much to do with the design of the frame as it does with the material. I know someone who had to get rid of their Ti frame because it was too harsh. I also know people who have cushy riding aluminum... My carbon bike certainly doesn't feel dead.

I have cheap-o second hand aluminum bars on my ti bike and I can't say I notice much road buzz. I did however replace the cheap-o second hand seat post aluminum that I put on it originally with a carbon one and that made a big difference (not to my hands... but to my backside at least).

[Cataboo]

I think titanium (and for that matter steel) tubing can be tuned to feel like almost anything - I'd assume that 6/4 ti is stiffer and a harsher ride than 4/3, but haven't test rode any and have read some reviews saying that isn't so. So it wouldn't surprise me if you could do a fair amount with carbon tubing - but I'm not sure you can make it give you the same road feel as steel or carbon.

My carbon bike isn't so much dead, as ... dead feeling compared to the liveliness of the ti bike. It's all relative. And it was something that I never noticed coming off of the aluminum bikes that I started with. I've only test rode a few other carbon bikes in stores, but that was before the ti bike, so I can't really judge whether I'd say they were dead now.

I can't say that I really tried the aluminum bars that came with the ti bike - I went on a ride or two with them and I hated them & their shape, and swapped them with carbon bars. I already had the carbon bars on my aluminum bike & really liked the shape/fit. So I swapped the bars onto the litespeed and sold the aluminum bike.

I just swapped the bizarre fake carbon seatpost that came with my litespeed for a carbon one, so I'll have to see how that feels this afternoon. Descending a hill on chipseal with the buzz off the ti & aluminum seatpost did direct a fair amount of vibration at my crotch which I wasn't exactly comfortable with.

[ridebikeme]

I agree with Eden, it really has more to do with the layup of the materials... how the specific frames were built. With that said however, like most of you I prefer ti. I have rode many carbon bikes, and always seem to come back to my ti bike.